Academics

Undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at Brown University complete their courses of study with attention to the history and theories of art, architecture, and urban development, examining how objects of material culture are made, viewed, and collected.

As a department with a commitment to interdisciplinary study, faculty and students often collaborate with members of other departments and centers to teach courses and collaborate on symposia that bring together the strengths of different disciplines. We encourage both experimentation and concentration. 

The department grants two undergraduate degrees—History of Art and Architecture and Architecture—as well as a five-year BA/MA program and a Ph.D. program. A list of all the courses offered in the department can be found in the University Bulletin while current courses are listed in the Courses section of our website.

Undergraduate

Our two concentrations allow students to explore visual and material culture or to focus on the practice of architecture. Many concentrators continue with graduate study in History of Art and Architecture, or the M.ARch.

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Graduate

Brown's Ph.D. program in the History of Art and Architecture offers professional training in the history of visual and material culture and the built environment.

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Courses

Courses in the History of Art and Architecture focus broadly on visual and material culture and the built environment. Our courses provide specialized training for students intending to enter graduate school, and a broad liberal education for those with more general interests. Students may choose to focus on any of the chronological periods within the history of art and architecture, and/or on a specific region. Concentrators are strongly encouraged to integrate their studies by writing a senior thesis, participating in seminars, or undertaking a senior capstone project.

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