Art History, B.A.
B.A. in Art History
Transform your love of art into a life with art.
It’s one thing to look at a work of art and appreciate it. It’s another to know how, why, and what a painting, music video, or building means on a deeper level. Investigate art to its fullest by pursuing an Art History degree at Penn State with renowned scholars, graduate student mentors, and the resources of a Big Ten University to guide you.
Earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art History from Penn State
Passionate about art, architecture, history, languages, travel, and other cultures? Combine your interests!
The Penn State Department of Art History offers lecture/discussion courses and seminars on a broad range of topics from Ancient to Contemporary art. Courses are taught by fifteen faculty members, and three affiliate faculty members (who are curators in the Palmer Museum of Art).
Our connection with the Palmer Museum of Art as well as our proximity to major art cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. offer students the opportunities of a friendly college town setting with the art world at their fingertips.
Next Steps
Is the Bachelor's Degree in Art History right for you?
The Bachelor’s Degree in Art History is your ticket to an education that will bring the world closer through art, architecture, cultures, languages, travel, museums, and history. Our close-knit community provides you with direct access to top faculty researchers in the field, committed to supporting you.
Freshmen enroll first as general students at Penn State and then declare the Art History major once they have earned grades at the University. Freshmen may begin their studies at any Penn State location, but majors must study at University Park to complete their degrees. Transfer students are considered for admission to University Park.
Students can take courses in Ancient to Contemporary art and architecture with faculty members who specialize in:
- African and African Diaspora
- Ancient Egyptian
- Architectural History
- Baroque
- Contemporary
- East Asian
- European and British
- Medieval
- Modern
- Museum Studies
- Pre-Columbian and Colonial Latin America
- Renaissance
- South Asian
What can you do with an Art History degree?
The real question is what can’t you do? Get creative!
Alumni Spotlight
alumni spotlight
Ryan Jacobs
Ryan Jacobs is a College of Arts & Architecture Alumni that graduated in 2016 majoring in Art History with a double minor in Architectural History and Architecture Studies. Upon graduating Penn State he enrolled at Virginia Tech to attain a Master’s in Architecture. His thesis, “The Troupes of Theatre”, combined both of his passions for architecture and theatre. After finishing his graduate studies, returned to PA and works at PWWG Architects in downtown Pittsburgh.
Level Up
Seize these opportunities, make the most of your education.
Suggested Minors
Art History Minor
Pursuing another major? The Art History minor can help you gain a critical understanding of visual culture in a diversity of societies around the world.
Architectural History Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in architectural history is a perfect match with the B.A. in Art History.
Student Opportunities
- Work in the field, as a student
The Department of Art History has work-study positions in the Visual Resources Centre and the departmental office. The Palmer Museum of Art also has work-study and internship opportunities. - Awards and Scholarships
A wide range of scholarships and grants are available to support student participation in symposia, study abroad, and service opportunities. Additionally, numerous financial and honor awards recognize student scholarly and leadership successes.
Study Abroad
- Todi Summer Study
Spend the summer immersed in art with the Todi Summer Study Abroad program and visit Rome, Florence, and everywhere in between with a cohort of engaged students.
Faculty Spotlight
See all Facuty
faculty spotlight
Craig Zabel
Dr. Zabel teaches courses in modern architecture, with particular emphases on the architecture of the United States, Germany, and Russia. His publications are primarily in the areas of early twentieth-century architecture, bank architecture, Prairie School architects, American public architecture, skyscrapers, and contemporary architects. His essay on Penn State’s architecture was published in This is Penn State: An Insider’s Guide to the University Park Campus (Penn State Press). His current research explores the history of the skyscraper and American popular culture, from P.T. Barnum’s oddities and NY’s Newspaper Row to the cinematic Emerald City of Oz. He is a recipient of the College of Arts and Architecture Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching, Penn State’s Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award, and the Penn State Teaching Fellow Award: The Alumni Association and Student Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Zabel served as Head of the Department of Art History from 1998 to 2017, after serving as interim head from 1996 to 1998. In 2019, he founded the Iconic Modern Chairs collection in Penn State’s Architecture & Landscape Architecture Library.