The study of art is increasingly valuable as contemporary society becomes ever more visual in its orientation.
Students majoring in art take a program that emphasizes either the history of art or studio art.
Students emphasizing art history should have meaningful exposure to studio art, and those focusing on studio art need a strong foundation in art history. Art history is different from other historical disciplines in that it is founded on the primacy of objects that are both concretely present and yet artifacts of history. Art history courses concentrate on painting, sculpture, and architecture, all forms defined as fine arts. Because the basic unit of art historical analysis is the visual experience, art historical study strengthens one's powers of observation and the ability to use those observations as a point of departure for critical thought. Courses in art history are designed to utilize local art institutions , including those at the J. Paul Getty Museum , the Norton Simon Museum, the Huntington Library, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art , and the Museum of Contemporary Art .