See human history with an artist’s eye.
Even before humans developed writing systems, we expressed our ideas, observations, emotions and experiences through art. Major in art history at Mary Washington and you’ll access the rich resources of Washington, Richmond and New York while exploring the world’s artworks of antiquity to the modern day. You may spend a semester abroad to deepen your understanding as you prepare yourself for a life of empathy, observation, critical thinking and analysis.
Degree Awarded
Students majoring in Art History who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art History.
Areas of Study
Course offerings include History of Western Art, Egyptian and Near Eastern Art and Archaeology, History of Asian Art, Arts of Japan and Korea, Contemporary Asian Art, Greek Art, Roman Art, Art Museum Studies, Romanesque & Gothic Art, High Renaissance & Mannerism, Post-Impressionism to Abstract, American Art, and Pop Art to the Present.
Career Opportunities
With a background in the artistic masters and movements, UMW grads have created careers at such organizations as the American Association of Museums, Brooklyn Museum, Corcoran College of Art & Design, Delaware Art Museum, Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Internships
Students gain valuable experience and career contacts through internships with UMW Galleries and prestigious museums and art institutions in Fredericksburg, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia.
To receive honors in art history, students must have a 3.25 grade-point average overall and a 3.5 GPA in the major, demonstrate excellence in upper-level courses in the major, and present an individual study research paper to the art history faculty.
The art history major requires 39 credits, including 12 credits from required courses; 15 credits from courses covering the major artistic eras from ancient through modern times; three seminar credits; and 9 art history elective credits.
Learn more about art scholarships at the University of Mary Washington.