Wednesday 30 January 2013

What jobs can I get if I have an Art History degree?

By Max Craney


Like all liberal arts degrees, a degree in art history indicates a comprehensive education with an emphasis on critical thinking, analysis, and communications abilities.

For those having a bachelor's degree, jobs in exhibition installation for galleries, museums, universities and private organizations are available.

While these aren't generally high paying or high prestige jobs, they can offer useful contacts and practical knowledge which can later be useful in acquiring a improved position.

Other potential employment possibilities for those with a BA in Art History involve working retail in a museum or gallery store, as well as overseeing the selection, manufacture and marketing of reproductions of works of art for a wholesale or retail business.

Even though these jobs may well be at the assistant or entry level, they do provide valuable networking possibilities and experience which can be important to future professional advancement.

Art history graduates who have a way with words will find that freelance writers who can analyze and effectively communicate on the topics of art criticism, art history and art-related travel tours are usually needed by a variety of online and offline publications.

There are also numerous art publications, both on line and off, that require authors and editors that have a strong arts background.

But as in many other fields, pursuing an advanced degree or other education will result in many more job possibilities.

Art history graduates with some advanced education in preservation and conservation can find employment as painting conservationists, architectural conservationists or other specialized conservation positions with museums, private collections, art galleries, auction houses, historical societies and heritage sights.

And receiving the specialized education necessary to work as an estate appraiser or art appraiser will also make an art history degree substantially more marketable.

Art history students having a Master's Degree or higher may discover work related to their training as a curatorial consultant, corporate curator, art consultant, art investment adviser, or collection manager for individuals, corporations, museums, and galleries.

They could also decide to work directly with practicing artists as artist representatives.

Education and teaching positions in the art history field are another possibility for those with a graduate level degree.

Teaching jobs in art history might be found not only in schools, but also at galleries, museums, and historic locations.

Other job possibilities for students with a minimum of an MA in Art History are art librarian and visual resources coordinator for education or industrial collections.

Art history graduates with advanced degrees may also find themselves employed as administrators in arts-related institutions, organizing and setting up exhibitions, and conducting fundraising and publicity campaigns.

For all those who prefer the security of the government sector, a variety of governmental agencies such as the NEA, NEH, Archives of American Art, state and local arts councils all have staff and administrative positions that might be suitable for an individual with an art history degree.

And working as an antique dealer is one more choice for college graduates who choose to work for themselves.

So even though an art history degree may not have the obvious marketability of a computer science or nursing certification, there are really numerous possible satisfying and rewarding careers available in this field.




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