Students: We want to brag about you!
The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered for students who seek a liberal arts education with a specific concentration in art studio. Whatever their media, our students experience the possibilities of what it means to create artwork that transforms the world in which they live.
Areas of Study
For more information about Art Studio programs, please contact us at
The Department of Art and Art History’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree offers students an intensive exploration across a breadth of media and within a depth of discipline that allows the undergraduate student to prepare to be an artist or designer, begin a career in the arts, or to continue their studies in graduate school. Students gain skills and competencies including team-based learning, technology, communication, aesthetic judgment, interdisciplinary and innovative approaches, critical analysis, and professional development throughout their program of study. The B.F.A. exhibition, a highlight of the undergraduate career, both demonstrates and celebrates the students’ accomplishments.
Areas of Study
For more information about Art Studio programs, please contact us at
The Annual Juried Student Exhibition is a tradition almost as old as UAB, presented by the Department of Art and Art History every year since 1976. This exhibition includes student artworks selected by an external juror (a professional artist), and functions as an experiential learning opportunity for students enrolled in art and art history courses at UAB.
Current Annual Juried Student Exhibitions are hosted at the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts (AEIVA).
Students: download your submission form here:
What can you do with a degree in Art or Art History?
- Advertising
- Animation
- Archiving
- Art direction
- Art conservation
- Curation
- Design
- Education
- Fine art
- Gallery management
- Graphic design
- Illustration
- Media production
- Photojournalism
- Product design
- Publishing
- Web/app design
UAB Career Center
Career Center has job and internship listings, job fairs, resume builders, and many more resources for UAB students. We recommend that you take advantage of all that they have to offer.
You can also visit the What Can I Do With This Major? site for a list of career possibilities.
The UAB Department of Art and Art History has several scholarships available.
Step 1: submit your information to UAB's Bsmart scholarships portal.
Step 2 (Art Studio only): Upload images of your artwork to UAB's Slideroom portal.
Letters of recommendation are not required for Department of Art + Art History undergraduate scholarships.
Scholarship Deadlines
Scholarship applications and required supplemental materials are due by midnight on March 1.
For questions about scholarships, please contact Professor Ryan Meyer.
Undergraduate Art and Art History Scholarships
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Diversity and Inclusion Scholars Program in the Visual Arts
In 2022-2023, the UAB Department of Art and Art History is offering new full tuition scholarships for the Diversity and Inclusion Scholars Program in the Visual Arts, thanks to support from the Windgate Foundation.
Requirements:
- Completed Bsmart application
- A representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
Eligibility:
- The faculty of the Department of Art and Art History will choose the Diversity and Inclusion Scholars from among applicants.
- Diversity and Inclusion Scholars must be full-time students registered for at least twelve semester hours in the term for which the scholarship is paid.
- The applicant must be an Art major with a concentration in Art Studio in the Department of Art & Art History.
- Applicants must be a current or incoming undergraduate from any year with at least 2 full semesters left before graduation.
- Applicants must have at minimum an academic record of a 2.75 GPA overall and a 3.0 average in all art courses.
- The scholarship will be paid in the Fall and Spring semesters.
- If a Scholar withdraws in a term for which the Scholar receives a stipend, or fails to maintain a “C” average, any balance of the Scholarship will not be paid.
- The Diversity and Inclusion Scholars Program in the Visual Arts Scholarship will be used to provide aid to underrepresented students and to support school/college/unit’s goal of promoting a diverse student body, which is key to its educational mission. The grant states that when awarding this scholarship special consideration be given to underrepresented students, including but not limited to first-generation college students; students who have faced challenging social, economic, educational, cultural, or other life circumstances; or students who demonstrate a commitment to bringing diverse people together or demonstrate achievement and determination in the face of personal challenges.
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Department of Art & Art History Incoming Freshman Scholarship
The Department of Art and Art History awards Incoming Freshman Scholarships each year. Awards are granted based on academic and artistic and art historical scholarly promise evident in the application submitted.
