<p>is anyone on this forum majoring in art history or graduated with a degree in art history did you find work ? where are the best areas to find jobs and is the salary desirable? is it better to go straight off to grad school or look for work? what did u like the most and thel east about studying art history</p>
<p>I'm also wanting to know the answers to these ?'s. I'm wanting to major in art history,not sure what kind of career I want though.</p>
<p>You can take several directions with an Art History degree. </p>
<ol>
<li>Museum work
The top jobs at museums are very well paid. The lower echelons are severely underpaid. </li>
</ol>
<p>Traditionally the people at the top would have had a PhD. Now, however, if you take a look at the directors of the biggest and most prestigious museums, you will see that their credentials are all over the board. Some have MBAs, some have architecture degrees, some fine arts experience. The directorship involves a lot of business skills: fundraising, management, logistics, public relations. </p>
<p>The curatorial staff almost all have PhD’s or at least Masters. This is an intellectually rewarding field, but not one that is known for rewarding remuneration.</p>
<p>I think the most important steps to take if you’re interested in museum work are to 1. Attend a college that has a museum culture so that you can get involved and get exposed. 2. Get a summer internship 3. Make connections. These three points are all interactive; one leads to another.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Other arts related work
The study of Art History involves a lot of looking, evaluating, discussing, analyzing, writing. These skills can be transferred to other fields that have aesthetic cores, like architecture, advertising, design, arts criticism. The same process applies: Choose a college with an arts focus, get an internship in an area of interest, nurture connections.</p></li>
<li><p>Totally unrelated fields
Art History is a discipline that prepares you for just about anything you may want to do – law, medicine, business, you name it. Again, it’s the analytic and articulation skills that are transferable. Graduate and professional schools want good grades, good recommendations and sound experience. What you choose to major in is secondary.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>No matter what direction you choose, Art History also offers a life enhancing body of knowledge. Wherever you go in the world you will find art. Being able to understand, to make connections, to talk about the aesthetic and cultural references will keep your mind challenged for the rest of your life. </p>
<p>I’m an Art History major and so is my son. I work in a somewhat related industry (retail), but my job is not directly artistic. Yet every day I use what I learned – the ability to look, to analyze, to explain abstract concepts in words. My son’s destination is still unknown – maybe museum work, maybe architecture, maybe law. He’s chosen to combine Art History with Art Studio which adds another dimension.</p>
<p>Good luck and let us know how you do.</p>
<p>you are right actually im a first year art history student and i love it i espiecially like reading and studying about the renaissance there are people telling me that i should switch programs because think think that i wont get a job with a degree in art history buti dont want to switch but im thinking about taking a minor in business</p>