The Department of Art and Art History’s goal is to encourage all students to explore the complex processes of creating and examining works of art. We do so with a faculty committed to sustained creative work and research that helps us illuminate art’s history and future with the expertise, nuance, and rigor our students and colleagues deserve.
The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Art (Studio Practice) and in Art History, and a Master of Arts in Art and Museum Studies. Each semester, the Department enrolls approximately 300 undergraduates in 29 Art Studio classes and 300 undergraduates in 13 Art History classes; and between 7 and 16 students in the graduate program classes.
Our two disciplines embody Georgetown University’s dedication to “creating and communicating knowledge” in the broadest sense. Through study and practice of the arts, we learn to articulate ideas about ourselves, our traditions, and our environments in ways that are exceptionally direct. Students work with physical objects, make things with their hands, and grapple with forms and ideas from many eras and cultures. Art expands awareness of the world and enhances our ability to communicate. Visual literacy and cultural awareness are essential to informed, responsible, and reflective engagement in the modern world.
In Art courses, we focus on the student's experiential development of imagination and creativity as integrating forces in the liberal arts curriculum. Art History courses introduce a range of cultures and media, and provide the disciplinary grounding for the study and interpretation of art.
All of our courses in Art and Art History emphasize the study of original works of art in Washington’s outstanding galleries and museums. They also exploit contemporary technologies to expand students’ access to sources for learning around the world.