Art History & Visual Studies

Service update in response to COVID-19

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the Art History and Visual Studies Department has shifted from in-person to remote support.

All AHVS faculty, sessional instructors and staff can be reached via email.

We continue to take advice and guidance from governments and health authorities concerning the health and safety of our community and will re-open in-person services as appropriate.

Travel through time, discover your perspective

Immerse yourself in the visual traditions of hundreds of cultures worldwide. Develop skills in communication and perception to better understand the world of art and the images you encounter every day.

Art transcends time and culture. The more you understand the visual, the more you'll unravel history, expand your perspective and inform your future.

Whether you're interested in world cultures, politics, video games, gender, movies or architecture, our captivating courses offer something for everyone.

Try your luck and test your knowledge in the AHVS The Stay-at-Home Art History Quiz!

Find your edge in UVic's Department of Art History & Visual Studies

Territory and acknowledgements

We acknowledge and respect the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples on whose unceded traditional territory the university stands, and whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. We are grateful to be on this land and are committed to UVic’s ongoing work of decolonizing and Indigenizing the campus community—both inside and outside the classroom. We invite you to read more about Indigeneity and Fine Arts.