Undergraduate Programs
Degree Programs
B.A. in Art History
Herron School of Art and Design offers both a major and a minor in art history. The Bachelor of Arts major in art history gives the undergraduate student an opportunity to study the visual culture of humankind from prehistoric times to the art of today and to understand the significant role played by visual art in societies worldwide. The minor in art history enables students majoring in other areas to expand their knowledge of art history and gain valuable career-building experience.
Unlike the studio B.F.A. degrees at Herron, the B.A. in art history parallels a liberal arts major program leading to the B.A. degree. Art history majors take 36 credit hours of surveys and seminars in their major field, covering at least three of the following areas: ancient, medieval, Renaissance and Baroque, American, world art, modern and contemporary art, and art theory. Majors must take at least 6 credit hours of studio art as well as a variety of core requirement courses in the humanities and sciences, including at least one foreign language. Specific requirements for the art history major are outlined later in this section.
An art history minor takes 15 hours of art history credits from at least two historical periods or subject areas. Residency requirement: At least 6 credits at the 200-level or above must be taken at Herron.
Through the study of art history, students develop skills in key areas: visual analysis, critical thinking, research, and writing. These abilities enhance visual literacy, enrich life experiences, and provide a foundation for a variety of rewarding career opportunities. Fields such as teaching, museum work, art conservation and restoration, historic preservation, architecture, art dealership, auctioneering and collecting, art criticism and journalism, advertising, filmmaking, exhibition design and preparation, historical research and writing, interior and commercial design, art librarianship, consulting, and publishing can build on an education in art history. Art history also enriches the life of the practicing artist.