Major and Minor in Art
Students studying in art may choose between a track in studio art or an art history track. Regardless of track, courses taken with the Pass-Fail option may not count towards the major or minor in Art and Art History.
The Major in Art: Studio Art was redesigned in 2021. The new requirements will apply to all students who matriculate in Fall Semester 2021 and thereafter (see College Catalog pdf archives for the Art: Studio Art major requirements before Fall 2021). The Minor in Art: Studio Art as well as the Major and Minor in Art: Art History have not changed.
Requirements for the Major:
Art History Track
The Art History Track requires a minimum of 10 courses. At least 3 courses must be at the 300- or 400-level, and must not double-count for any other major or minor. A grade of C or better is required for all art history courses counting toward the major.
Required Courses:
The following should be taken in the first or second year:
- ArtH 110: Introduction to Visual Arts and Design
- Art 130: Elements of Design
- Art 131: Drawing
Three period survey courses:
- Choose at least one from Ancient to Renaissance:
ArtH 205: All That Glitters: Byzantine Art
ArtH 210: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World
ArtH 211: Medieval Art
ArtH 212: Italian Renaissance Art
ArtH 223: Northern Renaissance Art, or the Greece Program
ArtH 380: Renaissance Art and Domesticity
ArtH 383: Hell, Damnation and Romanesque Art
Arth 385: Art, Power and Wealth in the Global Middle Ages
- Choose at least one from Early Modern to c. 1900:
ArtH 215: Reformation to Revolution 1600-1800
ArtH 217: Nineteenth Century Art
ArtH 219: American Art
ArtH 224: History of Prints
ArtH 226: Colonial Latin American Art
ArtH 282: Depicting Difference: Images of the Racial and Religious ‘Other’ in Western Art
ArtH 321: Photography and its Cultural Effects: The Evolution of a Medium and Questions of Representation, 1860-1900
- Choose at least one from the 20 th or 21 st century:
ArtH 218: Twentieth Century Art
ArtH 222: History of Photography
ArtH 355: The Art of the Sixties
ArtH 360: Contemporary Art
ArtH 361: Topics in Contemorary Art
Three Art History electives:
- Choose at least three from:
ArtH 200: New Media Art and Design
ArtH 201: Writing Art Criticism
ArtH 202: Photography of the Street
ArtH 205: All That Glitters: Byzantine Art
ArtH 206: Chinese Art and Culture
ArtH 210: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World
ArtH 211: Medieval Art
ArtH 212: Italian Renaissance Art
ArtH 215: Reformation to Revolution 1600-1800
ArtH 217: Nineteenth Century Art
ArtH 218: Twentieth Century Art
ArtH 219: American Art
ArtH 220: History of Architecture
ArtH 221: Modern Architecture
ArtH 222: History of Photography
ArtH 223: Northern Renaissance Art
ArtH 224: History of Prints
ArtH 225: American Architecture
ArtH 226: Colonial Latin American Art
ArtH 238: Curating an Art Collection
ArtH 239: Museum Histories and Practices
ArtH 245: Indigenous Arts of the Americas
ArtH 280: Architecture in East Asia
ArtH 282: Depicting Difference: Images of the Racial and Religious ‘Other’ in Western Art
ArtH 286: Topics in Islamic Art
ArtH 306: Buddhist Arts of Asia
ArtH 320: Landscape and Representation
ArtH 321: Photography and its Cultural Effects: The Evolution of a Medium and Questions of Representation, 1860-1900
ArtH 323: Monuments and Memory
ArtH 325: Women, Art and Society
ArtH 326: Gender Identity in Modern Art
ArtH 338: Museum/Gallery Practicum
ArtH 355: The Art of the Sixties
ArtH 360: Contemporary Art
ArtH 361: Topics in Contemorary Art
ArtH 380: Renaissance Art and Domesticity
ArtH 383: Hell, Damnation and Romanesque Art
ArtH 385: Art, Power and Wealth in the Global Middle Ages
Senior Seminar in Art History:
- All Art History Track Majors must take ArtH 485 Seminar: Means and Methods of Art Historians in the Fall Semester of their senior year.
Senior Thesis in Art History
Exceptional students may choose to undertake a Senior Thesis in Art History, ArtH 494, directed by a member of the faculty. Proposals must be submitted in the semester before the one in which the thesis is to take place, and must be approved by the faculty member directing it and by the Chair of the Department. ArtH 494 is taken for one credit in the Spring Semester of senior year, only after completion of ArtH 485. Students earning distinction on their Senior Thesis, and graduating with a GPA of 3.5 or better within the major will be awarded honors in the Department of Art and Art History.
