Art History, BA

John Cabot University, Italy

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The award	How you will study	Study duration	Course start	Domestic course fees	International course fees
BA	Full-time	find out	find out	find out	find out

About Art History, BA - at John Cabot University

Art informs and deceives. It forces us to ask questions about art and about ourselves. What is art, and why is it important to human beings? Who creates art? What are the reasons and cognitive and technical processes for its existence? Do outsiders view a given work of art in the same manner as the work’s intended audience? Why do some observers perceive Marcel Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel as a remarkable work worthy of a place in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, while others see it as an overpriced stool with a bicycle wheel mounted on top?

With its wealth of archaeological sites, churches, museums, and contemporary art galleries, Rome offers an environment of unparalleled richness for the study of art and the human experience across time. John Cabot University's Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History emphasizes art-historical theories and analytic methods with a strong focus on the visual arts of Europe, the Mediterranean and North America. Given the University’s location at the geographical and temporal crossroads of Europe and the Mediterranean, the program places a strong emphasis upon the visual cultures of Rome and of Italy. After an initial series of four foundation courses, majors develop their command of art history and its approaches through upper-level courses in a variety of pertinent subject areas. The major culminates in the fourth year, when each student selects a topic and works individually with a specialized faculty member to research and write a senior thesis. Students can win internships at institutions that include the Museo Nazionale Romano, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, and the Biblioteca Angelica, Europe’s first public library and a major repository of illuminated manuscripts.

The faculty consists of internationally recognized scholars strongly committed both to teaching and to research. The faculty members are active in their fields and often involve students in their research endeavors. Earning a bachelor’s degree in art history can constitute the first step toward a fascinating career in the field—for example, as a college professor, a museum or gallery curator, a museum educator, or a cultural officer in the diplomatic corps. The skills gained through art historical training, especially analytic and critical thinking and effective writing, offer outstanding preparation for careers in law, journalism, marketing, media, secondary education, and many other creative vocations.

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Meet Transfer Student Kathryn Williams

Hailing from the Bay area in California, Kathryn Williams transferred to JCU after three semesters at a large university in New York City. She is a senior majoring in Communications with a minor in Creative Writing. In Fall 2022, Kathryn interned at the JCU Web Communications Office.

Why did you choose John Cabot University?
JCU offers students a personalized curriculum that prepares them for the real world with numerous opportunities to jumpstart their professional careers. From the moment I transferred, I knew I had made the right choice. My previous school had a more theoretical approach, and professors hardly knew their students’ names. University is hard enough on its own, so it’s great to have that extra support from your professors and staff.

Why did you choose to study Communications?
I chose to study Communications because I was interested in learning various disciplines. I learned media theory and acquired technical skills for digital editing such as Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and other skills like SEO marketing analysis that will be essential to my career. Writing is a creative passion of mine, and the minor allows me to explore it.

From Johannesburg to Rome: Meet Communications Alumna Megan Dhlamin

Megan Dhlamini, who hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, graduated from JCU in 2021 with a B.A. in Communications. She currently works as Coordinator of Northeastern University’s Italy program at JCU.

You have a B.A. in Communications. What classes and/or professors impacted you the most and why?
The three Communications professors who impacted me the most are Professors Peter Sarram, Kwame Phillips, and Antonio Lopez. In one of Professor Sarram’s classes, we discussed media theory and its application. We watched the documentary Enjoy Poverty (2008) by Dutch artist Renzo Martens, and it brought me to tears because it shows you a world that screams that we all are equal while we are really not. With Professor Phillips, we watched a short film by Arthur Jafa called Love is the Message (2014). Jafa showcased police brutality in the US and how pervasive it is. It made me investigate police brutality within South Africa and that paved the way for my thesis. Professor Lopez, who focuses on media and the environment, helped me see how big companies alter their message to the general audience to make it seem as if they care for the environment. So, customers buy products, and they think that everything that says recycled is in fact recycled, while in reality it’s just shipped to a developing country. These three professors really helped me see the world through a different lens.