Art History, Theory, and Criticism

One of the art history department's primary purposes is to support the studio programs in the education of artists. This is achieved by offering a wide variety of courses in the history of civilizations and cultures from prehistory to the present, in the history of specific media, in conceptual and thematic art issues, in art theory and criticism, and in aspects of museum and curatorial practice. These courses aim to acquaint students with a broad range of art and art practice, to stimulate critical thinking, and to develop students' skills in verbal and visual analysis.

The requirement of twelve credit hours of art history for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio degree sets a standard that is higher than that of nationally comparable art schools. It is intended as a stimulus to art making, and to some extent forms the conceptual center of the students' learning and creating experience. The department is sympathetic to and supportive of the art-making process and many of the faculty have a studio background or art-making experience.

The department is responsive to developments in the studio areas, to new areas of intellectual and critical interest to artists, and to new professional possibilities for students. As feminism, linguistics, deconstruction theory, and anthropology, to name only a few, invaded the field of art history resulting in "the new art histories," the department responded without disregarding the more traditional offerings. Recent courses include: Art of the Nineties, Postmodernism and its Sources, Theories of Humor, Formation and Deformation of the Human Body in Art, Marxism and Art, Theories of Abstraction, Representation and Pornography, History of Performance, History of Modern Design, History of Art and Technology, Psychoanalysis and Art History, and Critical Responses to Poststructuralism.

The department offers a Master of Arts in Modern Art History, Theory, and Criticism and a Graduate Certificate in Art History, Theory, and Criticism.