Academic Culture & Values

Supporting an Academic Culture of Excellence and Success in the Curriculum

The Department of Art & Art History offers instruction to all students, regardless of background, in art and architecture through creative studio practice and historical study. Through open inquiry, students learn to use a variety of approaches and perspectives to create art, understand the history of art, and conduct research while developing visual and verbal literacy, critical thinking, aesthetic judgment and a range of practical skills, including writing, public speaking and curating.

Courses in Studio Art teach the essential foundations of creative work in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography. Courses in Art History familiarize students about the creative traditions and practices of people around the world over millennia. Both concentrations offer independent study courses for students who wish to receive one-to-one mentoring from a faculty member, as well as high-level colloquium seminars for seniors to pursue and present advanced research.

We also organize regular field trips to Washington, D.C., at no cost to students, to provide access to collections of masterpieces of art at national museums. Regular exhibitions in the department gallery allow Studio Art students to display their work to the public, while Art History majors in The Curatorial Project course organize an annual exhibition at the Muscarelle Museum of Art.

Supporting the Success of All Students

The Art & Art History student organization, open to all majors and minors in the department, works collaboratively to plan events and organize career workshops. Through exhibitions in the department gallery and courses such as The Curatorial Project, students in Art & Art History engage the community on a regular basis and learn skills that enable them to pursue diverse careers and educational paths. Our students have pursued graduate study in a variety of fields – studio art, art history, architecture, law, business and more – and they have gone on to become practicing artists, architects, curators, museum administrators, lawyers, business people and a host of other professions. Every year, the department offers several merit-based scholarships and awards to recognize student excellence. 

Supporting the Success of Faculty and Staff

The Department of Art & Art History supports the success of faculty and staff by offering annual professional development stipends to defray costs associated with attending professional conferences and workshops, preparing exhibitions and publications, and research travel. If a faculty or staff member requires additional funds beyond the annual stipend, the department chair and associate chair will consider disbursing these after reviewing the budget. The department also works closely with faculty and staff to coordinate scheduling of courses, committees, events, exhibitions and other programs to optimize workflow and ensure equitable distribution of labor.

Consistent with William & Mary procedures, the department carries out an annual merit review of all faculty and staff to acknowledge achievements and assess both strengths and areas for improvement. The department chair regularly shares news about faculty and staff achievements with the department, university and alumni through announcements and our annual newsletter. For example, when a faculty or staff member publishes a new book, exhibits their art or receives an important award, the entire department learns about it and joins in the celebration.