2022-2023
Art History
School of the Arts
Program description
Art History is a liberal arts program composed of an academic course of study exposing students to the scholarship, theoretical perspectives, and research methods of not only the history of art, but related disciplines in the humanities. Courses focus on cultures, historical periods, and regions. The program also includes possibilities for directed research projects as well as museum internships. While providing students with the opportunity for a broad education on the liberal arts and humanities, the department also emphasizes a close bond with the studio and performing arts and enjoys a close relationship with the other departments in the School of the Arts. Art history students complete a Level 4 REAL experience as a part of the major capstone course. Overseas studies are available through university-sponsored programs abroad in Europe and Asia.
Career opportunities
This curriculum provides students the best possible background for future graduate work in art history. Additionally, the study of art history prepares students with highly sought after skills in writing and communication, problem solving, critical thinking, creative expression, cultural awareness, independent thought, organization and research, and advocacy. Current students take advantage of multiple internship opportunities in Richmond’s vibrant art community to gain practical experience, and alumni of the program may hold positions in the public and private art worlds, government, nonprofits, and businesses, depending upon their interests and expertise.
Change of major requirements
Continuing VCU students considering a change of major to art history must have have a 3.0+ cumulative GPA and submit a short research writing sample of 600 words with their change of major application.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Administrative Coordinator
- Conservation Technician
- Content Strategist
- Donor Services Coordinator
- Preservation Librarian
- Program Coordinator
- Project Manager
- Gallery Host
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Art Conservator
- Curator
- Librarian and Archives Manager
- Museum Educator
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
- Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
- Yes
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- 3.0+ cumulative GPA
Transfer Maps
Contact information
Department name:
Department of Art History
Building/room location:
922 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23284
Phone:
(804) 828-2784
Email:
arthistory@vcu.edu
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map
Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and choose electives.
- Sharpen your study skills in supplemental instruction sessions at the Campus Learning Center.
- Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
- Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
- Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
- Complete ARTH 103 and ARTH 104.
- Take the foreign language placement test to find out which level to register for.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations.
- Participate in RAM CAMP to get a jump start on learning about VCU’s campus community.
- Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.
- If living on campus, connect with your Resident Assistant, attend hall events, and participate in Community Council.
- Consider applying to the Honors College.
- Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living learning community.
- Join the VCU Art History Club.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Join RAMmalogues to talk with peers about social identities in the context of acceptance, belonging, and inclusion in life at VCU.
- Review Global Learning's Major Advising Sheets to explore studying abroad opportunities and other global learning opportunities.
- Check out the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and follow @vcuomsa.
- Connect with the Global Education Office to explore leadership and intercultural communication skill-building programs like the Peace Corps Prep Certificate.
- Visit a study abroad fair and complete Rams Abroad 101.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Complete your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
- Set up a profile in the Student Opportunity Center to explore REAL opportunities.
- Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
- Seek research opportunities by applying for research funding through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
- Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
- Engage your creativity, risk taking, and scholarly investigation and apply for a VCUarts Grants and Student Research Programs at VCU.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Explore “What Can I Do With This Major” to learn about employers in your field of study.
- Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
- Join Students Today Alumni Tomorrow to connect with VCU traditions and alumni networking opportunities.
- Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
- Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
- Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
- Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
- Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
- Take ARTH 292 Writing for Art History.
- Complete the general education courses by the end of your sophomore year.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
- Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
- Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
- Learn about the Sophomore Year Experience in Cary & Belvedere.
- If living on campus, join the Residence Hall Association.
- Visit an area art gallery, museum, historic house, or other art/object collecting institution.
- Attend VCUarts public lectures, exhibition openings, or film screenings.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
- Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty.
- Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
- Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
- Explore global career options with a career advisor to set goals for getting your dream job.
- Organize examples of your academic and professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections in an ePortfolio.
- Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
- Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
- Apply for a VCUarts Dean's International Study Grant to fund your creative exploration.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
- Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
- Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
- Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
- Identify scholars in your field; learn from their articles and career path.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
- See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
- Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
- Take ARTH 390 Art Historical Methods.
- Complete your foreign language requirement through the 202-level.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Design a community-engaged research project.
- Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
- Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
- Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
- Consider joining professional associations, like the College Art Association (CAA) or Virginia Association of Museums, and attending industry conferences.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
- Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
- Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
- Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
- Make an appointment with your education abroad advisor on Navigate: junior year is the best time to study abroad while completing fine arts studio or major requirements in locations like Florence, Lima, and London.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through InterviewPrep or meeting with a career advisor.
- Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
- Seek research opportunities and apply for funding through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).
- Apply for a VCUarts Internship Support Grant.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
- Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
- Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
- Talk to advisors, faculty, and VCU Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
- Talk with your advisor about applying to the accelerated bachelor's-to-master's program in Art History.
- If applying to graduate school, take additional language classes and begin studying for the GRE.
Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
- Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
- Complete your senior capstone by enrolling in ARTH 490.
- Enroll in additional language courses to prepare for graduate school.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
- Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
- Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
- Connect with the College Art Association (CAA), Virginia Association of Museums, or American Alliance of Museums.
- Attend or present your research at the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) or the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
- Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
- Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
- Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
- Seek out opportunities to work collaboratively with students from other majors.
- Take a leadership role in the Art History Club.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
- Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
- Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
- Consider participating in professional networking through relevant organizations like the College Art Association (CAA) or the American Alliance of Museums.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
- Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
- Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services.
- Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
2022-2023
Art History
School of the Arts
Concentration(s):
No concentration
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore | Year 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Experience | Year 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Year 3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Excel | Year 4 |
|
|
|
|
|