Visual Studies Stellenbosch University

Overview

The Visual Studies programme at the Stellenbosch University focuses on an advanced level of contemporary theory in the field of Art History and, more broadly, the field of visual studies and the complex factors underlying both the production and consumption of 'high' and popular art forms, especially in South Africa and other African countries.

Visual Studies offers a comprehensive postgraduate offering all the way through to doctoral level.

Why to study

This intensive year-long Honours programme is recognised as one of the best in the country. It brings together experts on art journalism, media theorists, theorists of Visual Culture Studies and curators. We attract students who are interested in pursuing careers in the arts sector as publishers, curators, art critics, journalists and media specialists.

As part of the yearly programme, our curriculum covers the following themes:

• The philosophical consideration of photography and the gendered ethics of self-representation

• Subjectivity

• Art criticism

• Curatorship

The coursework is structured around interactive seminars and reading groups but also involves visits to galleries and practical projects designed to cultivate curatorial skills. The intention is to create a dynamic and vibrant environment for the generation of new ideas and discursive understandings. We aim to produce thinkers whose ideas are relevant to 'local' concerns, but resonate with intellectual traditions established elsewhere in the world.