Requirements:
- Completed Application
- A representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom or a representative portfolio of writing including at least two papers on art historical subjects submitted via Bsmart. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
*This one portfolio will be used to review all of your art studio scholarship applications.
Rules governing the award and tenure of the scholarship:
- The applicant must be entering UAB with the intention to major in Art or Art History.
- There is no set GPA standard to be considered for the scholarship, however the applicants academic record will be one of the factors considered when reviewing all applications.
- The applicant must be a full-time student registered for at least twelve semester hours in the Fall term. If the student withdraws in a term for which they are receiving the stipend, or fails to maintain a "C" average, any balance of the scholarship will not be paid.
- Award is contingent upon the applicant's acceptance to the University.
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Department of Art & Art History Senior Scholarship
The Friends of the Department of Art and Art History provide funds for merit Senior Scholarships in art each year. Art and Art History majors who will be seniors in the fall semester may apply. Applicant are encourage to seek advice from a faculty member.
Requirements:
- Completed application.
- A representative portfolio of writing including at least two papers on art historical subjects submitted via Bsmart and/or a representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
*This one portfolio will be used to review all of your art studio scholarship applications.
Rules governing the award and tenure of the scholarship:
- The applicant must be, by the beginning of the fall semester, a senior who has completed at least 92 semester hours of undergraduate work. At least 24 of these hours must have been at UAB.
- The applicant must be a major in art (art studio or art history).
- The applicant must have at minimum an academic record of 2.75 GPA overall and a 3.0 average in all art courses.
- The faculty of the Department of Art and Art History will choose the Art Scholars from among applicants. If there is no applicant who is qualified in the judgement of the faculty, no scholarship will be awarded.
- The Art and Art History Scholarship will be paid in the Fall term.
- The Art Scholar must be a full-time student registered for at least 12 semester hours in in the Fall term in which the Scholarship is paid.
- If the Scholar withdraws in a term for which the Scholar receives a stipend, or fails to maintain a "C" average, any balance of the scholarship will not be paid.
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Friends of the Department of Art & Art History Scholarship
The Department of Art and Art History awards the Friends of the Department of Art and Art History Scholarship to an incoming freshman or current student majoring in Art or Art History. The award is granted from the previous year fundraising membership of the UAB Friends of the Department of Art and Art History. and meant to encourage recruitment and retention for students. Applicants are encouraged to seek advice from a faculty member.
Requirements:
- Completed Department Scholarship Application Form.
- A representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom or a representative portfolio of writing including at least two papers of art historical subjects submitted via Bsmart. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
*This one portfolio will be used to review all of your art studio scholarship applications.
Rules governing the award and tenure of the scholarship:
- The applicant must have at minimum an academic record of a 3.0 GPA overall. The faculty of the Department of Art and Art History will choose the scholarship from among the applicants. The scholarship will be paid in the fall semester.
- If the student withdraws in a term for which they receive a stipend, or fails to maintain a "C" average, any balance of the scholarship will not be paid.
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Arrowmont School of Arts an Crafts Scholarship
Two BA Art Studio or BFA students will be chosen to receive a scholarship to attend a weeklong workshop over the summer term. The scholarship is valued at approximately $1,200 and includes course fee, application fee, meals & housing in dormitory style facilities and a $300 stipend that may be used for travel or materials fee. Arrowmont offers a rich assortment of classes covering many disciplines. Applicants are encouraged to seek advice from a faculty member.
Requirements:
- Completed application submitted via B-Smart.
- A representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
- The applicant should submit a ranked list of their top three choices for courses with their application package (www.arrowmont.org). Please include the ranked list in the B-Smart application.
Arrowmont Rules Governing the Scholarship:
The selected scholarship applicant will be asked to review the upcoming summer Arrowmont summer class offerings (www.arrowmont.org) to select class choices (rank the top three choices) and to select housing. Arrowmont will place the student in the course from the ranked list based on availability and enrollment figures. NOTE: If a two-week class is selected, the student is responsible for the additional course fee and meals/housing costs. Students may upgrade their housing for an additional charge to be covered by the student.
