Art History (Minor)
Amy Marie Converse, PhD
Coordinator
The minor in Art History offers a distinct yet complementary program in relation to other departments, one that is committed to historical inquiry and the critical analysis of art at all levels of learning. We explore and critique canonical and liminal artistic traditions, and look for ways that the study of art history interpenetrates and illuminates other discourses and disciplines.
Students will find that coursework in the minor and in the program overall encourages them to develop an independent critical involvement with works of art and visual culture, to examine changing historical conceptions of art and the artist, and to explore the visual arts in their wider cultural and political contexts. In this program, we explore the evolution of salient methodologies toward art, and look for interdisciplinary tools to examine the wider impact of such shifts over time.
Woodbury’s Art History program provides students with an understanding of the history of Modern and Contemporary Art, and a comprehension of the concept of Modernism and its legacy in the field. We train students to consider the historical, social, and political contexts of art in terms of events and ideas; to evaluate visual, theoretical, and historical information; and to engage with theory, practice, and reflection through reading, research, and writing. Students who fulfill the requirements for the minor will receive a solid foundation in critical methodologies that will inform and enrich their major course of study, whatever that may be.
Student Learning Outcomes