Overview
A fundamental understanding of the history of art is essential for all aspiring artists and designers in order to situate their own work within a broader context and establish professional credibility; therefore, art history is the foundation of the Academic Studies curriculum.
In a three-semester survey of world art, complemented by courses that focus on corresponding literature, students analyze visual and literary works selected to emphasize interdisciplinary relationships. In the fourth semester, students focus on an in-depth academic study associated with their area of concentration. The carefully structured writing curriculum is aimed at building skills incrementally.
The objectives of the Art History/Academic Studies curriculum are:
• To train well-informed professionals who are prepared to undertake further study;
• To develop critical thinking, analytical writing and quantitative/scientific reasoning skills;
• To develop familiarity with the methodologies of art history as a discipline; and,
• To build awareness of the history of world art and literature with particular emphasis on the history of students’ chosen fields.