Art History

The Art History major helps you understand the way art objects and visual images communicate ideas about the past and present. As you analyze art created by various cultures and across different time periods, you will increase your observational skills, your ability to construct arguments, communicate ideas and conduct research.

Preparing You For Success

Through completing a range classes, from hands-on studio art courses to advanced seminars in specialized topics, you will increase your visual awareness and visual literacy. All classes are held in the lively Heuser Art Center, where small class sizes foster solid discussions and dialogue with faculty mentors and classmates. This standalone major allows flexibility to tailor electives to your career interest. It's often paired with studio art, chemistry and other science majors.

By the time you graduate, your experiences may include:

• Internships in arts administration, curatorial practices, gallery management or art writing. (Recently students held internships at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Peoria Riverfront Museum, Illinois Women Artists Project).
• Networking and career development through the Visual Voices Visiting Artists and Art Historian Program and through the Biennial Midwest Women Artists Symposium
• The opportunity to study abroad either through one of Bradley’s Study Abroad programs or through one of our affiliate programs.
• Opportunities to do independent research.

Making Your Mark

Although the majority of Art History majors follow careers as curators, critics, scholars, and conservators, the observation, communication and critical thinking skills developed in this major are being sought by a wide range of fields. The program also prepares students for graduate work in a variety of areas. Bradley graduates have gone on to study art history, library science, art therapy, museum studies and art conservation at the graduate level.

Major Requirements

Art History Core - 6 hrs.

• ART 140: Survey of Art History I - 3 hrs.
• ART 142: Survey of Art History II - 3 hrs.

Required Art History courses - 6 hrs.

• ART 243: Non-western Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 245: American Art - 3 hrs.

Elective courses in Art History - 18 hrs.

• ART 332: History of Graphic Design - 3 hrs.
• ART 335: Medieval Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 340: Renaissance Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 350: 17th and 18th Century Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 360: 19th Century Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 375: 20th Century Art - 3 hrs.
• ART 390: History of Photography - 3 hrs.
• ART 417: Independent Study in Art History - 3 hrs.
• ART 480: Seminar in Art History - 3 hrs.

Studio Core - 13 hrs.

• ART 101: Drawing I - 3 hrs.
• ART 102: Drawing II - 3 hrs.
• ART 105: Two-Dimensional Design - 3 hrs.
• ART 106: Three-Dimensional Design - 3 hrs.
• ART 220: Professional Lecture Series - 1 hr.
• ART 221: Professional Lecture Series - 1 hr.

Total Hours: 43 hrs.