Building History and Art History: interdisciplinary study with perspective

The Building History and Art History program is the only one of its kind in Germany to offer a comprehensive practice-oriented introduction to the history and theory of architecture, building and the built environment. It prepares students for a wide range of professional fields of activity. The new offering is aimed at all those who wish to combine their interest in architecture with that in art history and who are pursuing a degree in the humanities.

"Architecture and urban planning surround us always and everywhere. Understanding them in their complexity and exploring their historical dimension is an important basis for dealing with them responsibly," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Sylvia Claus, who heads the History of Architecture and Art program at BTU. "In addition, with architecture and urban planning, we are focusing on genres that are only taught marginally in established art history, although they are of the utmost importance for every art historian. For paintings, sculptures, or works of art in the new media are also usually space-related. Their hanging and placement in space are central to their perception."

Students explore the historical development of architecture, art, and urbanism from its beginnings to the present in an open interdisciplinary atmosphere with intensive personal attention. They learn not only to interpret buildings and works of art in their complex cultural, social, and technical settings, but also to link this theoretical knowledge to the practical demands of historic preservation, architectural education, and cultural work. The cultural studies focus is complemented by concrete insights into the challenges of designing, planning and building.

With a wide range of elective courses, the thematic focus on "building" is integrated into the degree program. This is done, for example, by means of interdisciplinary modules with the courses of study architecture, civil engineering as well as urban development and urban planning. Together with their students, the prospective building and art historians familiarize themselves with topics such as materials and building materials science, building chemistry, statics or building research. The study of Building History and Art History at the Cottbus Central Campus of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree after six semesters.

This new course of study opens up exciting career prospects for its future graduates, not least because of the interdisciplinary nature of the courses offered. These include, for example, the preservation of historical monuments, architectural mediation, museums, exhibitions and publishing, cultural, media and public relations work, tourism and adult education, as well as political consulting. The possibility of higher qualification opens up to them in the BTU's international master's program in World Heritage Studies as well as in master's programs in art history.

Further information is available to interested parties at www.b-tu.de/bau-und-kunstgeschichte-ba and at the e-mail address bau-und-kunstgeschichte-ba(at)b-tu.de.