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The Bernice C. Thomas Scholarship
The Department of Art and Art History awards the Bernice C. Thomas Scholarship to a student majoring in Art or Art History. Mr. Cleophus Thomas, Jr., and Dr. Carla N. Thomas have made generous gifts for the purpose of creating an endowed scholarship in honor of the life and legacy of Ms. Bernice C. Thomas at UAB. The scholarship fund is to assist deserving students, from under-represented, low-income, and minority populations whose enrollment would further the University's compliance with its court-imposed remedial obligation to diversify its student body, in the Department of Art and Art History, and in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are encouraged to seek advice from a faculty member.
Requirements:
- Completed application submitted via B-Smart.
- A representative portfolio (minimum of 10 and up to 15 images) via Slideroom. Portfolio details can be found on the Slideroom site.
Rules governing the award and tenure of the The Bernice C. Thomas Scholarship:
- The applicant must demonstrate significant academic and artistic promise and must maintain a strong academic record.
- The faculty of the Department of Art and Art History will choose the Thomas Scholar. If there is no applicant who is qualified in the judgment of the faculty, no scholarship will be awarded that year.
- To the extent permitted by law permitted by law, priority of consideration shall be given to applicants from under represented, low-income, and minority populations whose enrollment would enhance the diversity of the student population of the University's Department of Art and Art History.
- The Thomas Scholar must be a full-time student registered for at least twelve semester hours in the term for which the scholarship is paid. A student using the award in the summer must be registered for 9 semester hours.
- If the Scholar withdraws in a term for which the Scholar receives a stipend, or fails to maintain a "B" average, any balance of the Scholarship will not be paid.
- Recipients of the scholarship are eligible to apply for the award in subsequent years as long as they maintain and overall 3.0 GPA and maintain full time enrollment status.
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Betty Loeb Scholarship in Painting
The Department of Art and Art History awards the Betty Loeb Scholarship for Painting to assist deserving students who are enrolled in the Painting Program. Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA, and preference will be given to those with financial need.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be currently enrolled in, or admitted to, the Painting Program in the Department of Art and Art History.
- Applicants should demonstrate solid academic promise and have earned at least an overall 3.0 grade point average in coursework completed prior to the time of application.
- Preference will be given to applicants who are deserving of financial assistance as determined by the UAB Office of Student Financial Aid.
- Applicants for consideration should be submitted by the announced deadline.
- Annual award – recipients of the scholarship are eligible to apply for award in subsequent years as long as they maintain an overall 3.0 grade point average.
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Edith Frohock Scholarship
This scholarship will be used to assist students who are juniors in the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Arts and Sciences at UAB.
Requirements:
- Department of Art and Art History student.
- Junior standing.
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The Edward H. Atchison Endowment Fund for Scholarships in the Visual and Performing Arts
The Edward H. Atchison Endowment Fund for Scholarships in the Visual and Performing Arts is open to all students currently enrolled in or admitted to a College of Arts and Sciences Visual and Performing Arts degree-granting program – Art and Art History, Theater, or Music. The Edward H. Atchison Endowment Fund for Scholarships in the Visual and Performing Arts is a four-year scholarship which covers twelve hours of in-state tuition and fees for the Fall and Spring terms.
Rules governing the award and tenure of the scholarship:
- To be considered, student must demonstrate solid academic promise and leadership qualities, as well as hold a minimum GPA of a 2.5 or higher.
- In order to receive this award, students must be enrolled full time as well maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.
- Students must also be making efficient progress towards graduation and must be enrolled in coursework required for their College of Arts and Sciences degree program during the semester of designated disbursement. Students not meeting these conditions will have their scholarships terminated.
- The scholarships are available for undergraduate, graduate, and study away students.
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Dr. Ellen Shizuko Takahaski Endowed Support Fund
The Department of Art and Art History annually awards the Ellen Shizuko Takahashi Award for Painting to a student demonstrating talent in the area of painting. The Award is granted from the income of an endowment created by the family and friends of the late Ellen Shizuko Takahashi, Professor in the Department of Physiological Optics at UAB. Applicants are encouraged to seek advice from a faculty member.
