Art history

What is it?: You'll study fine art, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts, and the social and political context in which they were produced. At AS-level you'll look at early European art by the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, and modern art. In A2 there's a chance to specialise, including writing a long essay on a subject of your choice.

What is it?: You'll study fine art, painting, sculpture and the decorative arts, and the social and political context in which they were produced. At AS-level you'll look at early European art by the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, and modern art. In A2 there's a chance to specialise, including writing a long essay on a subject of your choice.

Why do it?: Why does the Mona Lisa have that silly smile? What motivated Damien Hirst to pickle a shark? If you love wandering around art galleries, this is the course for you, and it'll give you an insight into our culture. "We live in a visual world, bombarded by thousands of images a day," says Gay Charlton, a principal examiner in history of art for AQA. "The A-level will tune your analytical skills. It'll help you to understand the way images are used."

What skills do you need?: Good writing skills, but most important are enthusiasm and an interest in the subject.

How much practical work is there?: None.

Ratio of coursework to exams: 15:85

IS IT HARD?: "I don't think it's any harder or easier than any other A-level," says Ms Charlton. "Students might find the combination of the visual and the written hard at first, but if they are enthusiastic about the subject, they'll overcome it."

Who takes it?: Marginally more girls than boys, but with Prince William studying for a degree in the subject at the moment, that could soon change. It also tends to be a private-school rather than a state-school subject.

How cool is it?: "It was incredibly cool in the Sixties and Seventies," says Ms Charlton. "It faded in the materialistic Eighties, but since then it's been swinging back into fashion."

Added value: Seeing art for yourself is an integral part of the course, so at the very least you'll be visiting British galleries. Many colleges or schools will organise a trip abroad: Paris and Florence are popular.

What subjects go with it?: Some students do it as an antidote to science subjects. Others combine it with English, history or a language.

What degrees does it lead to?: It can be studied on its own at degree level or combined with history, English or a foreign language such as Italian. You can also study it as part of a practical art course.

Will it set you up for a brilliant career?: "History of art is an education, not necessarily a career choice," says Ms Charlton. "But I've heard of former students teaching, going into the media or working in galleries. The opportunities are endless."

What do the students say?: "I'm doing AS art history and I really enjoy it," says Emma Prest, 17, who is also studying A-levels in chemistry, geography and Spanish at Channing School, north London. "I have one lesson a week and it's very relaxed; we just analyse paintings. Unfortunately, out of class you do have to learn a lot of the historical context, which can be hard work. We go to a lot of galleries as part of the course; Tate Modern is my favourite."

Which awarding bodies offer it?: AQA.

How widely available is it around the country?: Increasingly so.

c.rudebeck@independent.co.uk