Gain insight about the nature of artistic expression, the role of criticism in the arts and the place for the arts in society with a minor in Aesthetics. Courses cover topics such as film, creative writing, dance and music. Beyond lectures, you’ll get hands-on learning opportunities in the studio and develop strong critical analysis and thinking skills, preparing you for future endeavors in a wide variety of industries.
Interact with artists at the Davis Gallery or attend feminist art critiques hosted by the Fisher Center for the Study of Gender and Justice.
At Hobart and William Smith, learning goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. You’ll gain high-impact practical experience that deepens learning and opens doors.
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Study cubism in England or architectural design in Italy.
Wherever you go, our top-ranked global education program will allow you to apply classroom knowledge, develop cultural understanding and build global connections that expand your personal capacity and sense of purpose.
Explore artistic expression and its contextuality through a variety of disciplines.
Explore questions such as: What is the nature of artistic creativity? What is the purpose of the arts? Is there a way for us to determine aesthetic value?
Explore the fundamentals of painting with translucent color media and investigate Western and Eastern traditions as well as more experimental approaches.
Examine the evolution of the relationship between history writing and fiction, moments of crossover such as falsified documents and hoaxes and the way contemporary writers wrestle with the murky territory between the two.
“As an Architectural Studies major and someone extremely interested in various art forms, I felt an Aesthetics minor would be a good way to explore art in depth. The Philosophy of Aesthetics class influenced me unexpectedly, changing the way I perceived art. I began pondering the question: What really is art? Prof. Oberbrunner was incredibly helpful in aiding my thought process and expressing different perspectives in class."
