Bachelor of Arts - Art and Art History

In an ever-increasingly visual world, art and art history cultivate essential critical looking skills that allow students to better navigate and respond to their communities, both local and global. Courses in the department take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of the liberal arts experience, and we encourage students to interweave their personal and academic interests with artistic expression and research across visual cultures. Many classes have no prerequisites and are open to all students, while more advanced courses provide training for those interested in postgraduate study of studio art or art history. Senior projects can provide internships and other opportunities for experiential learning in the context of the arts: commercial art, arts management, museums and galleries, or professional studio practice. In every case, our goal is to enrich students' experience of their visual world and develop the necessary analytical and communication skills to thrive upon graduation.

Kalamazoo College is a premier liberal arts institution and one of the nation’s 100 oldest colleges and universities. Visionary Baptists founded k in 1833 as The Michigan and Huron Institute.

It all started when a young minister named Thomas Merrill arrived in Michigan with $7.00 and a plan to establish a Baptist college on the frontier. In 1833, with the ambitious assistance of Judge Caleb Eldred, Merrill’s dream became real, and the history of Kalamazoo College formally began.

The institution changed its name to Kalamazoo College in 1855 when it earned the ability to grant degrees.

In the years that have followed, the College has gone through many eras of growth and change. Buildings, personalities, and academic programs have come and gone. Through it all, we have maintained a tradition of excellence second to none among liberal arts colleges.