Learning Outcomes

When they have completed the program of study with an art history emphasis, students should be able to:

Complete a senior thesis — an in-depth study of 1 or more works of art in the permanent collection of the Hearst Art Gallery.
Acknowledge and be able to discuss the diverse history of art and its status within a social, cultural, religious, and aesthetic context.
Understand the role that art has and can play in encouraging positive social change.
Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of facts and accepted art historical terminology that is manifest by the successful application of art historical terminology and factual information to critical discussions.
Ability, in oral and written work, to engage similarities and differences between works of art from different periods and cultures including how people’s lives, through history, have been influenced by visual art production.
Identify a variety of art historical methodologies that include the use of biography, stylistic analysis, iconography, social history, and feminism.

When they have completed the program of study with a studio art practice emphasis, students should be able to:

Mount a cohesive exhibition of their artwork and produce a comprehensive thesis document discussing the ideas, techniques, and influences in their artwork.
Demonstrate an understanding of and facility for the use and application of several different media especially that of their preferred medium.
Articulate their artwork’s content and intention and visually manifest those ideas.
Develop ability for objective self-critique and demonstrate an understanding of their place within a larger art historical context.
Clearly evaluate different forms of art by other artists, in their writings and class discussions.
Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of contemporary and historic artists, particularly those working in their preferred medium. This is evidenced by their writings on art and during critiques and class discussions.