Students looking at art in a museum

Art History & Visual Culture

The Art History & Visual Culture Program at Denison is designed to identify and develop critical awareness, in accordance with the general aim of a liberal education. This program provides students with the opportunity for instruction and practice in the visual arts as preparation for graduate studies and professional pursuits in this field.

Catherine Stuer

Catherine Stuer , Associate Professor, Chair of Art History and Visual Culture

100% of Art History graduates are either employed or in graduate school five years after graduation.

Pursue a career in Art History

Art happens here

Discover all the arts at Denison

The arts intersect with nearly every facet of life at Denison. Students often bring a passion for the arts, and once here they find new ones.

And for the majority of our students, the arts play an integral role not only in their college experience but also throughout the rest of their lives, no matter their profession.

Spotlights

Micaela Vivero in front of large mountains

Visual arts chair named 2024-25 U.S. Fulbright Scholar

Micaela Vivero is heading to Spain, where she will be teaching at Universidad de Murcia.

Ellie Blasko '23 sitting next to a piano

Playing to her strengths

Denison helped triple major Ellie Blasko '23 explore her passion for piano, discover new interests, and land a dream job in Beverly Hills.

Nannette V. Maciejunes ’75

Denison Magazine

‘I didn’t know I was an art kid’

As she prepares to retire from the Columbus Museum of Art, Nannette Maciejunes ’75 reflects on the path that led her there.

Bridget Koerwitz '21

A cultural immersion from the comfort of home

Bridget Koerwitz ’21 squeezed four semesters of Arabic language instruction into eight short weeks.

Karly Etz '13

Where We Go

Karly Etz '13: In pursuit of a Ph.D.

Ph.D. Candidate visits with current students

Vettel and Callandar

Where We Go

From Art History to Venture Capitalism

Interviewer Maggie Vettel '19 connects with another Art History and Visual Culture graduate

Museum studies class

How We Learn

Beyond the Museum: Exhibiting Culture Today

An Interdisciplinary Museum Studies Class

McLaughlin in Auschwitz Poland

How We Learn

Studying the Holocaust at Auschwitz

Sam McLaughlin spent her summer studying the Holocaust.

denison students in Sri Lanka1

How We Learn

Cultural exchange in Sri Lanka

In the summer of 2016, students were immersed in the culture of Sri Lanka during a research trip.

Costume Collection

How We Learn

Students Visit Major Museums

Historic costumes - behind the scenes look at research and restoration.

Gretchen Giltner

How We Learn

Gretchen Giltner '16

Luckily, the Denison Off-Campus Studies office suggested I study in Denmark, which was the best experience of my life.

Denison Seminar

Where We Go

Denison Seminar Explores Our Neighbor to the North

The new Denison Seminars offer exciting opportunities to explore multiple viewpoints and approaches—some even include study abroad.

Drew Jepson

Where We Go

Drew Jepson '16

Fall Semester '14 at the University of Edinburgh

Alison Hughes '04

Where We Go

Alison Hughes '04

Alison Hughes '04, Director of Programs at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.

Julia Milano '14 pic

How We Learn

Julia Milano '14

My internship at the Art Institute provided me with multiple opportunities to apply much of what I have learned as an art history major.

What's Happening

Students, Awards & Honors, Recognition & Accolades, Conferences & Symposia

The vigor of academic exchange

Students learn from their peers during an annual junior/senior symposium

Lectures & Discussions

What is Japanese ‘traditional’ art?

Talk by visiting professor Pauline Ayumi Ota of DePauw University

Field Trips

“Decolonizing the Museum” class visits the Columbus Museum of Art

The course critically examines the history and practices of museums, analyzing the move toward decolonizing museums in the U.S.

More From Denison

Denison Seminars

Denison Seminars

Study Abroad

Living at Denison

Living at Denison

Career Exploration

Career Exploration