Why Art History?

Our department and affiliated faculty offer a wide range of courses covering diverse forms of art and visual culture from prehistory to the present in Europe, the Americas, and East Asia, both within national traditions and in global contexts.

Award-winning professors and graduate teaching assistants provide instruction in courses ranging from introductory surveys to graduate seminars, emphasizing critical thinking and active learning.

The study of the visual arts in their historical contexts enriches our understanding of human creativity and the human condition. Such study fosters visual and cultural literacy and critical thinking, research, and communication skills valuable for a variety of careers.

Classes take full advantage of the rich collection of over 45,000 objects in the Spencer Museum of Art, one of the country’s top-rated university art museums.