The Art History and Museum Studies major gives students an opportunity to study the visual culture of the world, from prehistoric cave paintings to works being produced by artists active today. Majors learn about works of art and about the different geographies, histories, social and political contexts and cultural traditions that informed their making. Our program is particularly strong in the study of art from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Latin America, United States, 20th and 21st centuries.
The art history curriculum focuses on the analysis and interpretation of art, with a particular emphasis on developing critical thinking and writing skills. Lower division courses take broad views of particular movements and periods while upper division classes examine issues and themes in greater depth. In the major capstone course, students conduct advanced art historical research and craft a scholarly research paper.
Students take classes in studio art and language to learn about the creation of art and how language and culture influence the creative act. They study the history and theory of museums as well the function of museums within contemporary culture, and gain hands-on experience in museum practices.
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