Art history track majors planning to go on to graduate study are advised to acquire a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language, preferably French or German.
Studio Art Track
The Studio Art Track requires a minimum of 10 courses and two portfolio reviews. At least 3 courses must be at the 300- or 400-level, and must not double-count for any other major or minor. A grade of C or better is required for all studio art courses counting toward the major.
Required Courses:
The following core courses:
- Art 130: Elements of Design
- Art 131: Drawing
- Art 142: Digital Design Foundations
- ArtH 110: Introduction to Visual Arts and Design
- Art 233: Sculpture OR Art 239 Applied 3D Design and Fabrication OR Art 334: Installation Art
- One Art History course in 20 th Century or Contemporary Art:
ArtH 218: Twentieth Century Art OR ArtH 360: Contemporary Art OR ArtH 361: Topics in Contemorary Art
- One Art History Elective:
Choose one from:
ArtH 200: New Media Art and Design
ArtH 201: Writing Art Criticism
ArtH 202: Photography of the Street
ArtH 205: All That Glitters: Byzantine Art
ArtH 206: Chinese Art and Culture
ArtH 210: Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World
ArtH 211: Medieval Art
ArtH 212: Italian Renaissance Art
ArtH 215: Reformation to Revolution 1600-1800
ArtH 217: Nineteenth Century Art
ArtH 218: Twentieth Century Art
ArtH 219: American Art
ArtH 220: History of Architecture
ArtH 221: Modern Architecture
ArtH 222: History of Photography
ArtH 223: Northern Renaissance Art
ArtH 224: History of Prints
ArtH 225: American Architecture
ArtH 226: Colonial Latin American Art
ArtH 238: Curating an Art Collection
ArtH 239: Museum Histories and Practices
ArtH 245: Indigenous Arts of the Americas
ArtH 280: Architecture in East Asia
ArtH 282: Depicting Difference: Images of the Racial and Religious ‘Other’ in Western Art
ArtH 286: Topics in Islamic Art
ArtH 306: Buddhist Arts of Asia
ArtH 320: Landscape and Representation
ArtH 321: Photography and its Cultural Effects: The Evolution of a Medium and Questions of Representation, 1860-1900
ArtH 323: Monuments and Memory
ArtH 325: Women, Art and Society
ArtH 326: Gender Identity in Modern Art
ArtH 338: Museum/Gallery Practicum
ArtH 355: The Art of the Sixties
ArtH 360: Contemporary Art
ArtH 361: Topics in Contemorary Art
ArtH 380: Renaissance Art and Domesticity
ArtH 383: Hell, Damnation and Romanesque Art
ArtH 385: Art, Power and Wealth in the Global Middle Ages
- Two elective studio art courses at the 300-level or higher
- Senior Seminar in Studio Art:
All Studio Art Track Majors must take Art 480 Senior Seminar in Studio Art in the Fall Semester of their senior year.
Portfolio Review:
The portfolio review requirement will consist of a review of the student’s work at two levels, and not for college credit.
The junior-level review is intended to place students on a track towards professional and/or academic success and ensures a clear pathway towards the student’s final portfolio review.
The graduating senior will have a final portfolio review in the semester they intend to graduate. Students at this point in their studies will be required to have a CV and a portfolio suitable for future endeavors in professional fields or graduate studies.
Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty will collectively review portfolios submitted by students and assign a pass/fail grade. Students will have to receive grades of 'Pass' in both portfolio reviews before they receive their degrees.
Senior Thesis in Studio Art:
Exceptional students may choose to undertake a Senior Thesis in Studio Art, Art 494, directed by a member of the faculty. Proposals must be submitted in the semester before the one in which the thesis is to take place, and must be approved by the faculty member directing it and by the Chair of the Department. Art 494 is taken for one credit in the Spring Semester of senior year, only after completion of Art 480. Students earning distinction on their Senior Thesis, and graduating with a GPA of 3.5 or better within the major will be awarded honors in the Department of Art and Art History.
Requirements for the Minor:
As with the major, the Art and Art History Department offers a minor in two tracks. Either track requires a minimum of 6 courses. Both the studio art track and art history track will require a C (2.0) average across all courses counted toward the minor, with a minimum of a C- in each of those courses.
Art History Track
- ArtH 110
- Art 130
- At least 1 additional studio art course
- At least 3 additional art history courses
Studio Art Track
- ArtH 110
- Art 130
- At least 1 additional art history course
- At least 3 additional studio art courses