Bachelor of Arts - Art - Art History

The Art History program at California State University, Chico, is designed to teach students to think critically about global visual arts and culture. The Art History program provides training leading to art history careers (museum, gallery, and academic) and entry into master’s programs, as well as a solid foundation in research and writing skills that are highly valued by diverse employers. The faculty are widely recognized for their contributions to the field, with particular strengths in Medieval, Modern/Contemporary, and Mesoamerican art history.

Undergraduate majors begin with surveys that provide general knowledge of world art history and then take a series of upper-division courses on different historical periods and cultures (Roman Art, Medieval Art, African Art, Maya Art, Contemporary Art, and so on). This curriculum is augmented with frequent “special topics” courses (E.G. Monster Movies, Contemporary Art Criticism & Practice). Students also have the opportunity to do coursework in study abroad programs, and art history faculty have offered courses in England and Ireland.

The Janet Turner Print Museum and University Art Gallery at Chico State provide internship and job opportunities for students. The Art and Art History department publishes Contrapposto, A Journal of Undergraduate and Graduate Research in Art History.