Academic Resources

Explore our art history academic resources, designed to support your academic aspirations.
Curriculum Guide

Art History Major/Minor

CLAS Advising Center

What Can I Do With This Major?

Career Resources

Unlock career potential in Art History! Discover resources to maximize your professional trajectory.

Career Assessment - PathwayU

Jobs via Handshake

Art History Career Information

Career Communities

Potential Internship Areas

Internships provide a way for you to get hands-on, supervised experience in the world of work. You are able to apply the concepts you are learning in the classroom to a work environment.

• Ada History Center
• Artists Creating Together
• Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
• Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
• Grand Rapids Public Museum
• Grand Rapids Arts Museum
• Grand Rapids Children's Museum
• Grand Rapids City Archives 
• Lakeshore Museum, Muskegon
• Lowell Area Historical Museum 
• Zeeland Historical Society

 General Information on Internships

Join A Student Organization

Get involved with a student organization related to your major. Student orgs are a great way to get connected and explore career options!

• The Lanthorn
• Fish Ladder
• Archaeological Society
• History Club

Student Organizations

Relevant Courses and Certificates for Building Skills

Developing the relevant skills that employers seek is an essential component of a student's education. GVSU students should consider strategic elective courses and certificates to pair with their major in order to gain additional skills.

• Workplace Technology and Communication Undergraduate Badge
• Intercultural Competence Undergraduate Badge

Electives to Consider

Community Service Opportunities

Seek volunteer opportunities related to the field you're exploring as a way of testing out future careers.

The Civic Engagement Center keeps a list of current volunteer opportunities updated on their website. There are ongoing opportunities on a continuous basis, as well as on-campus and off-campus opportunities posted as they become available.
 

Civic Engagement Center

Art History Abroad Options

Through study abroad you’ll also set yourself apart from other job-seekers and graduate-school applicants in an increasingly competitive market.

Imagine having access to pure paint pigments found in the local marketplace in Morocco or India. Imagine spending time analyzing the architecture in Europe, inspiring your own meticulous and ornate compositions. Imagine meeting artists from all over the world attending the same international institution as you. Studying abroad can give art students an opportunity to replenish or forward creative inspirations and techniques. 

Whether you want to focus your art on architecture, experimental, landscapes or still-life, studying abroad can instill a sense of independence and self-awareness that is critical to any budding artist. Keep on the lookout for artistic connections, you never know who might let you do an artist residency later on in life.

Art History Study Abroad

Explore Internships Abroad

Undergraduate Scholar Engagement

Pursuing academic, creative, and research experiences and projects outside the classroom is an excellent way to learn new skills and build a body of work in your field.

The Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (CUSE) provides opportunities for undergraduate research and scholarship.

Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (CUSE)

Where Alumni Have Landed

• Activity Coordinator/Education Assistant - Cranbrook Educational Community
• Education Assistant - Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park 
• Director of Marketing - Driven Nutrition of America
• Library Assistant - Capital Area District Libraries
• Curatorial Intern - Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
• Inventory Control Associate - Park West Gallery 
• Education Associate - Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit 

You've conquered the world of undergraduate art history, congratulations! Now you're hungry for more, ready to refine your skills and delve deeper into the creative realm. Check out graduate school options for art history majors.

• Master's in Art History: A Master of Art History degree delves into the profound study of visual culture, examining artworks from ancient to contemporary times through critical lenses of aesthetics, socio-political context, and artistic techniques. Students analyze art's evolution, interpret its significance, and develop expertise in museum studies or academia, shaping their careers as curators, educators, or researchers.
• Master's in Art Conservation: This degree focuses on preserving cultural heritage through scientific analysis and meticulous restoration techniques. Students learn to conserve artworks, artifacts, and monuments, combining art history with chemistry and conservation ethics. Graduates safeguard global heritage, working in museums, galleries, and conservation labs worldwide.
• Master's in Library and Informational Services: This degree equips professionals with advanced skills in managing and organizing information. Students study cataloging, digital archiving, and information retrieval systems, preparing them for roles as librarians, information specialists, and research managers in diverse settings such as libraries, universities, and corporate information centers.