What Can I do With a Major

Major: Art History

Description of Major:

Art History is the study of art created in the past by individuals from various cultures and parts of the world. Art history majors study both the history and aesthetic ideology that goes into a work of visual art. Whether it’s painting, photography, architecture, film, sculpture, or multimedia projects, art historians are responsible for helping us to interpret work in these media. Part historian, part cultural critic, art history majors help define a work of art by placing it into its proper historical context. They examine the layers of influences that go into the making of a piece of art, including the social, political, and personal forces underlying an artist’s development. With each new artistic movement, with each new artist, comes a new way of seeing and interpreting the world. Through the art historian’s critical lens, out own ability to share in the artist’s insight and vision is enhanced.

Related Career Titles:

Assistant Curator
Museum Inventory Specialist
Museum Attendant
Development officer
Library Assistant
Registrar
Archivist
Conservator
Education Director
Exhibit Designer
Art Appraiser
Curator
Economist
Market-Research Analyst
Political Scientist
Research Worker, Social Welfare
Sociologist
Anthropologist
Archaeologist
Conservator, Artifacts
Scientific Linguist

Employment Areas :

Museums
State/Federal Government
Corporations
Interior Design Firms
Art Galleries
College/Universities
Auction Houses
Restoration Firms
State/Federal Parks
Archives
Publishing Companies

Related Links:

Employment opportunities in art history http://www.careers.ucr.edu/students/graduates/jobs/ArtHistory.html 

Career Alternatives for Art Historians
http://www.nd.edu/~crosenbe/jobs.html

American Association of Museums
www.aam-us.org

Art History Network
www.arthistory.net/general.html

Society of American Archivists
www.archivists.org

University of Missouri – Columbia Art History & Archeology Department Website http://web.missouri.edu/~ahawww/