Art History (B.A.)
The James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History and Design is dedicated to the understanding, production and presentation of works of art in all media. It seeks to explore and develop visual literacy as well as technical, critical and conceptual skills. The curriculum combines history, theory, practice and technology with interdisciplinary learning that aims to nurture a balance between technical proficiency, experimentation with new ideas and studying the visual arts as a means of understanding the intellectual and cultural history of humanity.
Admissions Requirements
Admission Requirements for this program are satisfied by the general requirements for undergraduate admission to the University.
Candidates must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, including satisfaction of the University General Education Requirements and the major requirements listed below. All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the University and the College governing undergraduate scholarship and degrees.
Major Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of thirty-three credit hours in art history and an additional eight credit hours in a language, which includes the courses below:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Survey of Art History: Ancient through Medieval | ||
| Survey of Art History: Renaissance through Modern | ||
| Encounters with the Arts of Global Africa | ||
| Language Requirement - two courses in the same language; any language other than English | ||
| Language 1010 | 4 | |
| Language 1020 | 4 | |
| Upper Level Art History Courses | ||
| Select twelve credits at the 3000-level or above | 12 | |
| Select three credit hours at the 5000-level or above | 3 | |
| Select one course from EACH of the following groups of upper-level categories: | ||
| Classical | 3 | |
| Hellenistic Art | ||
| Ancient Rome | ||
| Classical Greek Art | ||
| Roman Painting and Sculpture | ||
| The Ancient City of Athens | ||
| Renaissance/Baroque | 3 | |
| Early Renaissance in Italy | ||
| High Renaissance and Mannerism in Italy | ||
| Modern | 3 | |
| Trends in Nineteenth Century Art | ||
| Modernism: Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries | ||
| Twentieth Century Art | ||
| Topics in Twentieth-Century Art | ||
| African Diaspora | 3 | |
| Special Topics | ||
| Total Credits | 41 | |
Each course in the major must be completed with a minimum grade of ‘C-.’ In addition to the credits in art history, students are required to complete three semesters of a single foreign language, with minimum grades of C. Please note that many graduate programs in Art History across the nation require a minimum of 4 semesters of either French or German Language, therefore French or German are the encouraged languages in this field.
Art History Honors Curriculum (B.A. Program)
(15 Credits required)
The Department of Art and Art History Honors program offers capable students the opportunity to pursue independent study and to work closely with full-time department faculty members. Completion of the honors major results in an honors degree designation on the diploma.
Departmental Honors Requirements
In order to enter the Departmental Honors program a student must have achieved academic excellence in a college or university with a g.p.a. of 3.3. A student must meet all regular major requirements including the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Honors Option Required Courses | ||
| Three Honors Option art history courses at the 3000-level to 5000- level | 9 | |
| One Directed Study course (AH 5990) | 3 | |
| One Honors Seminar offered (HON 4200 through HON 4280) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 | |
The student must maintain a minimum g.p.a. of 3.3 cumulative and in the major.