Art History and Curatorial Studies
Art history and curation play a crucial role in linking people to the cultural and artistic practices of the past and present.
A Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Curatorial Studies provides a solid foundation in art history. You will study art and art movements from different time periods, and learn how to properly research, write, and present art to the public. You will work with historical and contemporary art and archival materials while preparing for a career in museums, galleries, and other art institutions.
Through our professional placement program, you will gain valuable work experience at various art organizations across Regina. This program will help you build essential skills and connections in the industry.
What is Art History and Curatorial Studies?
Art history studies visual culture from prehistoric times to the present. It analyzes art from around the world and different periods to understand the values, beliefs, and experiences of people in society. In art history courses, students learn to interpret and evaluate various art forms including paintings, sculptures, drawings, or prints.
Curatorial studies explores the history, theories, and practices of curation. It addresses curators’ responsibilities in selecting, organizing, and presenting collections in settings like museums or art galleries. It also focuses on the interactions and relationships with artists and professionals required to plan exhibits.
Some courses offered at the U of R include:
ARTH 204 - Modern Art and the “Shock of the New”
Explore renowned and provocative objects and ideas—from art works and concepts that challenged the official Academy, and revolutionized conventions of representation to non-objective art. Discover fascinating stories, key works, and iconic figures, from the 1880s to the 1960s.
ARTH 211 - Introduction to Museum Studies
Which values, traditions, and ideas regulate the public collecting and display of art? How do museums, galleries, and other institutions shape their visual messages? By investigating theoretical approaches, exploring professional practices, and engaging with hands-on experience, students will be introduced to fundamental notions regulating the museum profession.
ARTH 230 - Art History Across Cultures
How did explorations, art market(s), travels, and diplomatic exchanges influence artistic production, taste, and collecting? This course investigates material and artistic exchanges across cultures and casts light on how encounters among diverse societies and the constant circulation of objects have impacted art and visual culture.
ARTH 301 - Art Theory and Art Criticism
History and practice of critical thought, from the classical notion of beauty to contemporary concerns related to the body, power, race, gender, etc. Students will be introduced to conceptual tools and vocabulary of Marxism, semiotics, psychoanalysis and deconstruction.
ARTH 440 - Curatorial Strategies and Applications
What are the different strategies to curating art today? This course teaches the theoretical and applied concepts needed to design an exhibition. Students develop specific skills for working in a gallery or museum, from researching and handling artworks to laying out an exhibition space, informed by contemporary best practices.
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Why Study Art History and Curatorial Studies at the University of Regina?
Our degree program is unique to Saskatchewan and the Canadian prairies. You can learn about historical and curatorial methods from active practitioners through experiential learning.
Our program offers smaller class sizes, which lets you connect and build relationships with professors and other visual arts students. Students in our program have more opportunities to participate in the classroom, get involved in the department, and have ready access to facilities, support, and resources.Experiential learning
Our Professional Placement program lets students enhance their skills through career-related work experiences at local art organizations while completing their degree. These programs also assist you in networking and building connections within the industry, which is useful when starting your career.Expert professors and instructors
Our faculty members are artists and art historians with provincial, national and international recognition. They are experts who have industry experience curating galleries, publishing research, and presenting at conferences nationwide. They address current and culturally relevant issues in their artistic practice, giving students great opportunities to learn in the classroom.Facilities
Students can curate the Corner Gallery, a dedicated curatorial lab space in the Department of Visual Arts. Students can also access an on-campus gallery, the Fifth Parallel Gallery, where they can propose and curate exhibits. The Fifth Parallel Gallery is a student-run gallery that showcases artwork produced by undergraduate and graduate students at the U of R.
The art history and curatorial studies program requires students to take at least two studio courses. During these courses, students have access to modern visual arts studio equipment and facilities including:
- Complete sculpture and wood working facilities
- Gas, electric and outdoor kilns
- A variety of printing presses
- New media technology studio
The University of Regina has a lot of hands-on art history classes. In one class, we worked together to create a gallery space in an unused studio room. We did everything from naming it and painting the space, to researching and curating multiple exhibitions, to hosting receptions and even having guest speakers. It was an incredible way to learn about what it takes to start a gallery, and how even simple spaces can be transformed by works of art.
Art History and Curatorial Studies Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! There are several scholarships offered to students enrolled in the Department of Visual Arts. These scholarships include:
- Alice Rhea Macredie Scholarship in Visual Arts
- Anthony Kay Scholarship
- Betty L Barootes Scholarship in Visual Arts
- Faculty of Fine Arts Scholarships
- Fine Arts Entrance Scholarships in Visual Arts
- Freda Mesbur Memorial Prize in Visual Arts
- Gene B. Ciuca Memorial Scholarships
- Kiley Carlson Memorial Scholarship
- Kiyomi Annette Shoyama Bursary in Visual Arts
- Martha McConica Entrance Scholarship in Visual Arts
- May Estella Rae Husband Intermedia Award in Visual Arts
- P3A/Dr. Joseph Pettick Memorial Scholarship
- Regina Federation of Artists Scholarship in Visual Arts
- Sadie and Norman Ratner Prize in Visual Arts
- Styles Family Foundation Bursary
Yes! Eligible students can study a semester abroad while learning cultures, languages, and traditions in a different country. With access to over 450 universities across 70 countries, the possibilities are endless!
For more information, visit Study Abroad & Global Mobility.Art history and curatorial studies students may participate in the Visual Arts Student Association, exhibit in the Fifth Parallel Art Gallery, or join clubs and activities that are open to all U of R students!
Our students are also encouraged to attend art openings and community events around Regina. These events provide opportunities to meet other art professionals, our university partners, and to visit various art organizations.What Can You Do With an Art History and Curatorial Studies Degree?
Upon successfully completing your degree, you will be ready for the next step in your career. Graduates from our program may go on to work in art galleries and museums, or they may continue their studies at the graduate level at universities in Canada or around the world. Recent graduates have been accepted into graduate programs at NYU, Queen’s University, and even in a Special Case MA in Art History at the University of Regina.
To explore minors that may be available in this program area, please visit the Academic Calendar or meet with your faculty advisor in the Academic Advising Office after you are admitted.
Some jobs that graduates go onto include:- Gallery Director
- Art Curator
- Art Conservator
- Art Historian
- Archivist
- Art Critic
- Art Librarian
- Art Appraiser or Installer
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