Starting in the fall, VSU students will have another option in their palate – a newly approved minor in art history.

The new minor was given the green light during the Faculty Senate’s Academic Committee February meeting.

The minor was proposed by Dr. Glenda Swan in the Department of Art and Design.

“Offering a minor in art history shows how VSU recognizes and supports the importance of this area of study for all its students,” said Dr. Glenda Swan.

The minor in art history will be mostly designed for students whose interest is focused on historical art. Areas of studies in the minor will possibly include culture, periods, or thematic studies.

With courses such as Visual Arts and Art History Survey I and II, having art history as a minor makes an effective pairing and complements these courses by providing a more in-depth history of art and more topics to learn from.

On Feb. 24, students received an email to inform them of the new minor. The news received many positive reactions from students and faculty, most coming from the Department of Art and Design.

Laura Hamilton, a junior art major, was quite elated after hearing the news about the new minor.

“A lot of students have been talking about art history for a while,” said Hamilton. “Seeing it actually happen is the best news I have gotten all semester. Although I do kind of wish it were more of a major, I am still happy with it as a minor.”

To participate in this minor, students will need to take Art History Survey I and II and any four art history courses of their choosing. Students can expect to learn how useful art history is on its own and how useful it can be in their own field of study.

The minor is expected to be effective during fall semester of 2023 for the undergraduate program and will continue for years ahead.

Written by Jasmine Hightower, Staff Reporter. Photo Courtesy of  VSU Archives and Special Collections.