School of Fine and Performing Arts

Bachelor of Arts in Art History

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Why Choose Art History?

You can explore the dynamic contexts and motivations for the creation of art and its significance to human cultures across time while earning a degree in art history at Wright State. You will benefit from this interdisciplinary program’s examination of our visual past, studying the nature of human creativity and culture through contexts provided by the sister disciplines of music, theater, and dance. Your courses will often link social and written history, archaeology, critical theory, gender studies, philosophy, and even science and mathematics. You can pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree or add a minor to your existing major.

Careers

You can prepare for a wide range of careers, both within and beyond the arts, at Wright State. Develop research skills, critical analysis, and effective written and oral communication. Then find employment at galleries, museums, auction houses, archives, and cultural institutions. You might also work in visual resource management, historic preservation, appraisal, cultural tourism, and publishing. You might also prepare for graduate study in other fields, including education, law, or business.

Real-World Experience

You can apply and refine the skills you’ve acquired in real-world situations with area arts organizations though internships. Expand your sense of how and where an education in the visual arts can be applied. Organizations that have offered internships in the past to students like you include, among others, the Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Visual Arts Center, and K-12 Gallery.

Success Stories

Marnie Leist , a 2001 art history graduate, is curator of collections at the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak, Alaska and recently published a book on the recovery of artifacts from an Alutiiiq archaeological site.

Academics and Curriculum

View the Bachelor of Arts in Art History program information, degree requirements, and graduation planning strategy in the Academic Catalog.

Admission

Review the admission requirements and complete the admission application. Identify whether you will be majoring in art history.

If you are a current student and wish to change majors, go to the WINGS Express major/minor change request form and change your major. If you are an undecided/exploratory student, talk to your advisor about majoring in art history.

Scholarships

Scholarships for Incoming Studentsphoto of students in a class

Scholarships are based on both financial need and talent. They will be awarded based on a review of portfolios as well as an assessment of your high school transcripts, references, and financial need.

Scholarships are given for the first two years at Wright State, up to $3,000 per year. After the initial two-year period, you will be eligible for the art department’s talent scholarships for continuing students.

Eligibility

  • You must be an incoming student (not a transfer student).
  • You must remain an art major; the scholarship will be rescinded if you choose to major in another area.

How to Apply

Download and complete the Incoming scholarship application. You will need to provide two references with contact information who can speak to your artistic accomplishments and a high school transcript. Submit a portfolio, either digitally or in person to the art department, consisting of a maximum of 20 works. No more than 10 pieces should be in any one medium.

Submitting the application and portfolio electronically:

  • Download the application and submission guidelines below. Follow the directions for sizing and labeling your images. Complete the application form and inventory sheet and email all materials, including high school transcript, to art_arthistory@wright.edu. You can send your materials in multiple emails if needed.
  • All materials must be emailed before midnight March 6, 2024.

Submitting the application and portfolio to the art department:

  • Deliver a portfolio (consisting of a maximum of 20 works, no more than 10 in any one medium); a list of two references with contact information who can speak to your artistic accomplishments; and a high school transcript to the art department office.
  • All works in the portfolio should be clearly labeled on the back with your name, address, and phone number. While original works are preferred, you have the option of turning in unframed originals or digital files (in jpg or pdf format) on a thumb drive.
  • Portfolio and application materials can be dropped off Monday, February 19th to Wednesday, March 6, 2024, between 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at the School of Fine and Performing Arts office in the Creative Arts Center in 088 CAC. The portfolio must be clearly labeled with your name, address, and phone number.

ArtsGala Scholarship Application for Incoming Students (PDF)

Electronic Submission Guidelines (PDF)

Any questions? Call Tracy Longley-Cook, Art Professor, at 937-775-3547.

Scholarships for Continuing Studio Art Majors and Art History Majors
photo of a student in a studio art class

The School of Fine and Performing Arts will award a limited number of Special Talent Scholarships to both full-time and part-time continuing studio majors and art history majors who will be enrolled during the Fall and Spring semesters of 2024–2025. If you are a B.F.A. or B.A. candidate who has a minimum of 12 hours within the department, you are eligible to apply. Your total number of hours includes those courses for which you are enrolled for Spring Semester.

You are strongly encouraged to fill out a FASFA each year, even if you believe you don’t qualify for financial aid. It may open avenues to other scholarship opportunities but does not disqualify you if you don’t apply. 

Studio majors and art history majors may receive a total of five special talent scholarship awards during their matriculation toward a degree, To be eligible to re-apply for a scholarship, B.F.A. and B.A. candidates must complete a minimum number of credits in the department during the ensuing year(s). Following the spring semester of your special talent award, scholarship recipients must earn a minimum of 12 credit hours in studio art in the Department of Art and Art History, including credit hours for courses in progress (Spring Semester) at the time of your next portfolio review application.

For studio art majors, portfolios may include a maximum of 20 works, with no more than 10 in any one of the following media: drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and photography. Sculptures may be represented by slides or digital images. Only work done since the last scholarship portfolio review is eligible. Only work done while at Wright State is eligible.

Art history majors may submit 2 art history papers with comments and grades in person to the SoFPA office, or email to art_arthistory@wright.edu along with a completed art history scholarship application.

Scholarship applications will be available for pickup in the School of Fine and Performing Arts office from February 1–March 6, 2024, and will be emailed to all art students by February 5, 2024. Submission dates are Mon, February 19– Wed. March 6, 2024 and portfolios can be dropped off at the SoFPA office, room 088 CAC.

Continuing Art History Scholarship Application (PDF)
Continuing Studio Art Scholarship Application (PDF)

 


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