Studying East Asian Art History Studies
The East Asian Art History program at Heidelberg University addresses a diverse range of topics related to visual and material cultures of Japan and China, and to a lesser extent, Korea.
In addition to foundational language courses, the program offers survey courses in which students become acquainted with iconography, styles and techniques, as well as visual analysis and art historical methods relevant to East Asian art. Students can develop their own interests by attending specialized lectures and seminars with topics ranging from the Neolithic period to contemporary developments in the field of art. Topics that are regularly taught include Buddhist painting and sculpture, photography, transcultural exchange processes and artistic shifts during modernization. Both BA and MA programs conclude with a final research paper, in which students are encouraged to develop their own research question.
The Institute of East Asian Art History at Heidelberg University is the only university in Germany with two professorships—one for Chinese and one for Japanese art history. This allows students to choose their preferred language and area of specialization, while also exploring the connections between East Asian cultures. Thanks to the Ishibashi Foundation and the Heinz Götze Foundation, the institute is able to regularly offer courses taught by internationally renowned professors and curators from China, Japan, the USA, and Europe. In addition, our students have access to the CATS Library and its special collections for East Asia, as well as to all digital resources made available through the CrossAsia program offered by the State Library in Berlin.
Our programs also emphasize the development of practical experience through a hands-on component. Students gain first-hand knowledge through internships, excursions to workshops, archives or museums, and specialty courses taught by professionals in the field, such as artists or curators. The institute also supports applications for stays abroad.
Our students acquire a broad repertoire of skills, including the ability to conduct independent research with historical sources and with the aid of digital platforms, to think critically and creatively and to develop research questions relevant to the field. The hands-on component promotes the development of tacit knowledge to handle objects and practical acquaintance with artistic techniques. In collaboration with other institutes at the university, we also offer courses in the field of digital humanities, for which students can earn an additional certificate.
East Asian Art History can be studied as a BA major (75%, “Ostasienwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens”), BA 50% major or minor, or BA minor (25%, also in combination with Sinology and Japanese Studies as “Begleitfach Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens“), and as an MA major or minor.
Mailing list
We recommend all undergraduate and graduate students register for our IKO-INTERN mailing list to stay informed about events, grants and registration deadlines for exams and excursions.
