Art History - where can you go from here?

[ShuggaStiletto]

I feel like I've been posting way too much on this thread, but anyways, here goes...

I feel so torn. I haven't even begun my freshman year (2.5 weeks until I move in!), but I feel like I need to be more directed when I go to speak with my advisor. I took an art history course this past year at school and really liked it. Liked it, not love. The research sorta got to me, and sometimes I had trouble with the material. Then again, it was an independent study and my teacher basically just threw Oxford and Jansen at me the first day to use as I wrote papers, without any background/context.

Lately I've been thinking more and more about teaching. Elementary &/or special ed. I feel like this would contribute a lot more to society, and may be a more practical/stable career option. I know I'm going to take Survey of Art History this semester, so I can test out the waters, but my question is this: for those of you who are/were AH majors, would you recommend it? Or do you think, from your experience, that it would be wiser to go into a more practical field like education?

I just feel like if I decide to do education that I'd be limiting myself so much. I'd be a teacher for the rest of my life- which I'm not sure I want to be either. I think I'd like it, but I also think I need something more ambitious/career-oriented. If I did art history who knows what could happen? Through internships, networking...I could work in a museum, gallery, auction house, magazine, publishing, PR, etc. A good general degree...but if I wouldn't be making a lot of money...then how could I afford to live in NY, etc. where these industries are? I guess I also feel like choosing between education and art history is choosing between different future lifestyles as well...stressful.

 

[ggkalil]

Maybe the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies? Check it out: http://www.scps.nyu.edu/ There are some undergrad./grad. degrees that you can get there, but, as far as I can tell, also courses you can take that aren't for a degree. Hope this helps If you wanted to do graduate work in art history I would look at the NYU graduate school or Columbia. But if you just wanted to take a class here or there the NYU Continuing Studies sound like it would be perfect!

Merci beaucoup ShuggaStiletto for the NYU tip. I saw some amazing courses there and I can't wait to start one of them! Really helpful.

 

[masquerade]

i forgot about this thread

I'm really torn. I know that I'm most likely going to major in art history, but then I open up a fashion magazine and really think that I'd like to be in the publishing/editorial world. I suppose fashion doesn't really require a specific degree, so it would all be dependent upon various internships I got, and connections/networking.

I guess I just don't know if musuems would be too hum-drum for me. Does anyone have experience working in museums vs. galleries/auction houses and any advice/tips for interning or the industry? (vs. the fashion industry)

I have been volunteering/interning at a non-profit gallery and a commercial gallery this summer and I LOOOVVVEEE working at the non-profit. Everyone has a great attitude and the work we do really matters. A lot of the stuff I do at the commercial gallery is menial and boring, but at the non-profit the director really works with the volunteers and we play an active role. The more and more I think about it, the more I want to work in that sector somehow. There are also tons of gradschool programs for public arts administrations (one of the girls at LACE, where I work, is going to USC for it) and that also seems very interesting.

IDK, I used to want to curate and work in a museum, but now I am drawn this direction. Idk if my comment is any help

as for education. One of my best friends who was an art history major is going to grad school for education. She has always wanted to be a teacher, and because we don't have a pre-education major at my school, she did art history and now is going to grad school for education anyway . If you really like art and education, maybe you can double major or even look into museum education/art education post-graduate programs.

Either way, if you are just a freshman, you shouldn't really worry so much about this. I didn't declare my major until my sophomore year. I am about to enter my senior year and I still don't really know what I want to do yet.

 

[bluebutter]

I am so glad for this thread! I'm an Art History major myself and I only have a semester left before I get my degree...and let me tell you, it has not been any easier for me to decide what to do with my degree than it was when I first started my university career. Nevertheless, I am quite happy with having Art History as my major. It teaches you to look at details while also reminding you to examine the broader picture. Sometimes, i find myself discouraged trying to figure out what I'll do afterwards, but in the end I'm happy with my choice and thats what matters, right?

