卡尔顿大学

Historians of art and architecture study visual communication. At Carleton, we study the great monuments of Western culture—painting, sculpture and buildings—as well as Asian and Islamic art, North American Indigenous art, photography, printmaking and popular culture. We also examine the institutions of art itself: museums, galleries and exhibitions.

Our material ranges from the prehistoric period to the present day. Our students come away from the program with direct experience of collections of art here in the National Capital Region and a historical framework for understanding imagery, as well as an awareness of the multiple possibilities for interpreting art, architecture and other visual phenomena.

Specifically, we examine how representations work. We analyze the products of the human imagination and the visual expressions of different societies. Such analyses produce a historical awareness as well as an understanding of modes of expression in different cultures. This knowledge provides students with the intellectual tools that allow them to function as informed and thoughtful individuals in and increasingly visual and globalized society.

This program requires a total of 15.0 credits with 7.0 credits in the History and Theory of Architecture. It will appeal to those interested in a liberal arts education with an emphasis on the history of architecture. As with the Honours program, the General BA program is designed to provide students with a breadth of knowledge in the field.

Future opportunities

Historians of architecture can find opportunities in the architectural profession, heritage preservation and policy. Graduates of our program have found exciting work in restoration, conservation or in government departments concerned with cultural matters.

A BA in History and Theory of Architecture, moreover, prepares students with invaluable skills, including: oral and written articulation, the ability to identify, critically assess, and analyze research materials, the ability to creatively problem-solve, the love of learning, critical thinking, technological skills related to visual and verbal communication, the ability to work independently and in groups, as well as an acumen with visual communication and a knowledge of world cultures.