Art History

Art History at Hampshire College offers an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to understanding the visual cultures of diverse societies throughout history. This program encourages students to explore the development, context, and interpretation of art from ancient to contemporary times, emphasizing critical thinking, analytical skills, and active engagement with artworks and ideas. Through a flexible curriculum, students can tailor their studies to include topics such as Asian, African, European, and American art, as well as thematic investigations into concepts like identity, power, and social change. The program emphasizes experiential learning, including museum visits, fieldwork, and collaborative projects, fostering a deep, immersive understanding of art within its cultural and historical settings. Students are encouraged to develop their own research interests and pursue independent projects, supported by a faculty dedicated to mentorship and innovative teaching methods. Hampshire College’s progressive educational philosophy promotes cross-disciplinary inquiry, allowing students to integrate perspectives from history, anthropology, literature, and other fields to enrich their art historical analysis. Small class sizes facilitate close interaction with faculty and peers, fostering a vibrant academic community. Graduates of the program are well-prepared for careers in museum and gallery work, arts administration, education, graduate study, or other fields that benefit from strong visual literacy and critical analysis skills. The program also emphasizes social justice and ethical considerations in art, encouraging students to examine issues of representation, access, and cultural heritage. Overall, Hampshire College’s Art History program aims to cultivate thoughtful, informed, and culturally aware scholars and practitioners who can contribute meaningfully to the understanding and preservation of visual culture worldwide.

• The Body in Modern Art
• Aesthetic Theory
• Art and Exile
• The Body in Modern Art
• Books, Book Arts, Artists' Book, Bibliophilia
• The Bauhaus
• The Collector: Theory and Practice
• Colonialism in the Visual Arts
• Dada and Surrealist Visions
• Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin
• Europe After the Rain: Reconstructing Modernity
• Guernica
• Introduction to Visual Culture
• Modernism and Modernity
• Realism in Nineteenth-Century Art
• Symbolists and Decadents
• The Residue, the Detail, the Intimate
• Visual Culture and the Holocaust

Requirements

• Common Application
• An academic paper in English
• Supplemental essay responses
• Current transcripts
• School report, including guidance counselor recommendation
• At least one letter of recommendation from a teacher
• Certification of Finances form
• TOEFL or IELTS score (Minimum TOEFL score of 91 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Predicted grades for IB English A1 or A2, or for A-level English, will also be considered.
• Additional letters of recommendation, up to three

Scholarships

• MacArthur Foundation Grant Making Programs
• American Association of University Women
• Fulbright International Scholarship Program for non-US students

Art History at Hampshire College offers a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to understanding visual culture, emphasizing critical thinking, analytical skills, and contextual analysis. The program provides students with the opportunity to explore a wide range of historical periods, geographic regions, and artistic mediums, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the arts within cultural, social, political, and economic frameworks. Students engage in active learning through seminars, independent research, and hands-on projects, encouraging creative and original thinking. The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing students to tailor their studies to their specific interests, whether they are focused on Ancient art, Modern and Contemporary art, or non-Western visual traditions. Hampshire College’s student-centered, experimental pedagogical model emphasizes collaborative and experiential learning, supporting students as they develop their own unique intellectual paths. The program also encourages engagement with local art communities and institutions, offering internships and fieldwork opportunities that connect academic theories with real-world practices. Faculty members are dedicated scholars and practitioners who mentor students individually, fostering a supportive academic environment. Graduates of the Art History program are well-prepared for careers in museums, galleries, arts administration, education, and research, as well as for graduate studies in art history, archaeology, and related fields. The curriculum emphasizes critical visual literacy, historical awareness, and cultural analysis, enabling students to interpret artworks within their broader societal contexts. Hampshire’s innovative pedagogical methods include collaborative projects, digital humanities, and cross-disciplinary research, making the degree relevant to contemporary arts and cultural industries. Overall, the Art History program at Hampshire College aims to cultivate informed, critically engaged citizens with a deep appreciation for the significance of visual culture in human history and society.