Art History, B.A.

Students are introduced to a wide range of different methodological approaches which are constantly evolving and which reflect the important position of the subject within the humanities. Students also learn about the creative processes of individual artists, the theoretical perception of art and artists, and the function of certain artifacts in the cultural context of an era. In geographical terms, not only Central, Northern and Eastern Europe are incorporated into the curriculum, but also the Mediterranean region and the (North) American continent. The study of transcultural exchange processes between Europe, Asia and the American continent is also becoming increasingly important.

Major subject

In the core subject of art history, a total of 120 credit points must be earned until the bachelor's degree. Of these, 20 credit points are awarded for the bachelor thesis, the oral final exam and the colloquium. It is advisable to complete the introductory module right at the start of your studies. It offers a broad overview of artistic work from the Middle Ages to the present. The introductory proseminars convey important basic knowledge in relation to the topics, methods and scientific work in art history. They are essential for further studies. The events end with a written exam. The basic modules, which can be attended from the first semester, offer students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with central subject areas from the field of visual arts and architecture. It is highly recommended to take a basic module in the visual arts as well as in architecture in order to gain broad-based specialist knowledge, also with regard to later professional practice. The basic modules usually consist of from a seminar and an exercise. The final module performance is usually as homework or as an oral exam on the topic of the seminar. A basic module is dedicated to the art-historical methodology. In order to complete this module, the successful completion of an exam is a prerequisite. The lecture module, which consists of three lectures and a tutorial, as well as a freely designed discourse module offer the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in different areas. Students are also familiarized with the latest approaches in international research and the theses of leading representatives of the field. The accompanying tutorial is intended to support the students in acquiring and processing the content. It also provides information on how to write the portfolio required as a final service. The discourse module represents the attendance of a specialist conference or a scientific workshop and serves to train art-historical specialist and methodological skills as well as an introduction to the scientific community (self and social skills). As part of an exercise in front of originals and several (day) excursions, working with and on objects is to be trained in a clear and practical manner. An internship (see below) and a project seminar increase the professional qualifications of the core subject students and promote contact with art history institutions and other cultural institutions. These preparatory components of the course should not be chosen before the second semester and can be completed over four semesters. In the advanced module, the knowledge acquired should not only be deepened thematically, but also applied at a higher theoretical level to more demanding questions. With the aim of a wide-ranging education, two non-art historical modules are to be taken from a pool and completed successfully. Courses of general or other cultural studies subjects can be attended. The opportunity to learn another language can also be used within the non-historical field of study. The bachelor's thesis comprises around 30–40 pages and is intended to show that within 9 weeks the student can successfully work on a topic under an agreed question using the methods learned. In addition to supervision by a lecturer, the candidate for the Bachelor's degree is given the opportunity to present his / her scientific progress to the fellow students in a colloquium. In addition to the bachelor thesis, an oral examination of 30 minutes must be completed.

Museums, art halls, galleries and auction houses, universities, monument preservation, art trade, insurance industry, banks and art consultants, media (press, TV, publishers), adult education, tourism, possibly restoration.