The University of Manchester, through the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures currently validates programmes at Sotheby’s Institute of Art delivered in London, New York and Singapore. The University has validated degrees at Sotheby’s Institute of Art - London since 1995.

The University of Manchester is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the U.K and has recently been created by bringing together The Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST, two of Britain's most distinguished universities. Manchester has a long tradition of excellence in Higher Education. UMIST can trace its roots back to 1824 and the formation of the Manchester Mechanics' Institute, whilst The Victoria University of Manchester was founded as Owens College in 1851.

The Institute has a close and productive working relationship with the University’s School of Arts, Histories and Cultures and together they run a split-site PhD in Art History that combines the specialist supervisory knowledge of academics at both institutions.

With around 3,500 students and 250 full-time academic and administrative staff, the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures is one of the largest in the Faculty, and indeed in the University. It houses eight discipline areas - Archaeology, Art History and Visual Studies, Classics and Ancient History, Drama, English and American Studies, History, Music, and Religions and Theology.

The University of Manchester is Britain’s largest single-site university. It is currently ranked within the top 60 universities worldwide.