Art History (BA or BS)

What is A Art History (BA or BS) Degree?

Most people can’t agree on what Art is or what makes good or bad art.  But, despite that, many people are working in the field.  The field of Art, at least where careers are concerned, involves the creation of a tangible product of the artist’s imagination, arranged in forms, sounds, or words.  The objects that are produced, sometimes using the computer, are often seen as beautiful, controversial, or thought-provoking.  A degree in Art History, either a BA or BS, involves getting a good overview of all forms of art from medieval times to the present and then focusing on specific elements, often based on geographical areas like Europe, Africa, South America, or Asia (represented by the expertise and research of the faculty in the department).

If there’s a particular kind of art you’d like to study, look over the credentials of the faculty before applying.  One or more hands-on studio arts courses will be completed so that students will know something about what it takes to produce art.  In the last two years of a BA program, you’ll attend seminars to learn how to do research in preparation for positions at museum and galleries. BS programs will have the same foundational experiences but will probably target a specific type or period of art for most project work and be good preparation for graduate work and research. Two years of a foreign language may more likely be required in the BS program than the BA program.

The video below discusses a “typical” program, so it should help regardless of which school you are considering.