• Opportunities for internships, study abroad, and personal interaction with faculty.
• The Forst Visiting Artist Endowment brings diverse artists to the Pullman campus for interactive residencies with students each semester.
• Close relationship with the WSU Museum of Art, one of the top five museums in the Northwest, including annual faculty and MFA thesis exhibitions.
• WSU undergraduate students manage one of the department’s two galleries in Pullman and assist faculty with the Art Center on the Tri-Cities campus.
• Art history faculty whose research engages relevant 21st century issues with an international breadth.
• Studio faculty who are practicing artists and scholars, and exhibit regularly in the Northwest, nationally, and internationally.
• State-of-the-art facilities for metal and wood fabrication, ceramics, printmaking, black-and-white photography and digital media (two MAC labs).

The art history program offers a broad exposure to the history of the visual arts.  As an interdisciplinary field, art history is an intellectual arena in which students develop their perceptual skills and analytical tools to engage diverse art forms from multiple perspectives.  Students begin with foundation survey courses, the History of World Art (FA 201 and FA 202), and then take upper-division courses to consider art from specific cultures and historical time periods. In these specialized courses, students gain familiarity with contextual issues concerning the production and consumption of art. They develop research and writing skills necessary to think critically about art and visual culture. Students are also introduced to basic aspects of studio production to enhance their visual skills and knowledge of material practices. Students complete their studies by writing a thesis paper and developing knowledge of one foreign language. Students must also complete University graduation and general education requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Art: Art History Option

Certification requirements:

1. Completion of FA 102 (Visual Concepts I) or FA 103 (Visual Concepts II);
2. 9 hours from 200 or 300-level art history courses;
3. 2.0 cumulative grade point average in fine arts courses

Core courses

Studio Courses (9 credit hours total): FA 102, FA 103, Studio Elective
FA 201—World Art History through 1450
FA 202—World Art History 1450 to Present
FA 303—Modern Art–19th Century
FA 304—Modern Art–20th Century
Non-Western Art History (3 credit hours)
FA 408: Art History Thesis (3 credit hours)
Art History Electives (21 credit hours) that include 2 [M] courses

Minor in Art History

A minor in Art History requires 18 credit hours, including FA 201 and FA 202. 

Note: Consult the WSU Catalog (http://catalog.wsu.edu/Pullman) for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.

The Department of Art provides a diversity of experiences in the visual arts:

• Art history/visual culture
• Ceramics
• Digital media
• Drawing
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Students interested in preparing for high school and primary-grade art teaching should pursue a B.A. or a B.F.A. degree for their subject matter preparation. However, WSU does not offer a teacher certification program in art education.

An undergraduate art degree prepares students for rewarding careers in film, video or sound production, media and Web design, studio photography, public relations, public arts, nonprofit arts programs, and more. Some students earn advanced degrees after graduation to teach at the K-12 or college/university levels, or work in museums as curators.

Ten $500 scholarships are offered to first-year art students through the Visual and Performing Arts scholarship program. The Department of Art offers the following scholarships to deserving juniors and seniors: the John Ludwig Scholarship, the Frances Drake Scholarship, and the Warren Scholarship. Approximately eight scholarships, ranging from $150-$1,000, are awarded each year. The Arthur Gibson Scholarship awards $1,000 to a promising sophomore, with the possibility of renewal. Art majors also may apply for more than $50,000 in scholarships awarded by the College of Liberal Arts.

Students should complete the Washington State University general scholarship application and the FAFSA to ensure their eligibility for the widest range of scholarships and need-based financial aid. Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get information on the full range of available aid or to apply for financial aid and scholarships from WSU, see the Scholarships and Finances section of the WSU website.