FACULTY:
Bridget Milligan, Chair
Marina Mangubi
Kara Morrow
Jennifer Sakai
John Siewert
Walter Zurko
The Department of Art and Art History offers majors in Studio Art and in Art History. Courses in both majors are designed to allow the student to develop an understanding of the visual arts past and present. In studio courses, students learn to conceive and express ideas in two- and three-dimensional media, to evaluate the aesthetic character of works of art, and to become more alert to their sociopolitical implications. Art history courses are concerned with the production and reception of the visual arts within their social, religious, cultural, and political contexts. Students may double major in Studio Art and Art History or major in one discipline and minor in the other. Students considering a double major or a major and a minor in the Department should meet with the Department Chair early in their undergraduate education.
The Department of Art and Art History strongly urges students interested in off-campus experiences to take advantage of the New York Arts Program administered by the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA). Other off-campus study programs, both in this country and abroad, are available to majors with adequate course preparation for advanced study. More information on such programs is available through the office of Off-Campus Studies.
Architecture: Students interested in a career in architecture should consider one of the following options, bearing in mind that Wooster does not offer a major in architecture: 1) a pre-architecture program of recommended coursework, preparing students for graduate study in architecture upon completion of the B.A. in any discipline at Wooster; or 2) the Cooperative Program between The College of Wooster and Washington University in St. Louis, providing an opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s degree from Wooster and, upon acceptance into the graduate program, a Master’s of Architecture degree at Washington University. For either option, interested students should meet with one of the Pre-Architecture co-advisers, Professor John Siewert and Professor Walter Zurko, early in their undergraduate education (see Pre- Professoinal and Dual Degree Programs for additional information)
Art History
The major in Art History exposes students to a wide variety of perspectives and academic fields and provides a good liberal arts foundation for careers in many different areas. It can also provide undergraduate preparation for graduate degrees leading to careers in teaching, research, criticism, library science, visual resources curating, museum or gallery work, art conservation (with substantial background in chemistry), community art programs, architecture, or historic preservation.
Art history courses are usually lecture-discussion classes primarily concerned with art’s cultural and historical contexts; art as a revelation of human intelligence, imagination, and skill; and the tools-vocabulary, methods, approaches-used to study cultures through their artistic achievements.
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