History and Philosophy of Art careers
The jobs listed below are a selection of those which may interest History and Philosophy of Arts students and graduates and offer the opportunity to use your degree directly.
Art Gallery Manager
Art galleries vary in style, size and purpose, and because of this, the role of a gallery manager can differ. The role can change depending on whether you work in a public or private gallery.
Job profile of an Art Gallery Manager on the Prospects website
Exhibition Designer
Exhibition designers typically work on cultural exhibitions which include museums and galleries, or on commercial exhibitions which include showcase events, trade shows and conferences.
Job profile of an Exhibition Designer on the Prospects website
Museum/Gallery Curator
With the key goals of informing, educating and inspiring the public, a museum or gallery curator acquires, cares for, develops, displays and interprets a collection of artefacts or works of art.
Job profile of a Museum/Gallery Curator on the Prospects website
Job profile of a Curator on the TARGET Jobs website
icould: Katie M - Associate Curator
I want to work in The Heritage Sector
University Lecturer
As well as teaching through lectures and seminars, academic staff in higher education also carry out research and a wide range of administrative and pastoral tasks. Although a teaching qualification is not required, you will need a higher degree, normally a PhD. Competition is strong for entry-level academic posts.
Job profile of a higher education lecturer from the Prospects website
Job profile of a higher education lecturer from the TARGET Jobs website
I want to work in A University
Please note that some of these careers may require further study.
For further information on these careers, see also:
- I Want To Work In
- Information on types of jobs from Prospects
- Information on career sectors from TargetJobs
People in some History and Philosophy of Art roles may be self-employed
Thank you to Prospects for the content on these pages.
Other careers
A History and Philosophy of Art degree may be useful in the following career areas because the skills it develops are likely to be important to do these jobs:
Archivist
Archivists work in national and local records offices, specialist organisations (such as Canterbury Cathedral) and in businesses. They acquire, manage and maintain documents and other materials that have historical importance and make them accessible to researchers and other users.
Job profile of an archivist from the Prospects website
Job profile of an archivist from the TARGET Jobs website
The Archives and Records Association
I want to work in Librarianship and Archives
Arts Administrator
An arts administrator manages activities and services which support the arts sector, involving projects and initiatives provided by arts organisations
Job profile of an Arts Administrator from the Prospects website
Job profile of an Arts Administrator from the TARGET Jobs website
Job profile of an Arts Administrator from the National Careers Service website
Civil Service Fast Stream Administrator
The Fast Stream is a development programme designed to prepare graduates for careers at the highest levels of the Civil Service.
Job profile of a Civil Service Fast Streamer on the Prospects website
Publishing
This covers the production of books, magazines and online publishing, generalist or specialist (including academic publishers). Graduates may work in editorial roles or in business roles such as production and marketing.
Types of jobs in Publishing and Journalism from the Prospects website
Tourist guide
Tourist guides show visitors around towns and cities, historic buildings, gardens, religious sites or museums and art galleries. Some travel companies specialise in historical and cultural tours, but a knowledge of history is valuable for all tour guides.
Job profile of a tourist guide from the National Careers Service
You may be interested in graduate roles outside of History and Philosophy of Art. There are many employers who are looking for graduates with good degrees but that don’t have a preference for the subject studied. To explore different career options see:
Skills gained
Studying History and Philosophy of Art typically gives you a range of skills and abilities sought after by all types of employers, for example:
- analysing and interpreting information from different sources
- attention to detail;
- using critical judgement to form opinions and strong arguments;
- presenting information in an intelligent, coherent and balanced way;
- oral and written communication skills;
- time management skills;
- ability to work independently and in teams;
- listening skills.
Studying History and Philosophy of Art therefore develops a wide range of transferable skills, which are important in many career fields:
Historians develop excellent skills of analysis, frequently assessing multiple and often conflicting sources before condensing opinions into concise, well-structured prose.
Graduates are able to demonstrate self-motivation and the ability to work independently, demonstrating to potential employers that you respond positively to various challenges, that you can work to tight schedules, and that you can manage heavy workloads.
