Bachelor Degree in Art History

The Art History program at The American University of Rome offers its students exceptional opportunities to study the artistic and cultural legacy of Rome and Italy, and relate the artistic works of previous epochs to the contemporary, global art world.

From the Roman Forum to the Sistine Chapel to the MAXXI Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome houses countless art treasures that all have an important place in the history of art. Students who pursue this major go beyond textbooks to come face to face with these masterpieces in galleries and museums – many of which are just a stone’s throw from the university – as part of our regular on-site classes. The interactive nature of these classes means that our students gain an in-depth understanding of their subject material through first-hand interaction with it. The curriculum covers a broad range of visual culture, including painting, sculpture and architecture.

The program in Art History combines the comparative method and critical approach typical of American curricula with an intense immersion in one of the greatest art centers in the world: the city of Rome. Coursework at all levels emphasizes on-site observation and analysis and the use of Rome’s unique resources for individual study and research. Each semester, students embark on field trips (which bear credit for their overall grade) that take them to cities across Italy and Europe, where they engage with the artistic heritage of each location and place their subject material in its historical context. Students become adept in visual analysis and oral articulation of visual patterns and phenomena, and the curriculum cultivates both writing skills and research skills, all of which are demonstrated in the thesis in which the program culminates.