Program type:

Major
Format:

On Campus
Est. time to complete:

4 years
Credit Hours:

120
Take a closer look at the role art has played throughout history.
Art historians enhance our understanding of art and its place within society through their research. Studying the art, architecture and material culture produced by diverse world cultures and periods, art historians examine the historical, social and cultural significance art holds for its creators and users.

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Why Earn an Art History Degree?

Our commitment to diverse areas of inquiry is reflected in the curriculum, which enables students to experience a range of courses addressing global art history, with a goal to train art historians to have a broad understanding of the historical roots of the visual arts, the contemporary issues addressed by artists and the role of art in a world context. The program seeks to enhance students’ understanding of both contemporary and past visual art forms through innovative uses of technology, research and teaching in the arts, providing continuing opportunities for intellectual development and career growth for students and faculty.

Students who complete a degree in art history through the College of Visual Arts and Design will develop a range of competencies that reflect the standards of the discipline and the pedagogical principles of the faculty. Graduates of the program understand past and contemporary visual art forms and can demonstrate:

  • Knowledge of key monuments and objects within a breadth of discrete periods and regions of artistic production
  • Know the history and literature of methodologies employed in art history
  • Are conversant in the key discourses, themes and issues associated with the global study of art history
  • Can employ the specialized vocabulary of the discipline
  • Implement a successful research program/project analyzing works of art using one or more methodologies

The competencies reflect the diverse teaching and research areas of the faculty as well as their commitment to preparing undergraduates for future graduate study in art history.

Marketable Skills
  • Oral and written communication
  • Research source identification
  • Research material analysis
  • Contextual understanding of art works
  • Visual literacy

Art History Degree Highlights

Faculty-led study abroad courses are regularly available, and students are encouraged to pursue foreign study even when CVAD is not the sponsor.
Students have ample opportunity to intern and volunteer at local museums and galleries and are encouraged to do so; these experiences can be used for academic credit.
Under the leadership of faculty, students participate in local conferences that attract global audiences.
Faculty present students with calls for papers, and several have presented conference papers and even published them under the mentorship of faculty members.
Faculty members have a wide range of specializations, including art and material culture across ancient Mediterranean, Near Eastern, and South Asian geographies, art of the Americas, European art, architecture, and design, Islamic and Middle Eastern art, and Modern and Contemporary art across the globe.
The Art History program offers a graduate track pathway that allows selected art history majors to start graduate courses in the last year of undergraduate study.

What Can You Do With an Art History Degree?

A Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of North Texas will prepare you for a variety of careers related to art history. It'll also provide a solid foundation for further work toward a master's or doctorate degree. Most art historians hold graduate degrees. With an advanced degree, you can pursue a career as a(n):

  • Art researcher
  • Gallery worker
  • Museum professional
  • Teacher at the university level
  • Writer or editor for an art publication

Art History Degree Courses You Could Take

Topics in Asian Art (3 hrs)
elected topics in the arts of Asia. Topics have included surveys of the art of India (ancient through modern), Buddhist Art of Asia, Cave Temples of India, and Exhibiting Indian Art in Texas. 
Topics in Latin American Art (3 hrs)
Topics in Latin American art, ranging from the 16th to 21st century. Topics have included Mexico in the 16th century, History of Latin American Art: 1900 to the present, Diego and Frida, Colonial Mexico, and surveys of art and architecture of viceregal Latin America.
History of Communication Design (3 hrs)
Provides economic, political, social and technological perspectives on the work that has been created and disseminated by designers of visual communications, particularly over the course of the last 125 years, in a manner that makes their endeavors relevant to the design world of today and to contemporary society.
Art of Ancient Rome (3 hrs)
Art of Ancient Rome during the Republican and Imperial eras, from 753 BC to AD 476.
Topics in Islamic and/or Middle Eastern Cultures (3 hrs)
Selected topics in the arts of Islamic and/or Middle Eastern cultures. Topics have included Art, Food, and Politics, Orientalism and Representation, Miniatures in Contemporary Art, and Themes in Middle Eastern Art. 
Methodologies in the History of Art and Visual Culture (3 hrs)
Study of major contributions to the development and practice of art history methodologies and visual arts studies (including theory and criticism). Taught as a seminar, with emphasis on research (bibliographies, papers) as well as class discussion based on weekly assigned readings and presentations.

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