What is it all about?

In the bachelor's degree program in History of Art at KIT, you will deal with works of art and other products of artistic creation from Christian late antiquity to the present day. You will learn to understand, describe, evaluate and classify the wide range of objects from different epochs and media - from painting and sculpture to photography, design and modern multimedia forms - from a historical and visual studies perspective.

At the beginning of your studies, the focus is on acquiring a broad basic knowledge of art history. In lectures, seminars, tutorials, exercises and practice-oriented courses, you will also be introduced to the basic techniques of academic work, which you will develop further through independent self-study. In the later semesters, you will deepen your ability to critically analyze works of art and present your findings in a professional manner. You will also gain an insight into the preservation of historical monuments as well as archives and museums. Together with internship experience in cultural institutions, this will pave the way for you to enter the world of work.

Program structure

During your studies, you have various subjects, which consist of one or more modules. A module deals with a specific topic and consists of one or more courses. In the module handbook for your degree program, you will find a description of the modules and their subject assignment as well as a study plan. This gives you an orientation as to which courses you should attend in which semester in order to complete your studies within the standard period of study. It takes into account a balanced distribution of courses over the individual semesters. It also ensures that you are first taught the important basics before moving on to more advanced topics. Your individual course of study may differ from this.

In the compulsory part of your studies, you will take the following subjects (mainly in semesters 1-3)

• Basics of Art History (22 CP)
  
• Periods, Styles and Practices (16 CP)
  
• History and Theory of Architecture (12 CP)
  
• Applied Science (8 CP)
  

Later, you will complete a compulsory professional internship (8 CP), acquire interdisciplinary qualifications (6 CP) in foreign languages and complete a bachelor's thesis (14 CP) at the end of your studies (usually in semester 6).

In the compulsory elective area, you decide on a Complementary Subject at the beginning of your studies, in which you take modules totaling 46 CP. You can choose from the following subjects:

• Architectural and Cultural Heritage
  
• Sociology
  
• German Studies
  
• History
  
• Philosophy
  
• Pedagogy
  
• Media Culture: Theory and Practice
  
• Music History

In addition, you will complete elective modules in three of the following Specializations , each worth 16 CP.

• Art and Technology
  
• Art and Environment
• Art and Politics
• Image and Knowledge

Internship

The compulsory part of your bachelor's degree includes a full-time internship of at least six weeks, to which 8 CP are allocated. The internship should give you an insight into practical work in the cultural or media sector or in another relevant professional field. You largely decide where exactly you complete your internship, but you must obtain the approval of your examination board. It is recommended that you complete your internship during one of the lecture-free periods between the end of the second semester and the beginning of the fifth semester.

Stays abroad

If you would like to gain international experience during your studies of History of Art, there are numerous opportunities open to you. For example, the KIT Department of Architecture has maintained close partnerships with European universities for many years, where you can study for one or two semesters without paying tuition fees and earn credits that can be recognized when you return to KIT. You can obtain information and support regarding your plans abroad from the faculty's International Coordination Office.

Another important point of contact, especially if you are interested in exchange programs outside Europe, is the International Students Office of the KIT. It centrally organizes KIT's overseas cooperations and also informs and supports you if you are planning an internship abroad during or after your studies.

Bachelor's thesis

At the end of your bachelor's degree, you will complete a bachelor's thesis in which you demonstrate that you can work independently on an art historical issue using scientific methods. The bachelor's thesis is worth 12 CP. It can be written in German or English, in exceptional cases also in another language. The maximum completion time is three months.

In addition, you will give two presentations: one on the research question and the progress of your bachelor's thesis with subsequent discussion as part of a colloquium on the bachelor's thesis (30 minutes, 1 CP) and a final presentation of the completed thesis (20 minutes, 1 CP).

Possible fields of activity in the field of art studies open up after graduation, e.g. in the following professional fields: museums, galleries, cultural management, exhibitions, tourism, journalism, publishing, radio and television, etc. The involvement of lecturers from practical fields facilitates early and continuous contact with relevant fields of activity.

