What Do Art History Professors Do?

Art|Art History

What Do Art History Professors Do?

Art history professors are academics who specialize in the study of art, its production, and its place in history, society, and culture. They research and analyze works of art from a variety of eras and cultures to gain insight into the creative process, historical context, and significance of specific pieces.

Art history professors often teach courses at the undergraduate or graduate level that focus on a particular area of art or artist. They lecture on topics such as the development of artistic styles, techniques used by artists in different time periods, and how art has been interpreted through the ages.

In addition to teaching classes, art history professors are responsible for a variety of administrative duties. This includes advising students on course selection and career paths, overseeing research projects and papers related to their field of study, attending conferences related to their discipline, publishing scholarly articles in journals or books on their topic of expertise, and participating in departmental committees. Additionally, they may be asked to give lectures or presentations outside the university setting at museums or other venues.

Art history professors must stay up-to-date with trends and developments in their field through reading current research publications and attending symposiums or lectures related to their area of expertise. They also must maintain professional relationships with peers within their academic community by engaging in scholarly dialogue with colleagues at other universities or attending relevant conferences.

In order to become an art history professor one must typically possess a PhD in Art History or a closely related field such as studio art, anthropology, sociology, architecture or literature. Further credentials may be required depending on the institution where one is seeking employment; some universities may require prior teaching experience as well as knowledge in a foreign language relevant to their field.

Overall the responsibilities of an art history professor include teaching courses related to their area of expertise; conducting research; publishing scholarly articles; advising students; attending conferences; giving lectures; staying current with trends; maintaining professional relationships; and meeting other requirements set forth by the institution where they teach.

Conclusion: Art History Professors are academics who specialize in researching and analyzing works of art from various eras and cultures while also teaching courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level about them. Aspiring Art History Professors must possess a PhD in Art History or a closely related field such as studio art along with any additional credentials required by their prospective institution while also staying up-to-date with trends in their field through reading current research publications and engaging professionally with peers within their academic community.