Visual Studies

Explore and understand the significance of the visual arts in past and modern global contexts through our Visual Studies program. 

students in a printmaking class

By majoring in Visual Studies, students will study and learn:

  • The histories of artistic production and material culture
  • The lives of images, people, civilizations, artifacts, and built environments
  • How visual practices have shaped values, experience, identity and social action both in the past and present.

Our program provides a diversity of experiences that will encourage you to develop critical thinking skills that promote lifelong, creative discovery. The Visual Studies program will allow you to engage in today’s society both creatively and analytically.

Our courses present a flexible but also rigorous curriculum that incorporates perspectives from a diversity of fields. You will become familiar with the history of visual texts, and contemporary interdisciplinary approaches to the study of representation in its multiple forms.

Courses are designed for majors and non-majors. Our program is an excellent choice for students double-majoring or multiple-minoring in diverse fields.

Minors

Students can either major or minor in Visual Studies. Please see the Minor Requirements on the course catalog for descriptions of courses.

Career Paths

Our graduates are prepared for a wide range of careers in arts organizations, museums and galleries, historic preservation, communication, appraisal, consulting, and creative design.

Office Hours

Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Admissions and Aid

A degree from a top-ranked, private University like Dominican is deliberately affordable and accessible! More than 99 percent of our first-year incoming students receive significant financial aid through merit- and need-based scholarships as well as state and federal aid. Additionally, for most students, there is no application fee, and we don't ask for test scores. Get in touch with a counselor to learn more about your path to an exceptional college experience at Dominican!

Learn More About Admissions and Aid

Faculty and Staff

Leslie Ross headshot

Leslie Ross, PhD

Professor and Chair of Art History and Visual Studies
Steven Polaco headshot

Steven Polacco, MFA

Associate Professor Chair and Director of Graphic Design Program
Lynn Sondag headshot

Lynn Sondag

Professor of Art Honors Program Director
Natalie Babler headshot

Natalie Babler

Administrative Manager
dominican seal

Sharon Spain

Barbara D. Goodman Art Gallery Curator