Within an unusually broad curriculum, art history faculty teach not only the traditional chronological or period courses in world art history, and the history of every medium taught at Western, courses organized by theme or around contemporary issues, courses in theory and criticism of art, and practicum courses. The department emphasizes art and architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries, and includes courses in Western art and American Indian art. For more advanced students, the department offers courses in theory and criticism. With their emphasis on researching, organizing, and evaluating on writings about art, enable students to develop their own critical and theoretical points of view. Western s art history department draws on all the riches of western slope, including museums, libraries, galleries, and artists' studies.
Students view original work and interact with artists from a range of disciplines.
These trips offer a structured art historical experience in a foreign culture, with sufficient freedom for students to explore, photograph, and sketch on their own. As teachers and advisers, these faculty are available to meet with students, discuss projects, concerns, or ideas, and respond to students' studio work. Such integration of theory and practice embodies Western s distinctive philosophy.