The program equips students with skills, concepts, and capabilities related to research and teaching in art history, theory, curating and criticism. A degree in art history provides a critical insight into a prestigious and contested realm of the modern and contemporary world. Students will develop skills in visual analysis, historical and theoretical research, writing, criticism, and curation. Graduates will be able to make advanced arguments and have developed reflective and thoughtful critiques of culture, history and our varied and complex place within it.
The program prepares students for graduate school, as well as careers in museum and galleries, the heritage sector, the art market, teaching, art journalism, criticism, curating, and publishing. Our graduates work in the artworld of Beirut and the gulf, and pursue further study at universities in Europe and America.
We work closely with institutions around the city and elsewhere and with other departments and programs around the university, especially the Studio Arts Program, AUB Art Galleries and the Beirut Art Review. This provides a rich academic environment of events, opportunities, established networks and exposure to the the artworld for the department and our students.
The Curriculum
The curriculum blends history, theory and practice with opportunities for internships, work experience, curating and writing in the discipline that prepares our students for further study or to become leaders in the artworld. It provides a comprehensive coverage of major and influential art movements in the west and middle east, modern and contemporary art, theories of art and interpretive methods, with courses that cover art writing, criticism, and curatorial practice, theory and history. Students will contribute to a join-curated exhibition at the AUB Art Galleries.
A wide and flexible range of electives in Art History are available, and many of our students choose to pursue minors and joint degree with other programs.
The BA Art History Program has specific strengths in modern and contemporary art and theory; Islamic, Arabic and middle eastern art; curatorial history, methods, theories and practices; socialist and post-socialist art; western medieval and renaissance art; critical theory and art historiography.
BA Degree Program Requirements
For the complete and current requirements and various relevant policies and procedures, please see the ‘General University Academic Information’ of the Undergraduate Course Catalogue, the specific requirements of the BA Art History Program and our course list. Please email the co-ordinator of the Art History Programs for further information.
The BA degree requires ninety credits for students entering the department at the sophomore level and includes a comprehensive range of core courses and a wide selection of special topics courses, research-led courses and other electives within the program. All students at AUB have to take General Education requirements, including credits in natural sciences, social sciences, quantitative thought, and humanities. AUB offers a rich catalogue of electives from complementary programs in media studies, history, philosophy, literature, anthropology and sociology.
Minor in Art History
The department also offers a minor in Art History that requires fifteen credits of Art History courses. You can find the requirements in the Undergraduate Course Catalogue, and you’re welcome to email the co-ordinator of the Art History Programs.