 

[xjessiex]

I just feel like if I decide to do education that I'd be limiting myself so much. I'd be a teacher for the rest of my life- which I'm not sure I want to be either. I think I'd like it, but I also think I need something more ambitious/career-oriented. If I did art history who knows what could happen? Through internships, networking...I could work in a museum, gallery, auction house, magazine, publishing, PR, etc. A good general degree...but if I wouldn't be making a lot of money...then how could I afford to live in NY, etc. where these industries are? I guess I also feel like choosing between education and art history is choosing between different future lifestyles as well...stressful.

Your first sentence was my reason not to become a teacher, even though I'm educated as one. So after that I became an art history student. Because my art school also offered an education degree and I got intensive art history courses there, I only had to go to University for 2 years, instead of 4. I'll be graduating at the end of this year. I'm really happy I decided to do both.

And about making money... I don't think you'll make a lot of money as a teacher either. I know you're trying to be realistic, but sometimes you need to follow your dreams, and see how far you can make it. It would be a shame if you had regrets later on in life.

 

[cygnenoir]

I agree - one can go from art history to education (or nearly any field), but not as easily the other way.

Shugga, you have plenty of time. Take an art history survey that sounds fun to you (trust me, even as an AH major, you won't love them all) and take a entry level teaching class. Try classes out and see what you think. You never know, you may end up a Physics major!

One of my friends is studying to be an elementary school teacher. She says that there is little respect for the field, the money is crap and the kids are sometimes scary. But it is a very important job and we need good teachers in the world. You'll know if you have the calling.

Back to the fashion side, anyone know anyone who has studied Costume Studies at Courtauld Institute of Art in London? I'm thinking about the graduate programs there.

 

[masquerade]

yeah, my mom is an elementary school teacher and its hard work. she loves it and thinks its rewarding, but there are a lot crap.

 

[ShuggaStiletto]

I swear this place is like therapy! Thanks for the responses, I greatly appreciate them, they made me realize that 1) I'm freaking out over nothing, I need to take some college-level courses to determine if this is actually what I want to do, and 2) I shouldn't worry so much about being practical and just go with whatever I find myself interested in after I have a few semesters under my belt (or should I say survived a few semesters!).

I found this article from Princeton that was also really reassuring, I particularly like when the woman says something along the lines of "Don't worry, the jobs will come later." Link: http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/mc/v1/06.htm

 

[masquerade]

^thanks for the link. The older I get, the more true it seems (how silly of me to talk like that I don't even have my bachelors yet). When I was graduating high school I felt like the only person who didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Now that I am soon going to be graduating college, I feel like one of the few people who has any semblance of what I want to do with my life and its still very vague. College changes a lot

either way, coming back to this thread influenced me to start updating my resume, which I haven't done since starting my two internships this summer.

 

[bluebutter]

I swear this place is like therapy! Thanks for the responses, I greatly appreciate them, they made me realize that 1) I'm freaking out over nothing, I need to take some college-level courses to determine if this is actually what I want to do, and 2) I shouldn't worry so much about being practical and just go with whatever I find myself interested in after I have a few semesters under my belt (or should I say survived a few semesters!).

I found this article from Princeton that was also really reassuring, I particularly like when the woman says something along the lines of "Don't worry, the jobs will come later." Link: http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/mc/v1/06.htm

Thanks a bunch for sharing that article!

 

[emma peel]

i got a phd in art history and have taught at the college level at various colleges and universities, and now work as a contemporary art curator-- lots of options for art history!

 

[miu_miu]

Back to the fashion side, anyone know anyone who has studied Costume Studies at Courtauld Institute of Art in London? I'm thinking about the graduate programs there.

Courtauld Institute is one of the best places to do your graduate programme, and Costume Studies course is highly respected and many notable figures studied there and Aileen Ribeiro has done a lot of important studies. However I'm not really familiar with any similar courses offered at other universities so I can't really provide a comparison

 

[Cicciolina]

Just wanted to bump this up

Is Art History something that it's better to do a graduate degree in, in addition to a Bachelors, or at least Honours?

And does anyone know of any graduate programs or traineeships? The only one I've found so far is with Christie's, but their next intake is only for 2011.

