Art History

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An Art History professor speaking to a student

Welcome to Art History! We're excited that you are an Art History major – or are considering becoming one. A major in Art History prepares you for a wide range of professional careers as well as competitive placement in graduate schools across the country. As you progress through the program, you will study the historical relationships between societies and their works of art, consider the creative processes of making art objects, and learn methods for understanding the original contexts and interpreting the multiple meanings of paintings, sculptures, buildings, prints, ceramics, and other types of art. Throughout your studies, you will be developing your research abilities as well as strengthening your critical thinking and writing skills.

Art history offers two specialized tracks within the major:  the Iowa Idea Track, which continues our century-long tradition of combining the study of Art History with hands-on creation of art in Studio Art courses, and the new Global and Interdisciplinary Connections Track, which enables you to pursue your interests across academic departments by combining Art History courses with those of another humanistic discipline.  

To learn more about Art History outside of the classroom, we encourage you to become active in the Undergraduate Art History Society (UAHS). UAHS welcomes visitors to join any and all activities and is always accepting new members! 

You can find UAHS on Twitter and Tumblr
Twitter: @UAHS_uiowa
Tumblr: http://uahs-uiowa.tumblr.com

Enrich your life – study Art History!

Faculty by Areas of Specialty

Ancient Mediterranean: Björn Anderson, Brenda Longfellow
American: Joni Kinsey 
Asian: Amy Huang
Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century European: Dorothy Johnson
Renaissance: Daniel Maze
Medieval: Robert Bork
Modern/Contemporary: Craig Adcock