Careers & Graduate School

Are you thinking about a career in art history? Art history students pursue careers in a wide range of professions, both inside the art world and beyond it. Here are some steps you can take to explore and prepare for your career:

  • Discuss your career aspirations with your major advisor.
  • Use the excellent resources and services provided by the 香蕉秀 Career Center. Salome Miclette (salome.miclette@bc.edu) is the career coach for the arts.
  • Check the Career Center鈥檚 First Destinations Interactive Dashboard for information on where 香蕉秀 art history majors are working, studying, and interning.
  • Join to network with 香蕉秀 alums currently in a profession that interests you.
  • Search and apply for internships that provide opportunities to explore careers and gain experience by
    • Considering an application to the McMullen Museum of Art鈥檚 Student Ambassadors program;
    • Reviewing the Opportunities for Students on the Art History webpage;
    • Searching the 香蕉秀 Career Center鈥檚 Jobs and Internships page;
    • Following the .
  • Speak to your art history professors about undergraduate research fellowships and pursue other research opportunities.
  • Review these informative resources:
    • :聽Created by an 鈥渋nsider鈥� (Notre Dame Art History Professor Emeritus Charles M. Rosenberg), this very useful page lists types of jobs along with the skills and background required for each, as well as links to relevant job listings.
    • (Portland State University): A list of job titles reported by art history graduates, a summary of transferable skills possessed by art history majors, and 鈥渧ocational biographies鈥� (career stories from real people, many of whom have art history backgrounds).
    • :聽From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do I need to go to graduate school in art history?

Although you can find entry-level jobs in the art world with a B.A. degree, to advance in many institutions and organizations, you will need to pursue graduate study, either for a master鈥檚 degree or doctorate depending upon your career path. For instance, many positions in museums, historic houses, arts organizations and auction houses require an M.A. in art history, museum studies, historic preservation, arts administration, or art business. Students interested in art law will need to obtain a J.D. at a law school that teaches this specialization. If you wish to hold a research position, such as professor or museum curator, you will need a Ph.D.

To prepare for Graduate School

  • Meet with your major advisor.

  • Use the College Art Association鈥檚 to research programs.

  • Consider what type of graduate program matches your career goals.

  • Study the languages you will need: M.A. programs normally require one foreign language; Ph.D. programs require two or more. Specific requirements vary by program.

  • If you are interested in doctoral programs, determine in which art historical field you wish to specialize, which graduate programs are strong in that field, and with which scholars you wish to study. One way to do this is to familiarize yourself with the work of the various scholars in your field of interest.

  • Speak with current students in and alumni of the programs in which you have interest.

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