College of the Holy Cross

The study of the visual arts provides a powerful lens through which you can better see, evaluate, and understand the world that surrounds you. 

Get more than an education—gain a new perspective
In a diverse community connected by hope, you’ll live, learn, and serve with fellow students and faculty who support and empower one another at the College of the Holy Cross. You’ll solve complex problems, dive deep into what you’re passionate about, and find every opportunity to get involved. Ready to experience life on The Hill? 

Visual Arts 
Encompassing multimedia studio explorations, art historical research, and specialized opportunities in architectural and museum studies, the Department of Visual Arts empowers the broader examination of the liberal arts at the College. You will hone your sensitivity to visual culture and the built environment, refine your skills of visual expression and critical analysis, and engage the surrounding community as points for visual inspiration, reflection, and advocacy.

In the classroom, you will study the rich heritage of global artistic and cultural traditions through specialized lecture and seminar courses. In the studio, you will engage traditional and new methods of art-making, becoming absorbed in the process of creating original work. Outside the College, you will immerse yourself in the architecture, galleries, and museums of Worcester and nearby Boston. The New England region’s rich cultural resources form an integral part of the visual arts curriculum, and will provide you with abundant learning, community engagement, and internship opportunities.

The department—comprised of the divisions of art history and studio art—is composed of a group of highly respected scholars and artists who regularly lecture, publish, exhibit, and curate nationally and internationally. The faculty place great emphasis on student mentoring in the classroom and in the field, facilitating student research projects and exhibitions, and leading excursions to area sites, galleries and museums.

Program highlights
Art history areas of study include:
• Introductory
• Pre-1800
• Cross-cultural
• Modern and contemporary
• Architectural studies
• Museum studies

Studio art areas of study include:
• Drawing
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Digital media and new media