 
Works from the MSU Permanent Collection
B.A. Art History Program Coordinator:
Dr. Anne Betty Weinshenker
973-655-2091
Overview | Curriculum | Faculty | Careers & Resources | Accreditation | Applying
Art History (BA Concentration)/
What It’s About
Spanning 35,000 years from as early as the Stone Age through to modern time, humans have made images to express themselves. The history of art is as vast as it is deep.
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fine Arts, Art History concentration exposes students to the methods and techniques of research, interpretation and writing about art, artists and cultures from prehistoric time to the present day. Students learn how to prepare scholarly research papers and exhibition catalog entries, make oral presentations about art as well as write essays and articles for publication, often incorporating multimedia such as slides, PowerPoint and video.
What is an Art Historian? What do they Research?
Art historians love art, architecture and essentially all that is visual. They take pleasure in writing about what they see and piecing puzzles together. They enjoy studying cultures and learning languages. They are at home in libraries and with archives. They are passionate in their search for answers.
Art historians study not only painting, sculpture, architecture and the graphic arts (traditional forms of art), but also virtually all things made or decorated by man, including folk, religious, and ceremonial objects. It is, therefore, not surprising that art historians draw from almost any field of study, including philosophy, religion, literature, archeology, engineering and history to name a few.
Art historians investigate many questions related to the works they study. Who made the work? From what culture and during which time period was it made? What inspired the work and how did it inspire others? Beyond inherent aesthetic characteristics, art historians explore how artifacts are used in religious, ritual and ceremonial contexts; criteria for beauty within cultures; and the impact art has on the experience of individuals, popular culture, economics and science.
What You Will Study
Courses in the Art History curriculum survey and explore in-depth, art history movements, genres and artists who have had an impact on the course of art-making globally and throughout the ages.
Curriculum Requirements and Course Description Links —
| Back to top |
An Outstanding Faculty
Art History majors work with an outstanding faculty and guest artists who are prominent scholars, curators and critics. Within and beyond the Art History program, more than 28 full-time faculty and 80-plus visiting professionals mentor our Department of Art and Design students every semester.
Faculty Links —
| Back to top |
Careers in Art History
Successful art historians possess a special combination of research expertise and a passion for art, architecture and artifacts. Art history graduates find that their knowledge and skills are marketable in a wide range of professional enterprises including museums, art galleries, cultural institutions, publication houses and educational settings. Many graduates from Montclair State move on to graduate study in the discipline and/or pursue various paths as professionals, including those as:
- Art Appraisers
- Art Critics
- Art Dealers
- Art Journalists, Editors (books, newspapers and magazines)
- Art Lawyers (requires additional degree in law)
- Art Registrars
- Curators of Corporate and Private Collections
|
- Gallery Directors or Assistants
- Museum Curators (most positions require a Master's Degree or Ph.D.)
- Museum Managers (many positions require a Master's Degree or Ph.D.)
- Professionals in Art and Antiques Auction Houses
- University Professors (requires a Ph.D.)
|
Career Related Links —
| Back to top |
Accreditation
Montclair’s art and design programs, including Art History, are widely recognized and meet the rigorous standards of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), thus placing them among the most-competitive programs in the region.
| Back to top |
How to Apply
For information on applying to the BA in Fine Arts, Art History concentration, go to the Department Admissions page
| Back to top |
|
