About the Program
The art history major equips students with a strong foundation in the history of the visual arts and visual culture and fosters broadly transferable academic and professional skills. In their art history and general education classes, art history majors interact with students studying design and the visual and performing arts, as well as the humanities, social sciences, and professional fields. Through curricular activities such as site-visits and internships, they experience the many museums, historic houses, and art galleries in Richmond. Close mentorship by faculty and an active Art History Club foster a sense of community that enriches the academic experience.
The curriculum includes general introductory surveys and advanced lecture courses on art in specific times and places, as well as topics such as art and censorship, women and art, art of the African Diaspora, and the history of museums. In the second year, a course in professional practices introduces majors to the range of potential careers in art history, museums, and the art world; it also provides workshop exercises in resume-writing and interviewing. In three small, progressively more advanced seminars in the second, third, and fourth years, majors develop writing, research, and communication skills through reading, discussion, independent research projects, and classroom presentations. A course on current museum theory and practice is also required, as is a fine art studio course. Internships are optional but strongly encouraged. Art history majors complete general education requirements with an emphasis on humanities disciplines and study two years of a foreign language.
Our BA graduates go on to pursue a wide range of careers within art history and museums and beyond. Many go on to graduate study in art history and related fields at schools like Northwestern University and the University of Massachusetts.
4+1 Degree Option: Accelerated B.A. and M.A.
In the accelerated B.A. and M.A. program, students earn both the B.A. and M.A. in Art History in five years. They complete approved graduate courses during their senior year and the remaining graduate courses the following year as MA students. The program is intended for students who identify a career path early in their studies and wish to expedite their entry into employment or graduate study at the doctoral level.
Accelerated Degree Requirements
Required courses for art history majors
There are four required classes open only to art history majors
- Writing for Art History focuses on writing assignments that emphasize argumentation, creativity, and research, writing for a specific audience, responsible use of sources, paragraph and sentence mechanics, and developing an individual voice as an author.
- Professional Practices for Art History provides practical career preparation through lectures, guest speakers, mock interviews, and workshops for the preparation of a portfolio of professional documents, including a resume and cover letters.
- Art History Research Methods concentrates on critical thinking, research methods, and writing skills specific to art history through several short written assignments and a final extended written project.
- Senior Seminar emphasizes small group discussion of a specific topic, artist, movement, or style as students produce an extended research project.
In addition to these required classes, art history majors complete at least eleven art history courses, some of which focus on a specific time period, place, or medium. Others are organized thematically to explore specific ideas, themes, or aspects of human life. And some focus on museum history and professions.
The program of study also includes foreign language and humanities requirements, options for taking studio art, and open electives that allow for art history majors to complete a second major or a minor without extending the time it takes to complete the degree.