Welcome & Mission

The Art History Department at the Univeristy of St. Thomas seeks to explore the many dimensions of art and culture in a broad range of periods and worldwide cultures. The courses, programs, and faculty of the department place art within its cultural, social, and religious context to understand the vision and experience of both individuals and cultures.  The programs encourage research and engaged learning and the presentation of discoveries to a broad audience, both inside and outside of the classroom.

In particular, the department strives:

• to promote critical and analytical thinking: learning to ask and answer questions about art and understanding multiple points of view.
• to promote active learning through the direct experience of art and through an emphasis upon inquiry, problem-solving, and research.
• to promote the understanding the art and artifacts of earlier times and other cultures, thereby giving us greater wisdom and insight into our own cultures and their legacies.
• to promote independent research and the presentation of its results, introducing its constituents to the professional standards of the discipline in preparation for future careers.
• to promote a broad and inclusive definition of art and its global dimensions.
• to promote a contextual understanding of art.
• to promote sensitivity to cultural patrimony and to the ethics of study and display of art across cultures.