About us

The School of Languages, Cultures Art History and Music (LCAHM) is dedicated to study and research in the fundamentals of human creativity and expression: languages, images and music.

A woman looks at an abstract painting

A key part of the School is the study of modern languages, including Arabic, French, German, Spanish and other Hispanic languages, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Russian. We are also home to one of the UK’s largest groups of internationally renowned researchers in the national cultures of Europe - past and present. The School recently added a purpose-built Interpreting Suite to its facilities.

The School incorporates the Department of History of Art, which is located in the renowned Barber Institute of Fine Arts. This houses the Barber Institute gallery - an excellent and representative collection of post-medieval European art that is a valuable and convenient teaching resource for all members to use on a regular basis.

The School also includes the Department of Music, one of the largest music departments in the country, with a history stretching back to 1905. Its research community includes internationally recognised scholars, composers and performers. Our Music students study in our £16 million Bramall Music Building, which contains the 450-seat Elgar Concert Hall.

LCAHM has a distinctive reach outwards across the life of the University and beyond, through University Music and the Bramall performance spaces, through Languages for all, and through our close relationship with the Barber Institute.