This support fund will be used to honor promising art students of painting each spring during the Juried Student Exhibition.
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Hugh S. Gainer and Anna Simmons Gainer Endowed Eminent Scholarship in Art and Art History
This scholarship will be used to assist deserving undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Art History Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at UAB. Recipient must maintain a B average (3.0 GPA) in Art History to remain eligible. Preference given to those for whom affordability may be an obstacle.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be undergraduate students currently enrolled in or admitted at the University who wish to major in Art History in the Department of Art and Art History.
- Recipients must maintain a B average (GPA of at least 3.0) in Art History courses to remain eligible.
- The Fund shall provide support to students for whom affordability may be an obstacle and who might be otherwise be unable to attend the University.
- Applicants for consideration should be submitted to the appropriate office by the announced deadline, and selection of the scholarship recipients will be made by a scholarship selection committee.
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Janice Kluge/Cam Langley Scholarship
The Kluge/Langley Endowed Scholarship will assist deserving students in the Department of Art and Art History.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be currently enrolled in, or admitted to, a degree-granting program in the Department of Art and Art History.
- First preference will be given to entering freshman applicants.
- Applicants should demonstrate strong academic credentials and earned at least a 3.0 GPA in coursework prior to the time of application.
- Consideration will be given to applicants who have demonstrated financial need.
- Applicants for consideration should be submitted by the announced deadline.
- Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and one letter of reference from a UAB faculty member.
- Recipients can reapply for the awards each year as long as they maintain an overall 3.0 grade point average.
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John Dillon Scholarship in Printmaking
This scholarship will be used to assist deserving students who are enrolled in the printmaking program in the Department of Art and Art History.
Requirements:
- Enrolled in the Printmaking program in the Department of Art and Art History.
- Deserving students.
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John Schnorrenberg Endowed Scholarship
The Dr. John Schnorrenberg Endowed Scholarship will support the training and education of deserving students in the Department of Art and Art History.
Requirements:
- Enrolled or admitted into the Department of Art and Art History.
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The Judy Abroms Memorial Quasi Endowed Scholarship in Art and Art History
The Judy Abroms Memorial Quasi Endowed Scholarship will assist sophomores and juniors in the Department of Art and Art History. Preference will be given to residents of Alabama who affordability may be an obstacle.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be a sophomore or junior admitted to or enrolled in the Department of Art and Art History at UAB.
- Applicants should demonstrate strong academic promise and achievement and must maintain an overall 3.0 grade point average in coursework completed after they have started their studies at UAB.
- The fund shall support students for whom affordability may be an obstacle and who might otherwise be unable to attend the University.
- Preference will be given to applicants from the state of Alabama.
- Applications for consideration should be submitted to the appropriate University office by the announced deadline.
- Scholarship is nonrenewable.
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Marie Weaver/Sterne Harvey Scholarship in Graphic Design
The Marie Weaver and Steve Harvey Endowed Scholarship for Graphic Design was established to provide a positive impact on the lives and careers of students in the UAB Department of Art and Art History.
The UAB Department of Art and Art History offers a large variety of courses in visual culture, studio art and art history that fulfill the Core Area II: Humanities and Fine Arts curriculum requirements. Listed below you will find information, resources, and images describing the many exciting options available for coursework in the DAAH.
Art Studio
As a student in the UAB Department of Art and Art History, you will learn to think critically and independently, delve into imagined worlds, and understand how others live and understand themselves. You will learn the skills and techniques needed to express yourself visually, practice the art of critical thinking and study from great masters new and old.
Art Studio courses you can take now that fulfill Core Area II curriculum requirements, without prerequisites:
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ARS 280. Creativity + Imagination - 3 Hours
How has the human body been represented in painting and sculpture at different times and places in world history? How do we make sense of paintings and other ways that the world is represented in two dimensions? How do art museums shape the meaning of the art they display? What are the limits and possibilities of the different materials and techniques of art making? How does art reveal the ways that people at different moments in history understand their world? These are the kinds of core questions explored in this introductory course, which gives students the tools they need to understand art and to effectively communicate what they see.
