Based on art history, the Department of Art Theory deeply integrates art theory, art criticism, and art management. It emphasizes a systematic understanding and historical grasp of Chinese art, cultivating a conscious awareness of Chinese issues, while also providing in-depth knowledge of foreign art systems, enabling students to examine the Chinese art system within an international perspective. This allows students to focus on fundamental research in art history and theory or its practical application in society. Its establishment aligns with the national cultural development strategy and the contemporary needs of social development for art history and theory research and application, meeting the societal demand for innovative, applied, and interdisciplinary talents in art history and theory research, art criticism, art creation and planning, and cultural industry management.

In 1996, under the leadership of Professor Zhang Daoyi, Southeast University pioneered the establishment of a Master's degree program in Art Studies nationwide, formally establishing Art Studies as a discipline in the national academic catalog and beginning the training of specialized art theory professionals. In 1997, Southeast University established the first Doctoral degree program in Art Studies in China, further elevating Art Studies and beginning the training of high-level art theory talents nationwide. In 2003, a postdoctoral research station in Art Studies was established, among the first of its kind in the country. Since 2004, the arts discipline at Southeast University has been a key discipline under the national "985 Project" and the second and third phases of the "211 Project." In 2007, it was added as a national key discipline, the only one of its kind. From 2010 to 2011, during the process of upgrading the discipline to a category, Southeast University's arts discipline, leading experts from other universities, drafted an upgrade plan, a discipline introduction, and master's and doctoral training requirements for the art theory discipline. These documents became important texts for talent cultivation and theoretical research in the discipline and were adopted by the State Council Academic Degrees Committee. In the first and second rounds of discipline evaluation by the Ministry of Education, Southeast University's arts discipline consistently ranked among the top three nationwide. In the third and fourth rounds, Southeast University's art theory discipline ranked first nationwide, receiving an A+ rating. In 2017, it was successfully selected as a national "Double First-Class" discipline. In 2018, the Guqin (a seven-stringed zither) training base hosted by the college was listed by the Ministry of Education as one of the first batch of bases for the inheritance of excellent traditional Chinese culture. In 2018, the undergraduate program in Art History and Theory was approved and registered with the Ministry of Education, giving Southeast University's Art Theory discipline a complete talent training system from undergraduate to master's and doctoral levels.

The Department of Art Theory emphasizes fundamental art theory research, cross-media comparative research in art theory and art history, and the exploration of new directions in art theory. It offers four specializations: Principles of Art, Art History, Art Criticism, and Other Art Disciplines (Interdisciplinary). Currently, there are 23 faculty members, including 10 doctoral supervisors, 9 professors, 7 associate professors, and 7 lecturers. 100% of the faculty hold doctoral degrees, and approximately 70% have overseas study experience. Three professors have served as members of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (one of whom is the convener). The program boasts numerous high-level talents, including those selected for the National Ten Thousand Talents Program, the "Four Batches" Talent Program of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, and the Jiangsu Provincial 333 Talent Program. Many professors have received the Ministry of Education's Outstanding Scientific Research Achievement Award (Humanities and Social Sciences). This excellent faculty provides a solid foundation for the program.