This is not an exhaustive list of skills - you will develop many skills from your course, extra-curricular activities and work experience. Find out more about the skills employers look for and how you can develop them.
Find a job
The Careers and Employability Service provides information and advice on job searching to University of Kent students and recent graduates. This includes a vacancy database advertising a range of graduate jobs, sandwich placements and vacation work/internships. The websites listed below may also be useful when searching for a job and when looking for further information on this sector.
General Arts and Heritage sites
- A-n The Artists information Company
- Art Monthly - Contemporary Visual Arts Magazine published ten times throughout the year
- Arts Council Develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences – includes Arts Jobs , which advertises a wide range of opportunities
- Arts Culture Media Jobs
- Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Includes Fellowship programme
- Arts Hub large listing of arts and creative jobs including internships and work experience. Jobs bulletin with 100 new listings each week is emailed free to members weekly. Free to join. Covers theatre, dance, visual arts, film, TV and radio, writing and publishing, design, music, fashion and the creative industries.
- ArtsJobsonline searchable by employers
- Arts Professional - Arts related news, jobs and events. Includes Arts Job Finder
- British Arts Festival Association Festival dates and information
- Call for Curators Curatorial opportunities (includes some entry level positions )
- Creative Opportunities UAL’s creative sector jobs board, but you can register if you’re outside of that university too
- Gallery Jobs Advice on roles available and how to get a job
- Guardian Jobs (Arts and Heritage) Good Search facility including by graduate level
- The RSA The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)
Art Institutions and Galleries
- Art Galleries Listing
- Engage A membership organisation representing gallery, art and education professionals in the UK and 15 countries worldwide
- The Courtauld Institute of Art Part of University of London
Auction Houses
- Auction Guide Online
- Bonhams
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (careers in antiques & fine art valuation)
- Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers
Heritage Organisations
- British Archaeological Jobs and Resources
- English Heritage
- Group for Education in Museums (GEM) promotes the importance of learning through museums, galleries and other cultural organisations.
- Historic England
- Institute of Conservation (ICON) Professional Body for the conservation of cultural heritage
- National Trust Jobs, volunteering and internships
- Scottish Natural Heritage Jobs, volunteering and studentships
Museums and Galleries
- Gallery Jobs Careers advice website, simple overview of gallery roles
- Leicester University – Great free job, internship and volunteering listings, not just for Leicester University students
- National Museum Jobs jobs across the UK’s national and major regional museums, libraries and archives.
- Museums Association See jobs board, careers advice, and lists of museums and suppliers, includes job listings
- Museum Galleries Scotland See skills, training and jobs section
- Museum Jobs Jobs in Museums, Galleries, Libraries and archives
- Mustard Jobs Jobs in the design and creative industries including exhibitions and events
- The British Museum Search under jobs – includes Museum Pathways which is an 18 month paid training programme working across museums in London
Recruitment Companies
Local Organisations
- Canterbury Auction Galleries
- Lilford Gallery
- Nucleus Arts
- The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge
- Turner Contemporary
Finding work experience
In addition to the above organisations the following could be useful
- British Councils Internships
- Creative Access Opportunities
- RSA’s Internships Scheme Typically between 3-6 months
- Voluntary Arts see jobs and opportunities
A number of opportunities the Arts Sector are volunteering opportunities and are unpaid. The Careers and Employability Service offers a modest bursary for students who have secured some unpaid work experience in the UK to help towards travel expenses.
More websites offering graduate jobs, internships and placement years
You may also find useful reviews and application/interview tips for specific organisations on the following websites:
Glassdoor
The Job Crowd
Further study
Postgraduate study may enable you to explore aspects of Art History or History and Philosophy of Art in greater depth or to study a new subject. You should consider why you want to do postgraduate work, whether it will affect your career prospects and whether you are likely to get funding. There is no equivalent of UCAS for postgraduate study, so investigate courses early, starting with the Postgraduate Study section of this website and the Prospects website. If you are already a student on a taught Master’s degree, you may wish to continue your studies by research, in the UK (at Kent or elsewhere) or overseas. Again, early planning is important. You should seek advice from your supervisor as to the possible options.