ARH 101 is an introduction to the study of visual culture, touching on regions and periods from the prehistoric to present. The emphasis is on form and context, helping students acquire an understanding of art materials and techniques. It includes the study of original works of art in the Birmingham Museum of Art and architecture in metropolitan Birmingham.
Art History
When you take courses in art history at UAB, you will distill concepts from many other fields of study—including history, literature, science, anthropology, and social justice. These interdisciplinary concepts will coalesce to inspire your creative process in art-historical scholarship. Not only will you hone analytical skills, but you will also learn to think critically, act creatively, and communicate clearly and persuasively, giving you a strong advantage in your future pursuits.
Students who study the arts consistently experience higher individual achievement. The study of art history engages many areas of the brain and has far-reaching effects on the learner’s mind; enhances perceptual and cognitive skills; promotes the understanding and sharing of culture, and promotes social skills that enhance the awareness and respect of others.
In UAB’s art history classes, you can expect to develop and practice the following skills:
- Art Historiographical Literacy: Students will learn to identify and explain the significance of major works of art at various periods from antiquity to the twenty-first century. Students will learn about the ideas and social contexts in which major artists in those traditions worked and the importance of their achievements to larger cultural developments, including the impact of ideologies of racial, gender, class, and other forms of socially constructed “difference.”
- Critical Thinking: Students will learn to recognize and understand various art historical methods and develop the ability to evaluate critically how scholars have discussed the ideas and works of major artists and the intersections of art production with other aspects of historical and social development within particular cultures.
- Research Skills: Students will learn to identify and develop appropriate research topics and questions that can shape their projects. They will be able to find appropriate research sources through the effective use of the material in libraries, databases, and archival or other primary sources.
- Communication Skills: Students will learn to organize and express their thoughts clearly and coherently both in writing and orally. They will develop the ability to produce cogent arguments, clear analysis of topics and source materials, and use articulate, grammatically correct language.
Studying art history helps students stretch their minds beyond the boundaries of the printed text or the rules of what is provable!
Art History courses you can take now that fulfill Core Area II curriculum requirements, without prerequisites:
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ARH 101. The Art Experience - 3 Hours
How has the human body been represented in painting and sculpture at different times and places in world history? How do we make sense of paintings and other ways that the world is represented in two dimensions? How do art museums shape the meaning of the art they display? What are the limits and possibilities of the different materials and techniques of art making? How does art reveal the ways that people at different moments in history understand their world? These are the kinds of core questions explored in this introductory course, which gives students the tools they need to understand art and to effectively communicate what they see.
ARH 101 is an introduction to the study of visual culture, touching on regions and periods from the prehistoric to present. The emphasis is on form and context, helping students acquire an understanding of art materials and techniques. It includes the study of original works of art in the Birmingham Museum of Art and architecture in metropolitan Birmingham.
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ARH 203. Ancient and Medieval Art - 3 Hours
The study of ancient art history begins with Prehistoric, Near Eastern and Egyptian art that attempts to make sense of the universe through paintings, carvings, and buildings. Prehistoric people grappled with life and death in a harsher environment than ours. Nonetheless they responded in a way perfectly familiar to modern people--to look at the heavens and wonder why. The stage was then set for the blossoming of artistic invention on the part of the Greeks and Romans. The greatness of public art, such as temples and theatres, is a central focus of Greco-Roman art history, with the private art of the period seen in the beautiful homes and bathhouses, ornamented with mosaics and frescoes. The last section of material is on the acceptance and growth of Christian art in the Byzantine church and the Medieval age through Gothic. Islamic art and architecture is also examined in this survey course.
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ARH 204. Early Modern-Contemporary Art - 3 Hours
This class explores canonical works of art from the Early Renaissance to the contemporary era with a focus towards the western perspective. By studying the style, creation, purpose, and meaning of art throughout history, this course aims to provide a more cohesive understanding of how art functions in society. Since art history is concerned with history as much as with art students will not only look a lot of art works, they will examine changes in style over time, consider how people responded to particular works of art in the past and the present, and come to understand what factors influenced those responses. Guiding themes for this class include the changing nature of patronage (who commissions the artwork and pays the artist to make it) and its effect on art; the role of gender in terms of who makes the art work, what it looks like, and who uses it; and the growth of national and/or regional issues and their reflection in art.
