Art History

What is art history?

Art history majors majors at Virginia Tech investigate how visual culture has shaped and been shaped by global societies across time. Through an interdisciplinary curriculum, you’ll build critical thinking, visual literacy, and research skills essential to interpreting art and material culture within diverse historical, cultural, and political contexts. The program combines classroom learning with opportunities for internships, study abroad, and hands-on experiences in museums and cultural institutions. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in education, museums, galleries, publishing, and cultural heritage management, as well as for advanced academic study.

Why study art history at Virginia Tech?

Learn in small, seminar-style classes where faculty offer close mentorship and support your development as a researcher and thinker.
Customize your academic path through a flexible curriculum that spans global art and architecture — from antiquity to the present —and explore topics like museum studies, cultural preservation, and museum ethics.
Dive into compelling upper-level courses with rotating topics such as controversial art, the archaeology of death, and art crime, which covers thefts, forgeries, looting, and the politics of protecting cultural heritage.
Pair your flexible art history major with a complementary double major or minor to expand career opportunities (business, communications, political science, etc.).
Gain valuable experience through internships with museums, auction houses, nonprofit organizations, publishers, and other arts institutions.

Participate in the School of Visual Arts’ Design European Immersion program, where you’ll explore art and design through the lens of Europe, specifically Italy and Switzerland, learning about historic typography, viewing ancient and modern art, and gaining hands-on experience in applying visual techniques.
Join the XYZ Gallery Student Art Association to gain experience in curating, advertising, graphic design, communications, and gallery operations, and to connect with fellow students who share your passion for art.
Balance academic study with creative practice by enrolling in studio art classes that help you express your own visual ideas in 2D, 3D, and digital media.
Take advantage of priority access to the Creativity and Innovation District’s makerspaces, including a wood shop, metal shop, paint room, and laser room.

Art history professor and a student discuss a painting in a museum.

Curriculum

What courses will I take?

To learn more about the courses you’ll take as an art history major, review the Program Curriculum and course descriptions in the university catalog. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to personalize your degree through classes focused on regions and cultures, history, and museum studies, as well as through Pathways requirements.

Careers

Meet an alum

Tingting Luo '23

Luo graduated with a double major in art history and architecture and is currently a UX and 3D designer for VSDesign. “My worldview and intellectual foundation began to take shape during my time at Virginia Tech,” she said. “I was constantly challenged to analyze, absorb, and create. These studies cultivated my curiosity and planted a lasting love for knowledge and exploration that continues to guide my life and career beyond academia.”