Art History & Visual Studies
Visual perception is essential to success in many careers. The ability to accurately observe the visual world and articulate its meaning are valuable skills in a broad range of fields including law, medicine, information technology, education, and museum work. Art History & Visual Studies (AVHS) majors are trained to develop astute observational tools that help them better analyze our image-rich world.
Art History majors may explore cultural traditions from around the world, learn how to care for art objects, manage art collections, and acquire research skills that would also serve as a useful foundation for further studies in law, medicine, or archival work.
Visual Studies majors learn to read their own culture with a critical eye as well as assess images and media from around the globe, discovering and applying interpretive frameworks to visual work.
Students gain practical experience through internships at the University of Kentucky Art Museum and numerous other local arts organizations. School of Art and Visual Studies faculty lead study abroad opportunities in France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy, and students have also received course credit for programs in Australia, Africa, and Asia.
B.A. Degree
The Art History option provides Art History and Visual Studies majors with the knowledge to interpret visual forms as expressions of historical periods and cultural values, and with skills that lead to the pursuit of independent scholarship. These are skills useful for virtually any career path, including law and international business.
B.A. Degree
The Visual Studies option deals with all aspects of culture that communicate through visual means, from paintings and film to advertising and Web sites. It leads to emerging careers involved with the creation, dissemination, manipulation and retrieval of images.