Overview

At the University of Rochester, the Department of Art and Art History (AAH) offers undergraduate majors, minors, and clusters in art history, visual studies, and studio art. Our students have the opportunity to complete internships in Rochester’s diverse and rich cultural institutions. We also offer students the opportunity to participate in the Art New York internship program in New York City.

The department houses the internationally recognized graduate program in visual and cultural studies (VCS), offering an interdisciplinary PhD degree. Our graduate students are in residence for four years, during which time they take seminars, participate in conferences and colloquia, and serve as teaching assistants in many of the undergraduate courses.

After successful completion of the PhD qualifying exam, students pursue independent dissertation research and writing. Both the department and the visual and cultural studies program sponsor lectures, conferences, seminars, and exhibitions of interest to the University and the wider community. The on-campus Hartnett Gallery in Wilson Commons has affiliations with both the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Life After Rochester

Many of our undergraduate alumni go on to graduate school. Our visual and cultural studies graduate alumni teach in prestigious colleges and universities. Both AAH and VCS alumni have gone on to have successful careers as museum curators, artists, media professionals, and critics.