About the Program

“I have meaningful work—now that is unique. I’m enthusiastic about teaching; I respect my students and am committed to their education. I use contemporary teaching methods and contemporary content from many different areas.”
—Diane K. Smith, faculty

"A key feature of my teaching of art history is promoting student participation through discussion. A class with an emphasis on active student involvement results in greater learning and a more dynamic experience.”
—Jay Zumeta, faculty

The BFA with a Major in Art History is a degree which combines education in studio practice, internships and Museum Studies with the study of Art History, preparing students for careers and/or graduate studies in a variety of fields.  AAC Art History graduates have gone on to teach at both the high school and college level.  One recent AAC graduate went on to earn an MFA in photography and an MA in Art History, and she is now teaching at the college level, both at the AAC and elsewhere.  

A key component of the Art History Major is the Museum Studies Internship.  A wide variety of professional experiences are available to students in this program.  For example, students have done Internships in curatorial departments of the Cincinnati Art Museum and other area arts institutions, including the Cincinnati Contemporary Art Center, The Taft Museum and others.  Additionally, Internship students have made video and audio programs for exhibitions, designed and fabricated parts for educational exhibits and participated in art education programs for children.  One student even went on a Smithsonian Institution archaeological dig.  In short, these Internships give students a range of art history related experiences, and several students have gotten full-time jobs at the institutions where they did their Internships after graduating from the Art Academy.

The Art History Major is also an excellent stepping-stone toward a variety of museum careers, including curatorial work and art conservation.  One alumna is the Chief Curator at the Henry M. Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.  Graduates with the Art History Major are also working at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Carl Solway Gallery, the Taft Museum, and The Weston Art Gallery, among others, including at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Finally, with its emphasis on critical thinking, detailed historical research and a broad range of written and spoken communication skills, the Art History Major also prepares students for graduate studies, not only in arts related fields, but Humanities and Social Sciences fields like Media Studies, Psychology, or Anthropology.

View requirements for the Art History major and all majors
Apply to the Art Academy
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