Visual Arts and Art History
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Visual Arts and Art History Overview
The visual arts major with an art history concentration combines the advantages of a small school with the perks of being in a city with a vibrant arts scene, including traditional museums and experimental spaces. You will enjoy working in small, intimate classes with a dynamic faculty that is well-recognized in the local, national, and international community, learning how to assimilate, understand, research, and critique works of art from pre-history to our rapidly changing global contemporary context.
Chatham prides itself on its close relationship with Pittsburgh art institutions and museum and gallery professionals. The opportunities this provides for our students are immeasurable and include direct access to important works of art, events, internships, and other pre-professional prospects.
—ELISABETH ROARK, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Art
Courses & Curriculum
As part of Chatham's liberal arts focus, the Visual Arts and Art History program embraces innovation and a student-centered approach. This results in a flexible, interdisciplinary program that integrates new technology and practical experience with history, theory, and self-exploration. Click the button below to explore sample courses and curriculum.
Explore Visual Arts & Art History Curriculum : Checkerboard 1 - Courses & Curriculum
Capstone Seminar
Every visual arts and art history student participates in a capstone seminar, where they channel knowledge and skills into a discipline-specific project related to their field of interest. Experienced faculty mentors provide guidance, fostering critical thinking and preparing students for future careers or studies. We also provide smart classrooms for art history classes, and subscribe to the for use in class and student research.
Joint BA & Masters Program
We also offer a joint program with Carnegie Mellon University, through which students can earn a bachelor's and in as few as five years.
Program Faculty
If one word could best sum up Chatham's faculty, it would be engaged. Professors bring their experiences to relate the course lessons to real-world situations. Meet the visual arts and art history faculty by clicking the button below.
Meet the Faculty : Checkerboard 4 - Program Faculty
Internship Opportunities
Students have had internships at institutions including , , , (Venice, Italy), , , , and .
Employment Opportunities
Art history students from Chatham are currently employed by , , the , and the . Others have entered graduate school in art history, museum studies, museum education, and archives and library science.
Olkes Collection of African Art
The Olkes Collection of African Art provides students with hands-on experience, with over 600 works of African Art that include sculpture, masks, fabric beading, weaving, and domestic objects. Chatham also has an eclectic collection of paintings, sculptures, photography, and prints to which students have hands-on access and the opportunity to produce original scholarship. Works of art in the collection by locally- and nationally-known artists date from the late eighteenth century to the present day.
Museum Studies Minor
The museum studies minor provides students with the skills, experiences, and specific professional knowledge necessary to work in the museum field. The minor balances history and theory with practical experience designing and installing exhibitions and preparing educational programming. Students interact with museum and gallery professionals through frequent field trips to local and regional museums.
Explore the Chatham Catalog : Checkerboard 8 - Museum Studies Minor
BA in Visual Arts & Art History