Art History

The vital skills of critical visual thinking, careful research, lucid writing, and persuasive argumentation developed through studying art history effectively prepare students for many potential career paths. In examining some of the most significant expressions of creativity in history, art history students gain profound insight into human experiences both past and present.

Art history students explain why a work of art looks as it does. To answer this question, students learn to employ evidence from both the artwork itself and the historical context in which the artwork originated. This requires developing advanced visual thinking skills, which are used to articulate how an artwork functions expressively.  When forming an explanation for why an artwork appears as it does, students also build critical reading and creative thinking skills; they operate across disciplines, drawing on scholarship and theoretical approaches from fields such as history, economics, religion, sociology, literature, and anthropology. Art history students become visually perceptive, adept at research, skillful at presenting evidence and crafting arguments, and effective at thinking creatively and critically across disciplines. These durable skills are prized by employers and prepare art history students for any professional endeavor.

Students can major in visual arts with a concentration in art history or InterArts. Students can also pursue an interdisciplinary major combining art history with another area of study. Minors in art history, arts management, and InterArts are also available.

Our course offerings include survey courses that provide students with a broad overview of the art and architecture of specific cultures and historical periods, while also introducing them to the practice of art history as a discipline. We also offer a broad range of upper-level courses on topics such as Renaissance art, the history of posters, African American art, the history of photography, medieval art, art in the Age of Encounter, Impressionism, Greek and Roman art, Islamic art, and museum studies. These upper-level courses delve into historical contexts and grapple with challenging questions while also helping students hone their skills of visual analysis, critical reading, and writing. Independent studies and internships enable students to pursue their interests by working in close collaboration with faculty.

Loyola’s Art History Program is distinguished by our emphasis on experiential learning, our investment in open and rigorous intellectual inquiry, and our commitment to the success of each individual student. We frequently visit local museums—sometimes going behind-the-scenes—to study artworks close at hand. In our classes, students confront real artworld challenges, such as designing exhibitions, questioning established assumptions, and considering the repatriation of artworks.

We are also set apart by our commitment to the principals of Jesuit education. For our students this means developing a broad intellectual outlook based upon Loyola’s Core curriculum. Art history students also experience the dedicated attention and care from faculty characteristic of the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, or care for the whole person.

The Julio Fine Arts Gallery is a thriving art exhibition space at the heart of campus. . In addition to regularly hosting new art by professional artists and members of the campus community, the Gallery offers students the opportunity to gain hands-on art-world experience. Loyola Notre Dame Library, with its holdings of artworks, rare books, and archival materials, provides further opportunities for students to conduct original research and participate in creating exhibitions. A generous gift from the Sehn family enables the Visual and Performing Arts Department to bring guest speakers to campus and allows students to attend conferences and visit local and regional museums.

Art history students benefit from the numerous local galleries and art institutions, which present opportunities for learning and inspiration, as well as potential internships, volunteer work, and research possibilities. Baltimore is home to a vibrant art scene, fascinating architecture, and two world-class museums in the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art, as well as many smaller institutions. Washington, D.C. boasts the National Gallery of Art, the Phillips Collection, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Textile Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution, which encompasses museums of African art, American art, Asian art, and Modern and Contemporary art.

Loyola maintains a robust study abroad program, with over 60% of undergraduates participating. Art history students are well prepared to make the most of their encounters with artworks, architecture, and museums wherever they travel. Loyola’s study abroad programs in Rome, Athens, and Leuven, Belgium, are especially appealing to art history students. The Art History Program also offers a summer course in Italy.

The museums and cultural foundations in Baltimore and the region offer many opportunities for internships.  Art history students have interned at the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Walters, and other area institutions. They have also received summer internships at the Hirshhorn, the Whitney, the Metropolitan Museum, and many others. The Art History Program can also provide funding to support students who take unpaid internships.

Students master the critical thinking, writing, research and presentation skills that prepare them for successful careers in business, university administration, primary and secondary education, law, and medicine. A number of our graduates have gone on to receive advanced degrees and now work in museums and the art world.

Students may pursue advanced degrees in art history or museum studies. An undergraduate art history degree also prepares students for graduate study in many areas within the arts and humanities. More broadly, an art history major or minor combined with coursework in other disciplines also serves as excellent preparation for graduate programs in professional fields such as law or business.