School of Arts & Humanities

The School of Arts & Humanities is central to The Open University, providing sector-leading, high-quality teaching and research. We use texts, music, artwork, objects and ideas to explore the history and culture of societies past and present. Undergraduate, taught postgraduate, and research qualifications are available and our students have very high completion rates.’

- Dr Donna Loftus (Head of School, A&H)

Student pointing at work of art Copyright: OU Prospectus 2021

Study

The Arts and Humanities shine a light on the human condition. We offer courses in Art History, Classical Studies, Creative Writing, English Literature, History and Music, plus qualifications that bring in English Language, Philosophy, Politics and Religious Studies. Click through and learn more.

Neon question mark Copyright: Emily Morter on Unsplash

Research

Our School enjoys an international reputation for its award-winning academic research, supported by our vibrant research groups and centres, and our lively postgraduate research culture. Our researchers are committed to engaging with the wider world, enriching the lives of individuals and communities with their projects.

Colourful hands touching Copyright: © Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

‘Art and Ecology’ connects people and climate
17th March 2025
OU art historians work with local people in Perthshire to reflect on climate change in new ways.
New chapter publication: ‘Beyond Nostalgia: Hearing Anarchronism in Westworld and Television’s New Golden Age’
14th March 2025
Kolassa’s chapter in The Palgrave Handbook of Music and Sound in Peak TV explains the cutting-edge ‘Peak’ TV soundtrack for Westworld and its...
In Defence of History
17th February 2025
Research event on the 18th February 2025 convened by OU Classical Studies academic brings global community together around the protection of...