Quality

"'Quality' and 'Integrity' have many definitions; in this context WSCUC understands them to mean a rich, coherent, and challenging educational experience, together with assurance that students consistently meet the standards of performance that the institution has set for that educational experience."

- WSCUC 2013 Handbook of Accreditation, pg 29

The study of Art History at Pepperdine prepares students for the global, connected, and dynamic world of the twenty-first century. Our curriculum includes courses on the arts of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and more, spanning prehistoric through present periods. Seminars and upper-division courses deepen students’ research skills and methodological training in their areas of interest. By examining works of art from multiple perspectives, students develop an appreciation for diverse cultures and the vital role that art plays in human expression across time and space.

The Art and Art History programs at Pepperdine University are designed for students who want to combine the concentrated study of the visual arts with a well-rounded and rigorous liberal arts education. Our students study with internationally renowned scholars, artists, gallerists, and curators and benefit from the vibrant Los Angeles arts scene.

Art and Art History Lecture Series


The Art and Art History Lecture Series brings 6-8 lecturers to campus each year who are specialists in various areas of the art world-- scholars, curators, museum professionals, and so on. These lectures are incorporated into our classes, and all lectures are open to the public.

Research opportunities


Students have abundant opportunities for research in class and outside of class. Upper-division classes typically require a research paper, which students may choose to develop in their Methodology or Senior Thesis classes. Outside of the classroom, students regularly work with faculty through faculty-student mentorships or other undergraduate research fellowship opportunities, such as the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) or the Academic Year Undergraduate Research Initiative (AYURI). These opportunities inspire students to develop their areas of interest and expertise, which richly prepares them for their future professions and graduate school.

Study Abroad


Pepperdine’s campuses in Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina, and Washington, D.C., inspire students to become immersed in the arts, languages, and cultures of the world.

Service Learning


As part of their coursework, students work with children from local schools to present interactive lessons that foster an appreciation of art and archaeology. Others serve as Peer Mentors to lead study groups, support classroom activities, and contribute to a campus culture of academic and spiritual growth.

Art History Student Society


The Art History Student Society is a student-run organization that promotes interaction with Los Angeles’ cultural resources. Students visit Southern California museums and galleries, participate in museum college nights, and organize a Career Night with a panel of professionals from a variety of fields in art history.

Career Development


Our alumni work in museums, galleries, auction houses, education, research, conservation, preservation, publishing and more. Art History majors are highly competitive for professional programs in law, business, and arts management. A sampling of internships, graduate schools, and employers:

Internships

  • British Museum, London, U.K.

  • Christie’s Auction House, Beverly Hills, CA

  • Civitella Ranieri Founda<on, Perugia, Italy

  • Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio

  • Crow Collection of Asian Art, TX

  • de Young Fine Arts Museum, San Francisco, CA

  • Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Pepperdine

  • Getty Center, Brentwood, CA

  • Getty Villa, Malibu, CA

  • Getty Multicultural Internships

  • Guggenheim, NY

  • Hackett Mill Gallery, San Francisco, CA

  • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.

  • Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • Houston Museum of Art, TX

  • IGavel Online Auction House

  • Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA

  • McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX

  • Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA

  • Museum of Modern Art, NY

  • National Gallery, Washington D.C.

  • Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, CA

  • Partridge Fine Art Gallery, London, U.K.

  • Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy

  • Rohrer Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA

  • Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, CA

  • Venice Community Arts Center, Venice Beach, CA


Graduate Schools

  • Bosphorous University, Istanbul, Turkey

  • Boston University

  • Christie’s London.

  • Columbia University

  • Cornell University

  • Courtauld Institute of Art, London

  • Georgetown Law School

  • George Washington University

  • Johns Hopkins University

  • London School of Economics

  • New York University

  • Northwestern University

  • Notre Dame

  • Rice University

  • Sotheby’s Institute of Art and Manchester University, London

  • Southern Methodist University

  • Stanford University

  • Syracuse University in Florence, Italy (special program in Florence)

  • Temple University

  • The Ohio State University

  • Tufts University

  • University of Arizona College of Medicine

  • University of California, Los Angeles

  • University of Chicago

  • University of Oregon

  • University of Southern California

  • University of Texas at Austin

  • University of Toronto

  • University of Virginia

Employers

  • America’s Got Talent

  • AnArte Gallery, San Antonio, TX

  • Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio, TX

      • California Art Club, Pasadena, CA

  • David Kordansky Gallery, Culver City, CA

      • Forbes India

  • Hayden Hays Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO

  • Heather James Fine Art, Palm Desert, CA

  • Hirschl and Adler Galleries, New York, NY

  • Interview Magazine

  • Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel

  • J. Paul GeYy Museum, Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA

  • Meredith Laing Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA

  • National Geographic, Washington D.C.

  • Osians Connoisseurs of Art, Mumbai, India

  • Peace Corps Mali, Africa

  • Rohrer Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA

  • Sinai and Sons Gallery, London, U.K.

  • Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore

  • Vogue

  • Christie’s Auction House, New York, NY

  • Weisman Museum, Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA