Art History students begin the program with introductory courses that survey historically significant objects and monuments, including paintings, graphics, drawings, sculptures, pottery, photographs, and architecture, from ancient times through the present. These courses consider form, content, role and meaning of expressive works in light of their social, political, philosophical, and cultural contexts. The program stresses from its foundation courses through its highest level seminars, an awareness of how diverse methodological approaches frame our knowledge of each particular subject.
Advanced courses reflecting the world outlook of the cultures studied identify four traditions in the history of western art. Geography defines the older two: the Classical Tradition of the Mediterranean World and the Northern European Tradition, which parallel one another in time, running up to the end of the sixteenth century. Time separates the third and fourth traditions: the Enlightenment era studies the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while the Modern era explores the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Two required upper level seminars let students study the principal underpinnings of the field: its essential theories and its critical methods.
In addition to courses in Art History, the program requires students to take two Studio Art courses to provide insight into the working methods of artists; the creative processes which foster intuitive thinking, and non-verbal conceptualization and articulation. Also, students must take two modern language courses, to broaden their research capabilities in the field. The major highly recommends that its students enroll in the Honors College.
With its focus upon critical thinking in verbal and non-verbal forms of cognition, the Art History course of study prepares students for many options including continued study at the graduate level. It readies students for careers in museums, art galleries, arts administration, antiquities, communications, arts libraries, and arts criticism.
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