Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Art History

The history of art explores the meanings, values, and purposes of the visual arts within the historical cultures that create them. Works of fine and applied arts are understood not merely as aesthetic forms, but as expressions of the social, economic, scientific, religious, and political contexts that gave rise to them. The study of art history thus effectively serves the high purposes of a liberal education by equipping students with an understanding of world cultures and their histories from multiple disciplinary perspectives, and by encouraging the development of critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. The BS degree is designed to allow students to combine the art history major with another major or to tailor the curriculum to their specific interests and aspirations. The BS degree also requires 60.0 credit hours of art history, but it only requires 35.0-39.0 credit hours of General Education courses, thereby freeing up 85.0 credit hours of coursework to accommodate another major or to design a personalized curriculum. The 85.0 credit hours of free electives provided by the BS degree permits the student to simultaneously pursue a second major; one or more minors, or simply explore the life of the mind by taking courses, with faculty advisement, in diverse fields. This program does not require a co­â€op taken in addition to that which is required by the second major.