Chair’s Welcome

The history of art and architecture are vital components of a liberal education. Our department provides the opportunity to study a wide range of cultural expressions—from paintings to prints and film, from buildings to landscapes and cities—representing diverse cultures from Antiquity through the present day. We believe that the study of art and architecture is fundamental to being an informed citizen of our changing and challenging world.

The Department of History of Art and Architecture offers course work leading to several degrees. Students can pursue major and minor concentrations in the history of art and in architecture and the built environment, both as part of the requirements for the bachelor of arts degree. At the graduate level, master of arts degrees in the history of art as well as in architecture and the built environment are also available.

Students in every program have the opportunity to study with faculty who are both active scholars and dedicated teachers. The faculty represent a diverse range of scholarly specializations that bridge continents and historical periods. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels students can select from lecture courses, seminars, and independent study programs. For undergraduate students who are passionate about original research, we offer a sequence of one-on-one tutorials that culminate in an honors thesis. The department awards competitive grants to support student research in the United States and abroad.

We seek to expose students to original works of art, both in Nashville and beyond. On campus, we use the collections of the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art in our teaching, as well as other local institutions. We also organize student trips to collections and historic sites elsewhere in the United States; recent department-funded trips have gone to Asheville, North Carolina; New York City; Newport, Rhode Island; and New Haven, Connecticut.

Having the opportunity to engage in original research as well as exhibition curating and other professional work, students are well prepared for graduate study in art history, archaeology, architecture, and related fields. In addition to pursuing education and professional work related to art and architecture, recent graduates of the department have gone on to law school, medical school, internships in finance, and other pursuits. Our small classes and devotion to helping students develop fundamental life skills lead to success in whatever field a student chooses to pursue.

Sincerely,

Kevin D. Murphy
Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities
Professor and Chair, Department of History of Art and Architecture