Bachelor In Art History (English)

Introduction.

The Art History degree at IE University is designed for art lovers who are interested in exploring art's different forms and expressions across cultures and throughout history. We are geared to young minds who wish to develop an international vision and a critical spirit in the interpretation of art and its professional setting.

We are looking for young people wishing to fill positions of responsibility as curators of museums, exhibitions, art galleries, auction houses, and of annual fairs around the world.

Our BA in Art History is rooted in student participation, flexible and career oriented. It is for this reason that we place special emphasis on contemporary art which encompasses 60% of the job offers for art history graduates. We offer classes on management of artistic and cultural institutions and a rigorous study of professional ethics. We also provide students the opportunity to choose several classes from other fields of study in which the student may be interested.

IE University's School of Arts and Humanities also offers a number of extracurricular activities on campus run by leaders in the field of arts and humanities allowing our students to engage in an elevated and unique discourse. The objective of these activities is to allow our students to become acquainted with the forms and content of the art world beyond the classroom.

Our BA in Art History is located on a campus of historical and artistic importance, the 13th century Convento de Santa Cruz La Real in Segovia. Segovia is a city which has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. It lends itself to a community environment and an exchange of ideas. Segovia is located 20 minutes from Madrid by high speed train.

Madrid is an axis of a vibrant cultural life and often plays host to international art fairs as ARCO. Madrid is also the home of world famous museums such as the Prado and the Thyssen Bornemisza. Spain's capital is an average of two hours by plane from the principal museums of Europe such as the Louvre, the d'Orsay Museum of Paris, the National Gallery of London, Saint Petersburg's Hermitage, the Albertine Museum or the Leopold Museum of Vienna, the Uffizi Gallery of Florence and the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum of Lisbon, among others.

The BA in Art History is characterized by:
A solid academic and professional base provided by a faculty of international prestige
A faculty that is composed of academics who have been shaped by the world's best universities, and of international and national professionals of the art world (artists, museum and exhibition curators and critics) whose perspective is based in both theory and practical experience.

An International Vision
A belief in the importance of offering our students an international perspective through the study art of different world cultures in the international environment of IE University.

An Interdisciplinary and Personalized Curriculum
Our curriculum encourages the free flowing exchange of ideas between the fine arts, literature, music, photography, film or media. The flexibility of the curriculum allows students to choose classes from other disciplines such as Communication, Architecture, Psychology, Biology, Law or Business Management.

A Participative Methodology
An interactive exchange between students and professors. Our professors are well versed in the teaching of participation, group projects, workshops, seminars, professional writing and oral presentation. This, along with a personalized attention to each student by a network of tutors with the objective of developing the initiative and the critical capacity in the development of proposals of research and in future professional exercises will give our students a unique experience and advantage.

Emphasis on Contemporary Art
The third year of study will focus on a detailed analysis of contemporary art whose forms are often predicated on the image culture which characterizes our current environment (such as the internet, audiovisual media, videos, etc.) which are essential to the understanding our present world and art markets.

An Integration of Academia and Work Experience
Starting the first year, we offer the opportunity to do internships, with the collaboration of prestigious public and private organizations. This opportunity will give a competitive advantage to our students when they look for future employment.

Two Specializations Directed Towards Professional Opportunities
The practical focus of our BA in Art History offers two optimal specializations which encompass 60% of the labor market for art history graduates:
Museum and Exhibition Curators
Art Markets (Galleries, Art fairs, Auction Houses, etc.)

Business Management and Ethics
The distinguished faculty of IE Business School contributes the highest quality in the teaching of management of artistic /cultural institutions, such as in professional ethical values. These concepts are present in all of our programs.

IE Career Center
IE University relies on an experienced career center which supports our students in their search for employment.


Structure

First year

First semester Credits

-Survey of Western Art I. Prehistoric to Medieval Art
-Life and Art in Classical Antiquity
-History of Western Music I
-Art of India and Eastern Asia
-Latin American Art
-Ethics
-History of Ideas

Second semester Credits

-Survey of Western Art II. From the Renaissance to the 20th Century
-Gothic Art: The Cathedral
-The Visual Experience: Interpreting Images
-History of Western Music II
-Interpersonal Skills
-Management

Second year

First semester Credits

-Film Studies
-Renaissance Art
-Methods in Art History
-Introduction to Aesthetics
-Art Materials and Techniques

Second semester Credits

-Histories of Photography
-Art and Society in the European Enlightenment
-Museum Studies
-African Arts
-Islamic Art
-Research Methodology Workshop

Third year

First semester Credits

-Modern Art I. The Avant-Garde
-20th Century Spanish Artists
-Theory and Criticism in Contemporary Art
-Contemporary Literature I
-Writing About ArtDeontology

Second semester Credits

-Modern Art II. After 1945
-New York vs. Paris- Shifts of Power in Avant-Garde Centers
-Culture, Globalization, and Mass Media
-Introduction to Visual Culture
-Contemporary Literature II
-Organizational Skills

Fourth year

First semester Credits
Students choose between tracks


Elective Track 1. Museum and Curatorial Practice

-Planning, Design, and Installation of Exhibitions
-Studies in the Practices of Exhibitions
-Collection, Care, and Management
-Educational Programming and Communication Strategies in Museums

Elective Track 2. Art Markets

-Art-Business Management and Transactions in the Art Market
-From Collecting to Art Markets
-Art Fairs, Biennials, and Emerging Art Markets

Second semester Credits

-Final Degree Project