The Art History major and minor can be completed entirely online.

Just like the in-person program, students explore how humans have expressed ideas, experiences, and beliefs through visual and material culture: archaeological remains, painting, sculpture, architecture, graphics, decorative arts, film, and more. The connection between art, cultural traditions, social practice, politics, religion and economic climates is an essential part of our coursework.

Courses are taught by full-time faculty members, primarily tenured, who are experts in their content areas and have attained international reputations for research and publication in their respective fields.

Practical experience matters to build a resume for that next step after college, whether that’s graduate school or a first job. Two particular online experiences help with that:

• ARTHIST 501 (Colloquium in Method and Theory), a vital, required “capstone” course, allows distance learners to engage in a cohort-based learning environment and demonstrates for potential employers or graduate programs the ability to research and write creatively and independently.
• ARTHIST 691 (Internship) provides online majors with an authentic, real-world experience working with museum professionals in UWM’s Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery and over 8000 objects held in the UWM Art Collection.

Our online Art History degree is one of only a few in the nation. We regularly offer more than 25 courses online covering the full breadth of global art history and archaeology, from ancient to contemporary times, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Is online education right for me?

Distance learners may be adults juggling full-time work and family responsibilities or traditional-aged students who find online courses the best solution to meet their educational needs.

The online format requires a high level of self-motivation and better than average time management skills. Online courses operate on the same semester-based schedule as in-person classes (the program is not self-paced). Fall classes start the first week of September with finals in mid-December, and spring classes start the third week of January with finals in mid-May.

How does it work?

Online students take the same courses as traditional on-campus UWM students and are taught by the same faculty. The courses are just delivered in a different format. To begin the application process, see apply.wisconsin.edu . Select the online version of the major you are interested in. If you are unable to locate the online major in the drop down list, contact undergraduateadmissions@uwm.edu.

Once admitted, students will work with an assigned advisor in the College of Letters & Science via phone or video. Students will also have a faculty advisor to assist with the major-specific requirements.

How much does it cost?

Effective Fall 2024, students earning a degree from the College of Letters & Science in a fully online program may be eligible for special pricing. Students who opt to enroll in the fully online version of the major will pay $395 per credit hour. Whether the per-credit rate is the best option for a student depends on a number of factors including state of residency and whether enrolled full- or part-time. Double majors may or may not be eligible for the special pricing depending on whether the fully online major is their primary program.  See more pricing details.

To receive the online pricing of $395 per credit, students must be fully online. In-person classes cannot be taken including Sports & Rec courses.

When do classes meet?

Most of our online courses do not have a set meeting period. These asynchronous classes have weekly assignments, but a student can log in at any time during the week to complete the necessary tasks, whether that is watching a video lecture, completing a quiz, turning in an assignment, etc.

Some online classes do have a set meeting period, and students enrolled in those classes must log in and attend class at those set times. These are called synchronous classes.

Is there anything else that I should know?

All of the coursework required for the Art History major or minor can be completed online. However, there are some additional college degree requirements — courses outside of the major — that may not be available online such as a specific world language you wish to take to satisfy the language requirement. We offer some, but not all, languages in an online format.

If this applies to you, your assigned Letters & Science advisor can help you explore options to meet the requirements. Some common solutions include coming to campus just for those classes, completing the required coursework at a university close to home, or finding another online institution that offers a comparable course. If coursework is completed elsewhere, your advisor will confirm that credit will transfer back to UWM.

Questions regarding the application process as a new freshman or as a transfer student can be directed to the Letters & Science admissions counselor at (414) 229-7711 or let-sci@uwm.edu.

Questions about the online program can be directed to Michael Aschenbrenner.