Course Prices
Inside UK
£400.00
Outside UK
£425.00
Instalments UK & International
£400.00 in 4 instalments at £100.00 each
International students will not be supplied with a paper copy
🖼️ Understanding 20th to 21st Century Art Diploma Course
Explore the evolution of modern and contemporary art
Dive into the revolutionary world of contemporary and modern art with this online diploma course. You'll examine the key movements, artists, and cultural shifts that shaped the 20th and 21st centuries — from pop art and conceptualism to street art and environmental installations. This written course includes personal tutor feedback on each assignment to support your understanding.
Whether you're building on our History of Art course or starting fresh with an interest in modern creativity, this course offers a fascinating look at the radical art of our times.
👩‍🎨 Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for:
- Students who’ve completed the History of Art Diploma and want to continue their studies
- Anyone curious about modern and contemporary art movements
- Artists and creatives looking to deepen their knowledge of theory and context
This course assumes no prior knowledge of 20th-century art.
đź“š What to expect
- Distance learning — study at your own pace with up to 2 years to complete
- Written coursework submitted for tutor feedback
- Flexible assignments focusing on theory, artist study, and written reflection
- No exams or grading — just development of critical understanding and personal insight
- Suitable for students anywhere in the world
🖌️ What you'll explore
- Pop Art
- Postmodernism
- Installation and conceptual art
- Identity and the role of the artist
- Street art and graffiti
- Land and environmental art
- The influence of modernism and its legacy
- Deconstruction, context, and meaning
- Themes in contemporary art
- Important but lesser-known artists alongside household names
🧑‍🏫 Meet your tutor
This course is written and supported by Stewart Roberts, a long-time tutor at the London Art College with expertise in art history, theory, and visual culture. Stewart’s thoughtful feedback will help you reflect more deeply and connect with the themes explored.
❤️ Student feedback
"Thank you for a really interesting, absorbing course. I have loved it, and it has been a godsend throughout the last year of lockdowns and restrictions. I have had something fascinating and enriching to fill my time. Stewart's responses were always interesting and helpful too. I will genuinely miss it."
— L. Owen
"I absolutely loved this course! It gave me the foundation I needed before starting college. I’ve learned about artists, movements, and terminology — everything I hoped for. A big thank you to Stewart and the London Art College team!"
— Y. Squire
"Loved this course — the subject matter was so unusual and diverse. The artists lived such interesting lives; I enjoyed delving into their stories. It kept me enthralled during lockdown and did wonders for my mental health."
— J. Livesley
"Very happy I did the two courses I did. Stewart was always very helpful and made interesting comments that expanded my awareness."
— J. Stranks
"One of the best online courses ever."
— A. Watts
âť“ FAQs
Is this course suitable for beginners?
Yes. You don’t need specialist knowledge, but if you’ve completed the History of Art Diploma or have an interest in modern art, that’s helpful. The tutor provides supportive guidance throughout.
Is this a practical or written course?
This is a written course. You’ll respond to reading and study materials with essays and reflections. It’s a great option for students interested in understanding rather than making art.
How long do I have to complete it?
The course is designed to take about one year, but you can take up to two years if needed.
Will I get feedback?
Yes. Your tutor will read and comment on each of your submissions, providing insight and helpful critique to deepen your learning.
đź’ł Ready to enrol?
Students are able to upload their artwork to the 'The Art Room' on our website. Each student is
given a unique username and password on enrolment for their own private area in
The Art Room.
Students can upload their artwork for the tutor to collect and
critique. The tutor will then upload feedback for the student to download. If
you do not have facilities to upload your artwork, you can mail your artwork to
the tutors centre and receive your artwork back with your critique.
It is essential you label all
packages/artwork with your student number.
All our courses are written to be your comprehensive guide into
each of their subject matters. We understand that students appreciate
clarification about various aspects of their work from a course tutor, whom
provide reassurance that techniques are put into practice effectively.
Each courses has its own dedicated Tutor. The tutor keeps the
course up to date and relevant to today's students. They are available to the
individual student for advice and encouragement. Students are encouraged to submit the
assignment work to the college for the tutor to critique.
The student's work will be returned together with your personal critique. The college will use the assignments submitted as the basis for your award of a diploma.
On successful completion of this course you will have studied new skills and gained knowledge for your own enjoyment and development.
This course focusses on more contemporary developments in Art History and seeks to create a broad understanding of the diversity and directions in contemporary art.
Learning Objectives
- Providing students with examples of the diversity of forms that contemporary art might take
- Identifying common themes and differences in approach within the works of selected contemporary artists
- Understanding how such artworks might reflect the social context in which they are produced
- Equipping students with the means to approach, understand and appreciate the intentions of contemporary artists and related artworks
Click the download button below to view a pdf sample course page which will open in a new tab. Alternatively right click and save the file. Please be patient for it to load.
Below are a few images from the course itself.
Many thanks for your kind responses to the assignments and please thank the staff for being understanding and helpful. I wish you all the best for the future. The course has been a real pleasure and your thoughtful responses have helped with my ongoing studies.
I have learned so much overall from this course. Well done on setting a varied and thought-provoking range of 20/21st century artwork for me to consider. I haven't necessarily liked all the works but that is part of the exercise too, and some of them I came to like after learning more about them. Thanks for all your insightful comments and responses
Thank you for a really interesting, absorbing course. I have loved it, and it has been a godsend throughout the last year of lockdowns and restrictions. I have had something fascinating and enriching to fill my time, thank you, and Stu's responses were always interesting and helpful too. I will genuinely miss it.
I absolutely loved this course! I am so pleased with all the general art knowledge I have acquired upon completing this course. When I began, my aim was to achieve a greater understanding of the more theoretical side behind art, such as, learning about new artists and their impact on the art world, artistic terminology, and how the course of history has impacted how art has developed. I am starting college in September, and this course has been a great foundation for me to ensure I start the academic year with a decent amount of knowledge on the art world. A big thankyou to my tutor Stewart Roberts and the rest of the London art college team!
Very happy I did the two courses I did. Stewart was always very helpful and made interesting comments that never failed to expand my awareness. Thanks a lot to him.
Loved this course as the subject matter of some of the works was so unusual and diverse and the artists lived such interesting lives ; I enjoyed delving into their story and finding out what they were trying to say in their art installations. This course kept me enthralled during lockdown and did wonders for my mental health by giving me something positive to focus on.
One of the best online courses ever..
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Thank
you for a really interesting, absorbing course. I have loved it, and it has been a
godsend throughout the last year of lockdowns and restrictions. I have
had something fascinating and enriching to fill my time, thank you, and Stu's
responses were always interesting and helpful too. I will genuinely
miss it. |