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Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art History and Critical Studies

AIB teaches art history for the artist, integrating theory into studio practice.

Art History Critical Studies 01

The BFA in Art History and Critical Studies program focuses on modern and contemporary issues with emphasis on the concerns directly impacting practicing artists. Our faculty is made up of artists, curators, and critics who help make meaningful connections between theories and practices of art. Many of your courses will take you to museum and gallery exhibitions, while others enable you to pursue your areas of interest in a wide variety of lecture and seminar courses.

The curriculum is designed for students who want to explore contemporary visual culture while practicing their own art. The program allows you a focused studio concentration along with the art history curriculum.

As the culmination of your art history studies, you’ll write a senior thesis of about 20 pages that explores in depth a topic related to art since 1900. You’ll work closely with an advisor throughout the research and writing process and, upon completion of your thesis, participate in an oral defense before a faculty committee.

Program Outcomes
Students who graduate with a degree in Art History will demonstrate:

  • A thorough grounding in theoretical and critical approaches to the study of art with an emphasis on that of the 20th and 21st Century
  • The skills and knowledge necessary to explore a topic on art since 1900 in depth to produce a thesis that meets the research, writing, and documentation standards of the discipline
  • The background to enable them to pursue graduate study in the discipline or to take entry-level positions in museums and galleries, publishing and related careers
  • For BFA Art History candidates, the opportunity to combine the study of art history in depth with artistic study practice

Featured Courses

Art Since 1945 | IAHIS 3600
This course explores the rapidly changing work of post-war art, emphasizing developments in the United States. After an introductory overview of the formative early modern period in Europe and America, in particular the rise of abstraction and the emergence of surrealism, the course examines such artistic movements as Abstract Expressionism, Pop, Minimalism, Earth Art, Realism, and Conceptual Art. In addition to the artistic movements themselves, the course also considers such issues as the place of art and the artist in contemporary society.

New Media: History and Process | IAHIS 3380
Digital, video/video installation, and performance art are becoming ever-greater parts of the experience of art making and viewing. Rather than being seen as oppositional to traditional forms of art making, these media can act as tools for students and artists. They can be understood as opportunities for the next movements in art, with the option of working in conjunction with traditional media.

 

Faculty Spotlight

Faculty Sunanda Sanyal

Sunanda K Sanyal
Associate Professor of Art History

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Faculty Geoffrey Koetsch

Geoffrey Koetsch
Professor of Fine Arts

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Student Galleries

Take a look at our Galleries to view student work.

Spotlight
Alumni Spotlight: Tara Strongosky

Tara Strongosky“The most important lesson I learned at AIB is to stay true to yourself. The best work is a result of being completely open and honest.” — Tara Strongosky, BFA Studio/Art History '09

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Faculty Spotlight: Susan Ashbrook

Faculty Susan Ashbrook“Effective learning requires engagement with the material. By exploring the work of artists of the past and recent past I hope to bring their accomplishments to life for students in a meaningful way that can inform and enrich their own endeavors. In today’s world critical perspective is essential for success in the arts as it is in most careers.” — Susan Ashbrook, Department Chair