Art History Major

Why study art history at Geneseo?
Art history at Geneseo is a global and practical field that includes visual culture, visual communication, and museum studies. Course offerings span the entire history of art and visuality from ancient to contemporary eras, with broad focus areas covering identity studies, global outreach, art and politics, architectural history, urban planning, resource management, gender studies, and new media. Special interest areas cover Latin American, African American, medieval and Renaissance Islamic, Judaic, and diverse Christian traditions.

In addition to studying a wide range of topics, art history majors acquire essential skills: critical theory, research writing, and visual analysis all form part of the curriculum. Graduates have entered art-related careers such as museum curator or director, art consultant or conservator, exhibition designer, or scholarly book editor. Many art history majors also pursue careers in law, medicine, or business.

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Program Options

• BA in Art History
• Minor in Art History
• Minor in Museum Studies
• Minor in Multidisciplinary Creative Practice

Additional Options

• Concentration in Art History with Childhood Education with Special Education (1–6)
• Concentration in Art History with Early Childhood/Childhood Education (B–6)

Program Highlights

• The department boasts both a high retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate.
• Course offerings are linked to related Geneseo programs, women’s and gender studies, Latin American studies, and medieval studies.
• The faculty includes scholars with international, national, and regional reputations.
• Faculty networks of contacts can assist students interested in studying abroad, conducting research, or pursuing internships.
• The student-managed Kinetic Gallery on campus offers students opportunities to get involved in exhibition programming and design.  
• Students join the Art History Association and participate in the Annual Art History Symposium, where they present their work.
• A museum studies project titled The College as Museum: Preserving SUNY, Geneseo’s Brodie Hall works toward developing a preservation and sustainability profile for the college’s significant modernist building, designed by the architect Edgar Tafel.