The Department of Art History offers courses in the history and criticism of the visual arts in major world cultures. Students at the introductory level examine art objects and learn the basic critical and historical vocabulary through which these objects may be understood and interpreted. At the advanced level, majors and nonmajors alike have the opportunity to investigate aspects (e.g., style, iconography, patronage, material culture, social history, religion, gender and sexuality, post-colonialism, and various other social and political contexts) of the arts in a particular geographical area at a given historical time. This advanced work, in conjunction with appropriate language training, provides a solid foundation for those who plan to go to graduate school in preparation for a career in the arts (e.g., scholarship, teaching, museums, galleries or auction houses, conservation, art criticism, and publishing).

An internationally renowned faculty and a diverse group of students share the Grey Art Library and Study Center, which includes lecture and seminar rooms, offices, a reference library, and ample space for the study of printed and digital materials.