Undergraduate Majors & Minors
Art History
Seeing art as a lens for comprehending the world and its human inhabitants.
The Art History major challenges students to understand the complex and dynamic relationship between art and the society that produces it. Although the emphasis of the curriculum is on art of the last 150 years, students will explore the major periods and art works in the history of western art since the ancient world before engaging with the often-contentious roles of art and artists in the modern era.
Utilizing seminar style classes as well as lectures, students will gain a thorough grounding in theoretical and critical approaches to the study of art and will learn to discuss the subject cogently in written and oral presentations. In the final year they will have the opportunity to explore a topic in depth and to produce a thesis that meets the research, writing and documentation standards of the discipline.
Students who graduate with a degree in Art History will be eligible to pursue graduate study in the discipline or to take entry-level positions in museums and galleries, art publishing and related careers. Moreover, the knowledge and insights that they will have gained should enrich their understanding and enjoyment of art in their future lives, regardless of career path.