Characteristic features of History of Art B.A. at KIT

• orientation week and mentoring program at the start of studies
  
• practice-oriented basic teaching with excursions, discussions of originals, cooperation with local art and cultural institutions
  
• innovative teaching and learning methods
  
• additional courses with institutions that teach art history in Karlsruhe: Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung and in conjunction with the KIT Department of Architecture
  
• involvement of students in research projects
  
• in addition to Erasmus+, numerous other international programs such as Eucor and EPICUR as well as overseas programs
  

What KIT has to offer

• central campus close to the city forest and right next to the city center
  
• orientation week before the start of lectures
  
• 24-hour library offering single and group working places
  
• wide range of inexpensive catering options (dining hall, cafeteria, Koeri and Pizzawerk)
  
• numerous interdisciplinary offers for personal and professional development, e.g. Lernlabor, Schreiblabor and Perspektivenlabor
  
• study abroad, e.g. via Erasmus
  
• excellent university sports facilities with a large selection of sports
  
• comprehensive cultural offerings with university orchestras, choirs and theater groups
  
• extensive support for career entry and self-employment
  
• Lernraum app
  
• internationally oriented degree programs and diverse exchange programs
  
• modern laboratories and practical teaching methods
  
• diverse student initiatives, clubs and opportunities to actively participate in campus life
  
• stay in touch after graduation via the alumni network

Higher education entrance qualification (HZB)

Germans and persons of equal status to Germans (i.e. EU/EEA nationals and non-EU/EEA nationals with a German higher education entrance qualification) are entitled to study at KIT if they have one of the following qualifications:

1. General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur)
2. (relevant) subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification (not Fachhochschulreife)
3. Delta examination of the University of Mannheim (for holders of a Fachhochschulreife)
4. recognized advanced vocational training (e.g. master craftsperson) or vocational training, professional experience and aptitude test for those with professional qualifications

For further options, see §58 of the "Landeshochschulgesetz" (State Higher Education Act).

Please note: German nationals with a foreign school-leaving qualification must have the relevant "Regierungspräsidium" (regional authority) certify that their qualification is equivalent to the German Abitur.

For non-EU/EEA nationals with a foreign school-leaving certificate (hereinafter also referred to simply as non-EU/EEA nationals), the school-leaving certificate from some countries is recognized as a direct university entrance qualification in Germany. In many cases, however, in addition to the school-leaving certificate, a university entrance examination and/or a successful year of study in the home country and/or the "Feststellungsprüfung" must be proven with valid documents in order to be allowed to study a bachelor's degree in Germany. You can find the country-specific regulations in the DAAD admissions database or on the Anabin website (in German only) of the "Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen" (Central Office for Foreign Education). Further information is available from the International Students Office.

Language requirements and certificates

For the bachelor's degree program in History of Art, you need sufficient knowledge of German and English. Your knowledge of German must be at least level C1 and your knowledge of English at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Important: you must provide proof of the required language skills regardless of your citizenship and by the end of the enrollment period at the latest, but preferably at the time of application.

In what form do I have to provide the language certificates? Please read the following chapters on this website carefully. If you have any further questions, please contact

• Students Office if you are applying as a German, German national or a person with German equivalent status
• the International Students Office if you are a non-EU national

Proof of sufficient German language skills

As proof of your German language skills, your higher education or master's entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur, university degree or a professional qualification that entitles you to study) is sufficient if you have acquired it at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction.

In concrete terms, this means that you do not have to submit additional proof of German if you

• have obtained your Abitur at a German-speaking school in Germany or abroad,
• are a graduate of a bilingual secondary school in Germany or abroad and have passed a bilingual German examination, such as the AbiBac or the Gemischtsprachiges International Baccalaureat (GIB) or
• you graduated from a foreign school, but there is another official agreement with the respective country regarding the recognition of your school-leaving certificate or language certificate as proof of language proficiency for university studies in Germany.

A complete list of foreign school-leaving qualifications and language certificates that are recognized as proof of sufficient German language skills can be found on the website of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Laender (KMK) in the Federal Republic of Germany.

If you have already completed a German-language degree at a German university, this can also count as proof of German language proficiency - but only if the diploma supplement, transcript of records or degree certificate clearly states that German was the sole language of instruction and examination.

If, on the other hand, you did not obtain your higher education or master's entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution with German as the language of instruction, you must provide proof of German language proficiency at least at DSH-2 level. This corresponds to CEFR level C1.

