About the Department

The twenty members of the Department of Art History at Boston University comprise a group of professional art historians and teachers of art history who are dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the education of students. We are convinced that the study of the past not only prepares students for understanding the present but also enables them to acquire valuable skills that are applicable to many careers.

Art historians are concerned with the many-faceted historical implications (personal, social, political, economic, and aesthetic) of imagery and objects (buildings, paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, films and decorative arts). They study the makers, critics, patrons and users of these objects and images. Investigations reveal changing views of humanity and the world that develop a student's own critical perspective.

The art history faculty represents diverse approaches to the arts of all historical periods of the Western world and of Asia, and the department's curriculum includes courses in Pre-Columbian and African art. Courses are also taught by curators at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and other institutions in the area. Boston's excellent museums and gallery collections and its range of more than 300 years of architecture bring students into intimate and productive association with major examples of visual culture throughout history.

The undergraduate art history concentration provides interdisciplinary preparation for graduate work in the humanities or social sciences and complements studies in the natural sciences. The undergraduate Art History Association sponsors trips to museums and galleries and organizes film and lecture series. Graduates may work in museums, galleries, municipal or state cultural programs, educational institutions, publishing, and architectural and planning firms. Many go onto graduate study in a variety of fields.

The Department of Art History offers programs leading to the MA and PhD degrees in art history, as well as a departmental certificate in Museum Studies. Graduates of the MA program work in museums and other cultural institutions or teach art history at the high school or junior college level. Doctoral program graduates teach at colleges, universities and art schools throughout the country or hold curatorial positions at major museums. The Graduate Student Art History Association sponsors informal lectures, reading and discussion groups and social events for the graduate community. Each year, students in the graduate program organize The Boston University Symposium in the History of Art, which is held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

We invite you to explore our Web site to learn more about the department.