A BA in Art History may seem like an odd choice of degree at first, but it can open up many exciting career opportunities. Art history is a field that requires knowledge of aesthetic and cultural values, as well as the ability to interpret works of art. With a BA in this field, you can pursue careers within the arts, media or education sectors. Here are some of the possibilities:
Museum or Gallery Curator
A museum or gallery curator is responsible for managing collections and exhibitions. Curators generally oversee the content and display of artwork in galleries, as well as research and identify works for purchase or exhibition. They typically possess an expertise in a particular area of art history such as modern, contemporary or traditional works.
A BA in Art History provides a strong background for curators to draw from when researching and selecting pieces for their collections.
Art Critic
An art critic is someone who evaluates artwork from various perspectives such as aesthetics, technical skill and historical context. They write reviews about artwork for newspapers, magazines or online publications. A BA in Art History provides a deeper understanding of the history behind different pieces and artists which would be beneficial when writing reviews.
Teacher
With a degree in Art History, you can teach at all levels from elementary school up to university level courses. In addition to teaching students about artistic movements and styles, you would also need to be able to identify pieces of art which could be used as teaching examples.
Researcher/Writer
Aspiring researchers or writers can use their knowledge of art history to write books or articles on topics related to the field. There are many publications which specialize in this area so it should not be difficult to find outlets for your work.
A BA in Art History is an excellent degree choice if you are looking for a career that combines aesthetics with cultural values and interpretation skills. There are numerous career opportunities available within this field such as museum curation, writing reviews, teaching and research/writing.