Only the following certificates are accepted in accordance with the KIT admission and enrollment regulations:

• passed German section of the Feststellungspruefung (assessment test)
• passed German language test for university admission (DSH) with overall result DSH-2
• passed Test of German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) with level 4 in all four parts of the exam
• German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs - second level (DSD II)
• Goethe certificate C1 or higher
• passed telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule exam
• Austrian Language Diploma C1 or higher

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable C1 proof of German at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the C1 certificates listed above demonstrating your German language skills by the application deadline, you may still be admitted if you can provisionally demonstrate at least B1 language proficiency. Proof of B1 level is provided by a recognized language certificate or other certification from a language or other educational institution that clearly shows that B1 level has been achieved.

But please don't forget: you still have to submit the C1 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take a recognized language test.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extensvion can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Student Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Proof of sufficient knowledge of English

The following is sufficient proof of your English language skills

• your university entrance qualification, if
  • it certifies English language proficiency at CEFR level B2 or higher or
  • it shows that you have studied English for at least five years up to graduation and your final grade or average grade of the last two years of English lessons corresponds to at least the German grade 4 (sufficient) or at least 5 grade points or
• a university degree with English as the sole language of instruction and examination in the completed degree program - this must be clearly stated in the Diploma Supplement, Transcript of Records or in the degree certificate.

Otherwise, only the following English tests listed in the KIT admission and enrollment regulations are accepted as proof of English proficiency:

• TOEFL iBT (internet-based) with at least 90 points
• IELTS with an overall score of at least 6.5, no section below 5.5
• TOEIC with at least 400 points in Listening, 385 in Reading, 160 in Speaking, 150 in Writing
• Cambridge Certificate C1 Advanced (CAE)
• Cambridge Certificate C2 Proficiency (CPE)
• Cambridge Certificate B2 First (FCE)
• UNIcert, at least level II
• Pearson PTE Academic with at least 58.5 points overall and at least 56.8 in Listening, 60.6 in Reading, 53.5 in Speaking, 74.1 in Writing

Note: The above-mentioned tests are accepted as proof of language proficiency for an unlimited period of time, even if the provider specifies an expiration date.

What if I cannot provide suitable B2 proof of English at the time of application?

If you are unable to provide any of the B2 certificates listed above demonstrating your English language skills by the application deadline, you may still be admitted if you can provisionally demonstrate that you have already acquired English language skills.

But please don't forget: you will still have to submit the actual B2 certificate by the end of your enrollment period at the latest, which is stated in your admission letter.

Therefore, check early on whether you can provide the necessary language certificates by the deadline and, if necessary, plan to take one of the recognized language tests.

In justified cases, you can apply for an extension of the enrollment deadline to provide proof of your language skills, but this extension can only be granted up to the day before the start of the lecture period. Please contact the Students Office or the International Students Office - depending on who is named as your point of contact in your letter of admission.

Additional necessary requirements for enrollment

For Germans and those with German equivalent status, an additional necessary requirement for enrollment is proof of participation in a study orientation test (e.g. www.was-studiere-ich.de) or a study orientation consultation in accordance with §7 of the "Landeshochschulgesetz" (State Higher Education Act), e.g. by the Student Advisory Service (ZSB) of KIT. Non-EU/EEA nationals do not have to provide this proof.

• all year round Information events of the Student Advisory Service (ZSB) on your desired degree programs, application and admission as well as starting your studies
• Try out KIT - clarify your interests and support your study decision by taking advantage of the diverse summer offers or participating in taster lectures.
• Campus Day: experience the campus live (together with your family) in spring and make your first personal contacts with the departments and their students
• Studieninformationstag: visit KIT on the state-wide study information day in November and experience the lecture hall feeling for the first time
• topMINT: you don't know yet what you want to study and need to bridge the summer? Take advantage of our orientation semester before you start your studies.
• Use our central online portal studienstart.kit.edu with all the important information and services you need to prepare for your studies and your first semester at KIT. Be it preparatory courses, study-related courses or mentoring programs.
• Orientation phase before the start of lectures - from students for students to get to know KIT, your fellow students and your student council. You will receive specific information on this when you enrol.
• You will be welcomed by KIT with a colorful supporting program at the welcome event for first semester students. You will receive the invitation after your enrollment.

Weitere Ansprechpersonen:

• KIT-Fakultät für Architektur
• Institut für Kunstgeschichte
• Fachstudienberatung
• Prüfungsausschuss
• Informationen zum Auslandsstudium
• Fachschaft Kunstgeschichte

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• Course catalog current term
• Course catalog current term PDF (English)
• Archive of previous catalogs