Engage the World Visually

As a Chapman Art History student, you'll develop essential skills in reading, critical thinking, and communication that will help you engage deeply with art and culture. You'll explore how art functions as a vital part of visual and material culture, examining the ways it reflects and shapes ideas about politics, space, place, and representation.

Through the B.A. in Art History, you'll learn to critically analyze how the visual world influences the way we understand and experience our reality. By closely examining images and objects across cultures and time periods, you'll develop the ability to interpret, research, and articulate meaningful connections between art, history, and society.

Engaged Passionate Faculty and Mentors

At Chapman, you'll learn from faculty who are deeply invested in helping you develop the skills to write, speak, and think critically about the visual world around you. You’ll  learn from specialists in fields including European and American modernism, ancient Mediterranean culture, Latin American visual and material culture, East Asian art and the archaeology of human activity in space!

Hands-on Real World Experience with Art

The Escalette Collection, Chapman’s “museum without walls” featuring modern and contemporary art, offers you an engaging resource for learning and research. Through tours of the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions, and access to artworks, you'll deepen your understanding of art beyond the classroom. You can also gain hands-on experience by working as a collections assistant, volunteering as an art ambassador, contributing to acquisitions, and helping curate physical and virtual exhibitions.

Career and Internship Opportunities

The B.A. in Art History prepares you for a wide range of careers in the arts, culture, education, and beyond. Graduates pursue paths as curators, conservators, art dealers, auction specialists, educators, cultural heritage professionals, journalists, filmmakers, game design consultants, lawyers, and more. Through internships at cultural institutions across Southern California and the United States, you'll gain hands-on experience and build professional networks that support your future career. 

Small Classes, Big Impact

At Chapman, our art history program emphasizes a personalized, hands-on education. With small class sizes, you’ll receive individual guidance and mentorship from experienced faculty who know your work, your strengths, and your goals. Small class sizes foster collaboration, meaningful critique, and tailored feedback, giving you the support and confidence to develop your skills, and prepare for a successful career or advanced study.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DIVERSE RANGE OF COURSES