Through the creation and interpretation of visual media, the Art, Art History, and Film Department prepares students to engage critically with our image-saturated world. We emphasize individual mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and hands-on learning in varied environments, from studios to museums. Graduates apply their skills of observation, creativity, and intercultural understanding to professions in the arts and beyond, from architecture, museums, and filmmaking to law and medicine.
Our Programs
Art History
Art history encompasses the study of images, objects, and built spaces from a broad range of historical periods and geographical regions, providing a doorway into the many rich and diverse cultures throughout the world.
Film Studies
The Film Studies program has arisen out of a need and desire to assist students in developing critical and technical skills in the area of film. Video, photography, and television also play a supportive role in the development of these skills.
Studio Art
In our increasingly image-laden society, visual intelligence is a paramount skill. The Studio Art program provides students with opportunities for creative exploration in painting, drawing, photography, video, ceramics, and digital media.
Alumni Voices
Meet some of our recent graduates and learn about how majoring in art history, film studies, or studio art enhanced their undergraduate experiences and influenced their career paths.
Elisabeth Lobkowicz Elisabeth A. Lobkowicz
Elisabeth Lobkowicz
Class of 2010
The Art History Faculty was incredibly supportive to me while at BC, and this support continued long after graduating and into my professional career.
Hometown: Natick, Mass.
Current occupation: Specialist in the Old Master Paintings Department at Sotheby's Auction House
Favorite BC professor or class? Northern Renaissance Art with Professor Kenneth Craig. He was the first to introduce me to a genre of art that is now my professional specialty. He will always have a special place in my heart.
Why did you choose BC's Art, Art History and Film program? After completing requirements for an Economics Degree, I found that Art History was a true passion of mine. The combination of the two degrees provided a wonderful academic balance and provided a strong foundation for a career in the Auction Industry.
Nicole Maloof Nicole Maloof
Nicole Maloof
Class of 2019
I chose BC's Art program due to its intimate nature and fantastic faculty. Because it is a small program, I was able to get one-on-one attention from contemporary artists living and working in Boston.
Hometown: East Greenwich, R.I.
Current occupation: I work at an art gallery in downtown, Washington, DC, called HEMPHILL Artworks.
Favorite BC class or professor? My favorite class is a tie between our Senior Year Thesis with Sheila Gallagher and a Ceramics Independent Study I completed with Mark Cooper. In both instances I was able to fully explore who I wanted to be and what I wanted to make as an artist.
What experiences related to your major did you pursue as an undergraduate? As a sophomore, I studied abroad during the summer in Rome, Italy. Here, I took a Renaissance and Baroque Art History course. We visited churches and museums in the city each day and saw incredible work. This was essential in developing my knowledge of art history so that I could contextualize my own contemporary art practice. It was also a fantastic way to study abroad without taking an entire semester away from campus.
Angelos Bougas Angelos Bougas
Angelos Bougas
Class of 2021
What I enjoyed most about BC's Art, Art History, and Film program was the exceptional faculty, particularly the mentorship from Professor John Michalczyk, the head of the film department. His guidance went beyond academic instruction; it was a form of mentorship that made Boston feel like a second home, especially when my family was far away in Greece.
Hometown: Athens, Greece
Current occupation: Co-founder, Ocley Group, real estate firm in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Favorite course at BC? My favorite course at Boston College was 'Propaganda Film' taught by Professor John Michalczyk. This class was not only incredibly engaging but also deeply insightful in understanding the intersection of film, history, and sociopolitical narratives. We explored iconic films and unraveled their underlying messages.
What experiences related to your major did you pursue as an undergraduate? As an undergraduate student at Boston College, I was granted the unique opportunity to travel to countries such as Lithuania, Poland, France, Germany, and Greece for documentary productions, thanks to scholarships like the LaMattina and Salamanowitz. These documentary productions were not just academic exercises; they were profound learning experiences that shaped my understanding of global issues and my approach to tackling real-world problems
Annie Maloney Annie Maloney
Annie Maloney
Class of 2014
I felt so supported by the faculty of the Art History department throughout my time at BC. Now that I am working as a professor, I really appreciate how much time each of my professors spent with me in office hours to make sure I thrived in the department.
Hometown: Spokane, Wash.
Current occupation: Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History, Oberlin College
Favorite class or professor? My favorite class was "Loot!" taught by Stephanie Leone and Nancy Netzer in 2013. Being able to research objects in the McMullen Museum collection and envision how they would be displayed in the new museum space was a such a formative experience for me.
What experiences related to your major did you pursue as an undergraduate? While I was an undergraduate, I worked as a Student Ambassador at the MFA Boston, served as an summer exhibition intern for the "Courbet: Mapping Realism" Exhibition, and received an Advanced Study Grant to travel to Rome to research frescoes in the Church of the Gesù for my senior seminar paper. These experiences made me realize that I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. in Art History.
Emily Neumeier Emily Neumeier
Emily Neumeier
Class of 2008
As an undergraduate student, I was able to study abroad in Egypt at the American University in Cairo, worked at the McMullen Museum, spent one summer interning at the British Museum, and wrote a senior thesis that culminated in curating an exhibition on Islamic calligraphy at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All of these experiences provided invaluable opportunities to develop a wide range of practical skills, from language acquisition to conducting fieldwork, which have served me in good stead after graduation.
Hometown: Tampa, Fla.
Current occupation: Assistant Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture, Department of Art History, Temple University
Favorite BC class or professor? Working with Sheila Blair and Jonathan Bloom introduced me to the field of Islamic art and set me on a path to pursue graduate studies in art history and find a career in teaching. One of my favorite courses was "Houses of the Rich and Famous" co-taught by Stephanie Leone and Jonathan Bloom.
Why did you choose BC's Art, Art History and Film program? BC provided an environment to study Art History in dialogue with other disciplines like History, Classics, and Islamic Studies. Not to mention all of the opportunities for hands-on experience on campus at the McMullen Museum as well as in the wider Boston area!
Department News