Hello, everyone! I apologize in advance if this is not the sub for this kind of post, but I really need some help and was hoping some of you might be able to assist me.
TL;DR:
When a major in Art History is not an option, which major would be a better foundation to become an art historian: Anthropology or History?
Context:
I’m a third-year Astrophysics major, and over the course of a little more than a year and through various experiences since having started college, I have come to realize that the career I actually and really want to pursue is Art History. However, there are many factors I think I must take into account before making any decisions or taking any action.
Firstly, I do not want to drop out of Astrophysics and change my major, mainly because I don’t like the idea of having wasted 2+ years of my life. It is for this reason that I am considering getting a double degree (i.e. completing my current studies while majoring in an art-related field). Sadly, in the country where I live, there are no universities or colleges (including the one I currently attend) that offer Art History at the undergraduate level. For this reason, I’m considering majoring in a field related to Art History and subsequently pursuing a graduate degree in Art History (or a sufficiently related subfield).
For this, there are two available majors that I regard as sufficiently adequate to serve as a foundation for a graduate degree in Art History: Anthropology and History.
The problem is I just don’t know which is the better option. While I feel like getting a Bachelor’s in History would provide me with an adequate foundation, I also think it might be a little too broad a major. As far as getting a major in Anthropology is concerned, I’m aware that the approach Anthropology takes on Art differs very much from the one History takes; however, I think majoring in Anthropology can pose an attractive prospect if we consider a career path in Cultural Astronomy or Archaeoastronomy* (which I presume are fields somewhat related to Art History).
*At the university I attend, Anthropology majors can choose between a concentration in Sociocultural Anthropology and Archaeology.
Having said all this, which do you believe to be the better option for my situation: Anthropology or History?
Thanks in advance <3
I commented on your post in r/ArtHistory, but you're going to need to provide more detail here, especially in terms of your career goals and art historical interests.
Art historians employ methodologies from both anthropology and history, often in tandem. If your art historical interests align more with site and fieldwork, anthropology might be a better course of action. If you plan to primarily study historical documents and texts, history would serve you well. If your interests are adjacent to the history of science, which you seem to indicate, that might be a route to look into as well if it's an option.
Art history graduate programs will absolutely consider a candidate with strengths in either anthropology or history, provided you can make a case for how your current academic training would prepare you for studying art and visual culture.
That being said, let me give you the standard disclaimer: career prospects in art history are bad. Academia in general is not a strong job market, but art history and its niche subfields are pretty dismal. Even if you do land a position, the pay is often low and the social value of what you do will get called into question. An art historian's life seems very glamorous on the outside. There are opportunities for travel, museum work, and you get to look at art all day. Those things unquestionably rule, but they also come with a very long list of drawbacks. Just be aware when you make your decisions.