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ARH 206. Survey of Asian Art - 3 Hours
How did the image of the Buddha change and develop as Buddhism spread from India, to China, to Japan? How does a Hindu temple work? Why did Japanese artists have such a strong affinity for images of ghosts and demons? Why don’t Chinese brush painters employ scientific perspective in their landscapes? We’ll answer these and many other questions in this survey of the arts of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan) and East Asia (China, Japan, Korea). By examining in depth a few characteristic works of art from each tradition, we will not only discuss the distinctive artistic styles, forms, and aesthetics of each region, but also will also explore the mutual influences that motivated the creation of these works of art. An implicit objective of the course is to call into question the Eurocentrism of "art" as a concept. No prior coursework or experience is necessary.
As a student of Art History at UAB, you will learn visual literacy and critical thinking skills to analyze a wide variety of artifacts from all geographic regions and historical eras, including our own. By engaging in visual approaches to learning and thinking, Art History prepares students for fulfilling careers in a variety of professional tracks.
Recent graduates have gone on to work in museums, galleries, non-profit organizations, and other cultural institutions, or have pursued further graduate study in art history, arts education, law, historic preservation, arts management, art conservation, and library science.
Important area resources for art history students include the Abroms-Engel Institute for Visual Arts, the Birmingham Museum of Art, and numerous local and regional art spaces and galleries. The department also maintains a regular program of visiting artists, scholars, and critics.
B.A. in Art History
Art History concerns itself with human history through the study of painting, sculpture, architecture and the graphics and decorative arts. Art History considers these arts as creative processes—as expressions of human ideas, feelings, and conditions of life. The study of Art History allows students to immerse themselves in cultural and aesthetic issues.
Through the study of Art History, students gain an awareness of the values and social conditions embodied in great works of art. This knowledge is shaped by a familiarity with the art and architecture produced by world civilizations and an ability to analyze and understand the quality of art from diverse cultures and periods.
A degree in Art History emphasizes visual as well as verbal and written literacy, tools that are critically important in a global society. The skills learned from the study of art history are widely transferable, and highly valued by employers across all business sectors.
For more information about the B.A. in Art History, please contact the Art History faculty, Cathleen Cummings, Jessica Dallow, or Noa Turel.
For information about the M.A. in Art History, please visit the M.A. in Art History page.
B.A. Art History Capstone Projects
The B.A. Art History capstone course enables students to fortify their knowledge of art history and convey their qualifications as emerging professionals. Students explore post-baccalaureate options, prepare professional materials, and hone art historical skills through activities such as conducting research, writing for different audiences, curating exhibitions and presenting research at a symposium.
Learn MoreAs a studio art major, you will cultivate and enhance your skills in communicating visually and be provided with strong critical and conceptual frameworks for art-making. Throughout your studies in studio art, you will be encouraged to create a unique artistic trajectory by engaging in multiple disciplines of the fine arts and design while developing skills to carry out visual research, analyze artwork, create professional portfolios and present your work orally and in writing.
Areas of StudyArt Studio students choose between two-degree tracks, the B.A. in Art with an art studio concentration and the B.F.A. with a major in art.
B.A. in Art with a concentration in art studio
The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered for students who seek a liberal arts education with a specific concentration in art studio. Whatever their media, our students experience the possibilities of what it means to create artwork that transforms the world in which they live.
B.F.A. in Art
The Department of Art and Art History’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree offers students an intensive exploration across a breadth of media and within a depth of discipline that allows the undergraduate student to prepare to be an artist or designer, begin a career in the arts, or to continue their studies in graduate school. Students gain skills and competencies including team-based learning, technology, communication, aesthetic judgment, interdisciplinary and innovative approaches, critical analysis, and professional development throughout their program of study. The B.F.A. exhibition, a highlight of the undergraduate career, both demonstrates and celebrates the students’ accomplishments.
For more information about Art Studio programs, please contact us at