Undergraduate Program Overview

A major, minor, or concentration in the Department of Art History and Archaeology lays the basis for pursuing a variety of careers in and beyond the scholarly pursuit of the history of art, museum work, or work in the commercial art world of galleries and auction houses. Art history majors have also gone on to graduate education as well as careers in law, medicine, business, and academe, among others. Critical study teaches students not only the particulars of the art, archaeology, and architecture under study, but also the analytical and synthetic skills needed for mature, reasoned, and inventive solutions to broad‐based questions in any field, with particular emphasis on the analysis of our visual culture.

The visual study of the world around us continues to increase in importance as global communication becomes most often based in visual media. Understanding the sources and significance of images that form a common language of communication is crucial for anyone who aspires to play an active part in society. The goal of the undergraduate programs offered by the Department of Art History and Archaeology is to explore the history of art, architecture, and archaeology across broad historical, cultural, geographic, and methodological spectrums. Courses take advantage of the extraordinary cultural resources of New York City and often involve museum assignments and trips to local monuments.

Comprising one of the largest art history departments in the world, the Columbia–Barnard art history faculty includes specialists in the art and architecture of an impressive spectrum of cultures and geographies from the Ancient Near East to Contemporary Global Art History. The curriculum offers coursework in the Pre‐Columbian New World; in the art and architecture of Africa, of the Indian Subcontinent, of China, of Japan; in addition to many aspects of the art and architecture of North America and Europe, including African‐American and diasporic art, and the art of First Nations in the Americas. Methodological approaches offered by the curriculum are equally diverse, including courses that explicitly address issues of gender and race. Several members of the faculty have extensive curatorial experience and regularly offer courses which feature instruction in the history of collecting, display, and museum practices.

The department offers three majors, two minors, and two concentrations (open only to students entering in or before the 2023–24 academic year). All department policies and procedures as they relate to the undergraduate programs are detailed in the Undergraduate Handbook.

The Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator are also available to answer questions and support students as they make their way through their program of study.