Welcome & Mission
UST Mission Statement
Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good.
CAS Mission Statement
Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of St. Thomas engages students in an exceptional liberal arts education that prepares them to be reflective individuals, responsible citizens, and thoughtful professionals committed to the common good.
Department Mission Statement
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.
Non-Discrimination
The University of St. Thomas is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.
The University of St. Thomas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or statuswith regard to public assistance in the employment of faculty or staff, the admission or treatment of students, or in the operation of its educational programs and activities.
Accreditation
The University of St. Thomas is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
Individual Program Missions
Art History: Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate courses and curriculum of the Art History department strive to achieve the following:
- instill in its students an understanding of the role that art plays within a culture and society, including the religious and spiritual context for art, and an ability to analyze and understand the arts from a variety of viewpoints and methods;
- develop a diverse and global perspective on art through a commitment to the teaching of non-western art
- strengthen the major’s role in the liberal arts curriculum of the College and foster interdisciplinary cooperation and endeavors, especially through exploration of human diversity and an emphasis upon writing in its courses;
- encourage and facilitate scholarly and professional engagement through research, writing, and presentation among its students
- introduce students to the exhibition and presentation of art through direct experience and active learning and exposure to a range of professional activities
- offer non-curricular programs and activities within and outside the University that will serve the interests and needs of the community;
- build opportunities for active learning through internships and project-based work
- engage with ethical issues of the discipline at multiple levels of the curriculum.
Art History: Graduate Program
The Master of Arts in Art History program at the University of St. Thomas prepares its graduate students for the variety of professional opportunities in the discipline.
The curriculum introduces students to the processes of scholarly research in art history and the presentation of its results in a variety of professional and public venues.
Graduate courses focus on issues and problems in art history, the process of defining and carrying out a research agenda, the use of various methodologies and theories to define and interpret evidence, the ability to read both analytically and critically, and to utilize both original and scholarly resources.
The program emphasizes an inclusive perspective that encompasses a range of media and global cultures and a contextual approach to art that examines its social, economics, political, and religious importance.
The program builds awareness of the ethical and culturally specific issues of research related to the field, including professional standards for work with human subjects.
Art History: Exhibitions and Permanent Collection
The presence of art on campus is an integral component of a liberal arts education and of the cultural life of the University of St. Thomas. Art opens new opportunities for expressing ideas within the intellectual community and increase our understanding of both the present and the past. It fosters cultural awareness by being one of the most vivid forms of expression in a society, whether our own or that of others. Art plays a vital role as teacher, creative inspiration, and spiritual mediator for its viewers.
The exhibition program at St. Thomas is an inter-disciplinary program melding history, literature, geography, religion, art, and science through its displays and programming. Students are encouraged to explore the art on their campus as well as the rich artistic opportunities at galleries, museums, and other educational institutions in the Twin Cities.
The exhibits, programming, and presentation of the permanent collection are important contributions of the College and University to the cultural life of the many communities of the Twin Cities. They seek to reflect upon and engage with the broad cultural diversity of the urban environment of St. Thomas.
The program seeks to involve students directly in the development and installation of temporary exhibits and in the stewardship of the permanent collection as a means for promoting active learning and building professional experience.
American Museum of Asmat Art at the University of St. Thomas
The American Museum of Asmat Art at the University of St. Thomas is dedicated to the study, preservation, and presentation of the culture and spirit of the Asmat, as embodied in their art forms. Objects of the collection express the myths, beliefs, and structures of Asmat soceity; they offer insight into the vision of Asmat individuals and Asmat society. The AMAA@UST provides students, faculty, and scholars access to quality objects from Papua, Indonesia for research and study purposes.
The AMAA@UST supports the Art History goals to:
• instill in its students an understanding of the role that art plays within a culture and society, including the religious and spiritual context for art, and to be able to analyze and understand the art from a variety of viewpoints and methods;
• contribute to the teaching of non-western art
• strengthen its role in the liberal arts curriculum of the College and to foster interdisciplinary cooperation and endeavors
• encourage and facilitate scholarly research and presentation among faculty and students and introduce students to the exhibition and presentation of art through direct experience and active learning, and to the importance of the stewardship of a collection and museum.
• offer non-curricular programs and activities within and outside the University that will serve the interests and needs of the community.
