Career Exploration

For more information on what
you can do with a major in art history
,
visit CLA Career Services or
explore Handshake, the U of M's
exclusive online career database.

Career development is a lifelong process of self-discovery, career exploration, gaining meaningful experiences, intentional reflection, and career decision-making and planning. Utilize CLA Career Services staff and resources to help you navigate your career exploration and post-graduation planning process.

Explore

A major in art history can open paths within museum curation, art preservation, arts programming, collecting, archiving, and more. The field of art history is diverse, encompassing for-profit businesses, publishing, museums, non-profits, academia, and public and private libraries.  By studying the historical and cultural contexts in which art is made, circulated, viewed and interpreted, it provides excellent training for the global cultural economy. For more information on what you can do with a major in art history, visit CLA Career Services or explore Handshake, the U of M's exclusive online career database. The art history staff are dedicated and knowledgeable and assist our majors in choosing the ideal classes for their future plans, help them select related fields in which to declare double majors and minors (from the huge number of possibilities the university has to offer), and aid them in identifying and landing strategic internships in one of the many organizations/institutions with which the department has relationships.

Experience

Students of art history become adept practitioners of the following skills: visual analysis and interpretation, original research and careful argumentation, image-based thinking and communication, and clear and persuasive writing in a variety of modes (e.g., analytical, creative, and journalistic) through our diverse classes. In addition, what you do outside of the classroom can improve your confidence, enhance your skills, and build your resume. Therefore, we encourage you to seek out real-world experience through research opportunities, community engagement, and internships to help you feel confident in your decision upon graduation. Students may also also gain valuable and relevant skills in art history by studying abroad or joining a student organization.

Excel

Prioritize your next steps by building an effective strategy for applying to graduate programs, jobs, and/or service opportunities. You are encouraged to schedule an individual appointment with a CLA Career Counselor by calling 612-624-7577, explore Handshake, the U of M’s exclusive job and internship search database. and attend upcoming employer and career events and workshops to start building a network. You can also connect with us online via Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

CLA Career Services
411 Bruininks Hall 
612-624-7577

Career Counselor, Art History
Contact a CLA Career Counselor for specialized career and graduate planning for art history majors.