Art History
Minor: Art History
Art History allows us to see connections between time periods and cultures that are not always clear when studying history through texts and other sources. It makes history come alive.
Studying art history makes so many experiences richer: travel is more interesting when you know something about the visual culture of the areas you visit; even watching movies and television becomes a more interesting experience when you are primed to pick up on the obvious and subtle references to art and history.
But even more importantly, our contemporary culture is overwhelmingly visual. Of course humans have always been a visual species, but we take in more visual information in a week now than earlier humans did in their entire lives. We are inundated with visual information. Being trained to parse images, separate the good from the bad, and recognize propaganda and emotional manipulation when we see it is absolutely vital. By studying the past, we can understand what is being done in the present to manipulate viewers—some of it positive, some negative.
Being an Art and Design student, you’ll take a minimum of five Art History courses, establishing a thorough and expansive visual foundation for your major degree of study. You may even add a Minor in Art History to continue your learning experience. Beyond our five core courses, you may take additional special topics classes covering areas such as Women in Art, Art in the South, African-American Art, or even the History of Music Videos.
But even more importantly, our contemporary culture is overwhelmingly visual. Of course humans have always been a visual species, but we take in more visual information in a week now than earlier humans did in their entire lives. We are inundated with visual information. Being trained to parse images, separate the good from the bad, and recognize propaganda and emotional manipulation when we see it is absolutely vital. By studying the past, we can understand what is being done in the present to manipulate viewers—some of it positive, some negative.
Being an Art and Design student, you’ll take a minimum of five Art History courses, establishing a thorough and expansive visual foundation for your major degree of study. You may even add a Minor in Art History to continue your learning experience. Beyond our five core courses, you may take additional special topics classes covering areas such as Women in Art, Art in the South, African-American Art, or even the History of Music Videos.