 

[miu_miu]

I think doing your masters is maybe most useful professionally, so that you have a specialty. Having a bachelors is a good way to have a more wide ranging knowledge (which you should have) but probably not as important, so long as your degree is something useful and respected. If you don't want to do your bachelors in art history but do want to work in the industry, the best thing you can do is get experience - that's what I've always been told is the most important thing, even more than qualifications. I'm not sure about graduate programmes but it's super easy to get internships at auction houses, just call up their HR department and ask! I think there will be a lot of internships available generally, because they don't have to be paid

 

[Cicciolina]

I'm pretty close to getting my bachelors so far

I'm just starting to worry about opportunities to work. I've done a lot of internships and such in the fashion industry, but I'm starting to get disillusioned by it and it occurred to me that I could use my major in Art History to some extent, perhaps.

So I'm not sure also, if I apply to do work experience at Art History related places (museums, galleries, etc) would they be put off by extensive internships in the fashion industry (mostly magazines).

 

[BerlinRocks]

^I have experiences in both industries ... and though I cannot speak for everyone, I've never met someone telling me 'so bad you worked in a fashion magazines ..."

they were surprised that's it !

Have you thought of a Fashion and Textiles Museum ?

 

[Cicciolina]

I live in Australia so the only Fashion and Textiles Museum is connected to fashion schools (I'm at a traditional, very theory based uni that's modelled on Oxbridge style unis - no fashion or design here unfortunately!)

I think I'm just worried because my resume and work experience so far has really been geared towards one area (fashion) and if I turn around and try to do something in art history they'll be asking questions about the sudden change - and it's really because I want to expose myself to other industries but will that sort of reasoning be considered acceptable?

 

[HOLLY ASTERA]

I am reading art history right now and I wouldn't mind being a curator someday. question is: how do I get into galleries ect? as an intern? and what exactly is a curators purpose?

 

[BerlinRocks]

HOLLY ASTERA : I think we have curators around here on TFS ... I am from France so the word 'curator' here is a bit ambivalent ...
Anyway, basically a curator takes care of the artworks (to curate has a latin basis) - so he/she works in museum, curator takes care of artworks in the museum collection, organize historic exhibitions, etc. ... But it can also be a freelance curator and in this case, it is mostly about 'displaying' and organizing exhibitions (not taking care of artworks in a museum collection) ...

To work in a galery (where the goal is to sell), yes you can ! write and try to get an internship ... You are in sweden you have good galeries overhere and good museums ! Try to look on museums websites if they don't do something for students etc.

I think I'm just worried because my resume and work experience so far has really been geared towards one area (fashion) and if I turn around and try to do something in art history they'll be asking questions about the sudden change - and it's really because I want to expose myself to other industries

but will that sort of reasoning be considered acceptable?

What do you exactly want to do (contemporary&modern museum, gallery, kunsthallen, private foundation etc.) ? and Where ?
What you could do in your cover letter (if you do one) is not to underline the industry you worked for, but underline the experiences you get into this business (organization, well behaviour, fast and smart reactions, work on your own etc.) ...
Once again, I'm talking for myself but it's true that on a resume a job experience in fashion is always something that surprise people ... But I didn't face the "Why do you want to change ?" ... I faced the "Why did you work in a fashion magazine and why did you stop ?" (it's tougher !) .... What it can shown is that when you have a passion, you go for it ! Don't worry the people are just curious about it ... It doesn't frighten them !

And maybe you should say, too, that you would like to make all the theory you learn in university become reality, you want to face what a job in the art world is really like etc. Because you want to profesionalize your lessons ...

Non ?

If that can help Anna della Russo (spelling ?) the creative-director of Vogue Nippon who used to work for Vogue in Italy is an art historian, specialized in fashion (of course) ...


i really hope all this make sense ...

 

[Cicciolina]

Just wondering, does anyone know of any Art History summer courses held in Paris or France?

(I'd like to do something overseas which I can claim credit for at my university, and I'm doing an Art History major )