Art History

Think of yourself as a time traveler, exploring the history and meaning of art across time. Guided by our expert faculty, you’ll learn how to analyze and decode visual arts in the context of politics, race, gender, sexuality, disability and other cultural factors. You’ll visit local museums and galleries to study priceless paintings, sculptures and other artwork in person. And through our Art Research Library, you’ll have easy access to a huge collection of historic images.

What can I do outside of class?

Let's start with museums and galleries, including the UB Art Gallery and UB Anderson Gallery, where you can practice your skills. Off-campus you’ll find world-class institutions (many of which offer internships), including the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Royal Ontario Museum in nearby Toronto, Canada.

What else can you do here?

Intern in Buffalo, New York City and other major cities.

Study abroad.

Curate an exhibition at on-campus spaces.

Meet visiting artists and historians.

As an art history student, you’ll be accustomed to looking at things with a critical eye—including your job opportunities. This degree is designed to help you succeed, whether you choose a career in the arts or any field that requires deep knowledge of our visual world.

At UB, a vast majority of our art department graduates pursue a career in art and design—a testament to the quality of our education. You'll find our alumni working in galleries, museums, auction houses, government agencies, schools and universities worldwide. Some of the career paths include:

Art administration.

Art historian.

Art installer.

Art librarian.

Arts editor.

Conservator.

Curator.

Director.

Gallery assistant.

Professor.

Teacher.

Writer.