Degree: B.A., Anthropology
Department of Cultural and Philosophical Inquiry
The Art History major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology.
Images shape how people understand the world and the Art History major teaches how to look at, question, and interpret them. From social media to global politics, visual culture reveals how societies communicate ideas, values, and what it means to be human. The Art History major builds skills in analyzing works of art and understanding their roles within cultural and historical contexts. Courses cover a range of styles, themes, media, and artists, highlighting both diversity and connections across time and place. With strong ties to Anthropology and Classical Studies, and connections to fields such as American Studies, Asian Studies, Cultural Studies, Museum Studies, and Gender Studies, the program fosters nimble, reflective, and deeply prepared thinkers.
The major develops essential skills in critical thinking, visual analysis, and writing that translate across careers in media, design, museums, and education. Faculty are active scholars who collaborate with students on research and support independent projects. Scholarships and grants provide opportunities for research travel in the U.S. and abroad.
Students in the Art History major at Mary Washington study in the midst of some of the best art museum cities in the country. Located near Washington, D.C., Richmond, Baltimore, and New York City, the program gives students access to major museums and galleries. Visiting scholars, museum professionals, and artists bring fresh perspectives and networking opportunities. On campus, UMW Galleries host dynamic exhibitions, while internships at the galleries and nearby institutions—such as Gari Melchers Home and Studio (also known as Belmont), and the James Monroe Museum—provide hands-on experience in research, curation, and museum work.
Graduates pursue careers in museums, galleries, cultural institutions, and universities, as well as fields such as publishing, art therapy, and librarianship. Many continue to graduate study in Art History, Museum Studies, and other related fields at schools such as Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, NYU, University of Oxford, University of St. Andrews, and UVA. Alumni remain engaged as mentors and supporters, helping sustain a vibrant and connected program.
The Art History major is one of three majors in the Anthropology degree program, along with Anthropology and Classical Studies. United by inquiry into what it means to be human, the three majors share an emphasis on interpretive, archaeological, and analytical methods. Students across all three majors learn how to work with many kinds of evidence, from artifacts and images to texts and lived experience. This interdisciplinary foundation encourages critical reflection on human creativity, social life, memory, language, and material worlds, while each major offers deeper study within its own disciplinary traditions and topics of focus.
Student Learning Outcomes
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Students will interpret human cultural expression and social life across global and historical contexts from a non-ethnocentric perspective.
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Students will construct and evaluate arguments that are linked to appropriate forms of evidence (such as ethnographic, visual, material, and textual).
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Students will design and complete a research project that employs appropriate methods and communicates findings to academic and public audiences.
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Students will engage in a process of close, slow looking at works of art with the goal of understanding images and the viewer’s response to them.
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Students will explain connections between visual properties of the object and its social, cultural, intellectual, and historical contexts and meanings.
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Students will analyze and evaluate various types of evidence including but not limited to images as well as primary and secondary textual sources.
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Students will apply a variety of art historical methodologies and understand various theoretical perspectives.
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Students will demonstrate research, critical thinking, and professional communication skills that connect art historical training to their work after Mary Washington, including museum careers or graduate study.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 101 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 |
| ARTH 116 | Global Art History I | 3 |
| ARTH 117 | Global Art History II | 3 |
| AAHC 297 | Archaeological Methods: From Dirt to Museum | 3 |
| AAHC 299 | Arguments in Anthropology, Art History, Classical Studies | 3 |
| ARTH 303 | Methods of Art History | 3 |
| AAHC 480 | Senior Research | 3 |
| AAHC 481 | Senior Project | 3 |
| 3 credits of a 300-level topics course or 400-level seminar in Art History | 3 | |
| 9 credits of electives in Art History 1 | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
May include up to 1 course (3 credits) in ANTH, ARTS, or CLAS with permission.
General Education Requirements
The general education requirements for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Fine Arts/Bachelor of Science degrees apply to all students who are seeking to earn an undergraduate B.A., B.F.A., B.S. or B.S.Ed. degree.
Students seeking a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree have a separate set of B.L.S general education requirements.
Electives
Elective courses are those that are not needed to fulfill a general education requirement or major program requirement but are chosen by the student to complete the 120 credits required for graduation with a B.A./B.F.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. degree or the B.L.S. degree. These courses may be taken graded or pass/fail (or S/U in the case of physical education and 100-level dance). No student in a regular B.A./B.F.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. program may count more than 60 credits in a single discipline toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
Total Credits Required for the Degree: 120 credits
Plan of Study
This suggested plan of study should serve as a guide to assist students when planning their course selections. It is not a substitute for a student's Degree Evaluation or the Program Requirements listed for this major in the catalog. Academic planning is the student's responsibility, and course selections should be finalized only after speaking with an advisor. Students should familiarize themselves with the catalog in effect at the time they matriculated at the University of Mary Washington. Students should also familiarize themselves with general education requirements which can be fulfilled through general electives as well as major/minor course requirements. Course requirements and sequencing may vary with AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge or previous coursework, transfer courses, or other conditions. To be considered full-time, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in 12 or more credits for the semester.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ARTH 116 | Global Art History I | 3 |
| FSEM 100 | First-Year Seminar | 3 |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ANTH 101 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 |
| ARTH 117 | Global Art History II | 3 |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| AAHC 297 | Archaeological Methods: From Dirt to Museum | 3 |
| One Art History Course at the 200-level or above | 3 | |
| General Education Courses | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARTH 303 | Methods of Art History | 3 |
| Two Art History Courses at the 200-level or above | 6 | |
| General Education Courses or Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| AAHC 299 | Arguments in Anthropology, Art History, Classical Studies | 3 |
| One Art History Course at the 200-level or above | 3 | |
| General Education Courses or Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ARTH Elective | 3 | |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| AAHC 480 | Senior Research | 3 |
| 300-level ARTH topics course or 400-level seminar in Art History | 3 | |
| General Electives | 9 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AAHC 481 | Senior Project | 3 |
| General Electives | 12 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Cultural and Philosophical Inquiry Faculty
Anthropology, Art History, Classical Studies, Philosophy (including Philosophy: Pre-Law), and Religious Studies
Julia A. DeLancey, Chair
Professors
Julia A. DeLancey (Art History)
Joseph G. Dreiss (Art History)
E. Eric Gable (Anthropology)
Jason C. James (Anthropology)
Mary Elizabeth S. Mathews (Religious Studies)
Jason P. Matzke (Philosophy)
Laura H. Mentore (Anthropology)
Angela L Pitts (Classical Studies)
Associate Professors
Jennifer A. Barry (Religious Studies)
Suzie Kim (Art History)
Assistant Professor
Kalpesh Bhatt (Religious Studies)
Senior Lecturer
Michael J. Reno (Philosophy)
Affiliated Faculty
Tracy Stonestreet (Art History)