Art History

Art informs and deceives. It forces us to ask questions about art and about ourselves. What is art, and why is it important to human beings? Who creates art? What are the reasons and cognitive and technical processes for its existence? Do outsiders view a given work of art in the same manner as the work’s intended audience? Why do some observers perceive Marcel Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel as a remarkable work worthy of a place in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, while others see it as an overpriced stool with a bicycle wheel mounted on top?

John Cabot University's Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History emphasizes art-historical theories and analytic methods with a strong focus on the visual arts of Europe, the Mediterranean and North America. Given the University’s location at the geographical and temporal crossroads of Europe and the Mediterranean, the program places a strong emphasis upon the visual cultures of Rome and of Italy. After an initial series of four foundation courses, majors develop their command of art history and its approaches through upper-level courses in a variety of pertinent subject areas. The major culminates in the fourth year, when each student selects a topic and works individually with a specialized faculty member to research and write a senior thesis. Students can win internships at institutions that include the Museo Nazionale Romano, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, and the Biblioteca Angelica, Europe’s first public library and a major repository of illuminated manuscripts.

The faculty consists of internationally recognized scholars strongly committed both to teaching and to research. Earning a bachelor’s degree in art history can constitute the first step toward a fascinating career in the field—for example, as a college professor, a museum or gallery curator, a museum educator, or a cultural officer in the diplomatic corps. The skills gained through art historical training, especially analytic and critical thinking and effective writing, offer outstanding preparation for careers in law, journalism, marketing, media, secondary education, and many other creative vocations.

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