BA in Art History
Susquehanna University
Key Information
Campus location
Selinsgrove, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 54,440 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* tuition 2022-23
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Reconstruct history through art
Art is the representational record of history, and we invite you to take a closer look.
Piece together visual clues in images, buildings, and objects to shed light on the human experience past and present with faculty dedicated to your intellectual development.
You’ll debate art theory and criticism while developing keen skills in visual analysis — an invaluable tool in our increasingly image-driven world.
Travel to major museums in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City, or visit our own Lore Degenstein Gallery to carefully study works of art from various times and places.
Popular classes embrace the interdisciplinary nature of art history, examining art through the lenses of diversity, gender, and politics. Art history also pairs well with a major or minor in anything from anthropology to communications to foreign language.
Apply your love of art
Take what you learn into the real world with an internship at a professional art gallery or well-known museum at home or abroad. Our students have interned at The Andy Warhol Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and The Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Our graduates are ready to step right into professional careers in and outside of the arts, working in museums, galleries, higher education, schools, and cultural nonprofits. Graduates also choose to go on to professional programs in art history or museum studies at schools such as the University of Edinburgh, Temple University, and Boston University.
Minor options
Susquehanna is one of the only undergraduate institutions in the country to offer a museum studies minor. Pair that with an art history degree, and you’ll be a leading candidate for a graduate school program in art history or museum studies. Our interdisciplinary minors help you gain a better understanding of important topics in today’s world.
Gallery
Curriculum
Requirements for Major
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.
Double-counting rules within the department of Art and Design
- Students may double count 16 SH BA to BA;
- Students may double count 8 SH department minors to BA or BFA;
- Students may double count 4 SH department minor to department minor;
- Students may not have a photography minor and a studio art major
- Students may not have a BA and BFA within the department.
Double-counting restriction
Students in the Art and Design Department may, with department head approval, complete more than one major and/or minor in the department.
Departmental Honors
The department awards honors status for graduation for students receiving a 3.70 or higher GPA in the studio art, graphic design, or art history major.
Off-Campus Study
Junior and senior studio art and art history majors are encouraged to spend a semester studying away from campus as part of the university’s GO program. Susquehanna studio art and art history majors have access to art centers all over Europe, particularly in London, Florence, the south of France, and Paris. A liberal arts program at Regent’s College in London is one of the special programs available to art majors. Others may choose extended off-campus study in New York or Washington, D.C. This experience enriches the artistic spirit and opens up avenues for future careers. Students with modern language interests can combine language and art studies abroad.
Art History, Studio Art, and Graphic Design Internships
The department encourages its majors to complete internships, which provide a valuable introduction to the professional art world. Studio art and art history majors typically complete internships at museums and galleries, while graphic design majors are expected to pursue internships at design firms, publishing houses, and advertising agencies. All students may receive major credit for approved internships.
Requirements for the Major in Art History
The Bachelor of Arts in art history requires 48 semester hours in art history and studio art with grades of C- or better.
The Bachelor of Arts in art history requires 48 semester hours in art history and studio art with grades of C- or better.
12 Art History Requirements
- 4 ARTH-101 Introduction to World Art I: Prehistory to 1400
- 4 ARTH-102 Introduction to World Art II: 15th to 20th Century
- 4 ARTH-403 Senior Thesis 28 Art History Electives
28 Art History Electives
- Choose elective art history courses selected with faculty adviser guidance (may include an internship or independent study credit).
8 Studio Art Electives:
- Choose two studio art courses (ARTS-111 Foundations of Art I and a photography course are recommended).
Reading knowledge of a second language is helpful for undertaking research in non-English scholarship.
Requirements for Minor
When you enroll at Susquehanna, you’ll be paired with an advisor and application tool to guide you in your course planning and scheduling. The following is an excerpt from the complete course catalog. Enrolled students follow the requirements of the course catalog for the academic year in which they declare each major and/or minor, consult with their advisor(s) and the Academic Planning Tool.
Art History Minor
The minor in art history requires 20 semester hours of art history courses with a grade of C- or above. Required courses include ARTH-101, ARTH-102, and three additional art history courses.
Course Options
- ARTH 101 Intro to World Art I: Prehist to 1400, Credits: 4
- ARTH 102 Intro to World Art II: 15th - 20th Cent, Credits: 4
- ARTH 205 Greek and Roman Art, Credits: 4
- ARTH 215 History of Photography, Credits: 4
- ARTH 300 Topics in Art, Credits: 1–4
- ARTH 303 Socially Engaged Art Practice, Credits: 4
- ARTH 306 Renaissance Art History, Credits: 4
- ARTH 307 Baroque Art History, Credits: 4
- ARTH 310 Modernism and the Avante-Garde, Credits: 4
- ARTH 313 Women in Art, Credits: 4
- ARTH 401 Independent Study, Credits: 1–4
- ARTH 403 Senior Thesis, Credits: 4
- ARTH 405 Internship, Credits: 1–4
- ARTH 412 Contemporary Art, Credits: 4
Program Outcome
Learning Goals
- Art History majors develop an awareness of art history from prehistoric times to the contemporary era and possess in-depth knowledge of at least one specific period.
- Art History majors demonstrate an understanding of the history of the discipline and its theories and methodologies.
- Art History majors demonstrate critical thinking and logical reasoning in written and verbal form.
Career Opportunities
Graduates have gone on to jobs at:
- Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia
- Slifer House Museum
- Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art
- Rockefeller University
- Coral Gables Museum
- Astral Artists
- Everhart Museum
- Daemen College
- City Year Rhode Island
- WebPage FX
Graduates have gone on to graduate school at:
- University of Edinburgh
- Aberdeen University
- University of Denver
- University College London
- Studio Arts College International
- Kent State University
- Drexel
- Boston University
English Language Requirements
Certify your English proficiency with the Duolingo English Test! The DET is a convenient, fast, and affordable online English test accepted by over 4,000 universities (like this one) around the world.