Students are encouraged to consider off-campus programs that bring them into contact with important monuments, facilities, and institutions, and give them a broader perspective on the fields of art and art history.

For Art History majors, credit toward the major (up to 12 credits) will be given for approved art history courses taken on such programs. The ACM Florence Program each year is one chosen by many students. This department has also offered a two-term course on Netherlandish art that includes a field trip to Holland and Belgium. (See adjacent photos.) More programs similar to this will be offered in the future.

For Studio majors, there are programs offered by Carleton faculty members, ongoing programs open to students through the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and some additional programs offered by other institutions but approved for Studio majors. The ACM programs include the Florence Program and the Chicago Arts Program. The department itself sponsors an arts program in New Zealand and Australia every other winter.