As an art history student at 51¸£ÀûÉç, you will gain a broad foundation and critical understanding of visual culture in the context of art history in one of the best ranked programs. You will have a diverse selection of courses, which range from the art of Europe and America to the non-Western arts of Africa and Asia.

As an art history student at 51¸£ÀûÉç, you will learn to analyze works of art as products of the cultures in which they were created and to explore such questions as why the object was created, how it was made, who might have seen and appreciated it, and what it may mean to its owners and audiences through experience and state-of-the-art technology, including virtual reality.

This degree uses entirely Open Educational Resources or no-cost textbooks.

Insight Through Technology

"'Aura' is among one of the first vocabulary words we learn as art historians. Yet, we study famous works on a computer screen in the form of PowerPoint presentations, and never understand the true scale and complexity of works. Through the use of a Virtual Reality headset within a course, I was able to see Raphael’s Vatican rooms and compare the School of Athens to its companion La Disputa by looking back and forth, overwhelmed with the scale, composition and seemingly countless figures, just as Raphael would have intended. This moment helped me to understand what aura truly meant: the surreal moment of sharing space with the work. For in situ works and heritage sites such as this, using the VR headset helps to bring a level of understanding and connection a PowerPoint could never." - Paige Sandheinrich, M.A. '23

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