Graduate Destinations
How does a degree in History of Art & Archaeology help with my career?
The Department of the History of Art and Archaeology at SOAS enables students to follow either an arts related career or a more general graduate job. With a degree in the History of Art and Archaeology, graduates have the foundations to work in a range of arts-related jobs such as galleries, museums, archives, conservation, publishing, arts administration, and heritage management. SOAS is often targeted by auction houses and galleries looking for graduates with specialist knowledge of African and Asian art. Our programmes contain modules with a number of practical and vocational elements, including an introduction to the creative and cultural industries and experience of curating and heritage management.
A degree from the Department of the History of Art and Archaeology provides students with a number of transferable skills that can be applied to other types of professions. These include: research skills; written and oral communication skills; visual awareness; and specialist subject knowledge of Asian and African art. Former History of Art and Archaeology students have gone on to employment in a range of professional roles in business and public sectors, as well as continuing in the field of research either at SOAS or other institutions.
What do Graduates do?
- SOAS Graduate Careers Case Studies from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Options with your History of Art or Archaeology degree
- What London Graduates do
Destinations of 2015 Graduates: Undergraduates
All undergraduate students are contacted 6 months after graduation (for undergraduate students this is January) to find out what they are doing - working, studying or something else, such as travelling. We find out this data in the summer, and here is the latest information from the 12 known destinations of the 2015 UK, EU and International graduates of single and joint honours within the department. Examples are given from the past two years destinations.
Example employers include:
| BPCM | Japanese Gallery |
| Christie’s | KUONI Global Travel Services |
| Christine Park Gallery | Nanjing Museum |
| Di Moji | Protein |
| Hydrogen | Somerset House Trust |
Example occupations include:
| Associate | Gallery Assistant |
| Auction Administrator | Junior Project Manager |
| Fashion Designer | Museum Volunteer |
| Freelance Journalist | Project Co-Ordinator |
| Freelance Media analyst | Public Relations (PR) Assistant |
Destination of 2015 Graduates: Postgraduates
All postgraduate students are contacted 6 months after graduation (so for postgraduate students this is in April) to find out what they are doing - working, studying or something else, such as travelling. This data is added to the Undergraduate survey the following January and we receive the data in the summer (i.e. approximately 18 months after graduation).
Below is the latest information from the 50 known destinations of the 2015 UK, EU and International postgraduates within the department. Examples are given from the past two years destinations.
Example employers include:
| Annely Juda Fine Art | Marmi Granigi Eraclit |
| Beijing Huachen Auctions Co., Ltd | Qatar National Library (QNL) |
| Bonhams | Rossi & Rossi |
| Contini Art UK | Sotheby's |
| Heritage Transport Museum | Tradigital Stuttgart GmbH |
Example occupations include:
| Academic Researcher | Exhibition Assistant |
| Art Gallery Intern | Head of Sale |
| Assistant Manager | Programme Co-Ordinator |
| Commercial Executive | Research Co-Ordinator for Islamic Manuscript Association |
| Data Manager | Self-Employed Principal (Arts Consulting) |
Destination of 2015 Graduates: Further Study
Examples of further study institutions:
| Christie's Education | University of Adelaide |
| Courtauld Institute of Art | University of Chicago |
| Goldsmiths, University of London | University of Oxford |
| SOAS, University of London | Warburg Institute |
| Tokyo University of the Arts | Wesleyan University |
Examples of further study courses:
| DPhil Archaeology | MA Global Arts |
| Japanese Art History | MA History of Design |
| MA Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas | PhD Islamic Architecture |
| MA Fashion Journalism | PhD Art History |
Job Profiles and Careers Information
- SOAS Careers Moodle – Careers by Sector, including Archaeology, Art History, Arts Management, Museums and Galleries
- SOAS Careers Service – events, workshops, guidance, and more.
- Occupational profiles and information on Postgraduate Study at Prospects
- Sector and careers information at Careers Tagged