Requirements

 

Art History Major

Major Requirements - Minimum 10 courses

Course Number(s)

Introduction to Visual Arts

VAHI 100

One studio art course

 

Three courses distributed among the following three areas:

  • pre-1800
  • post-1800
  • cross-cultural
 

Additional VAHI courses to reach the minimum of 10 required courses. Montserrat courses in art history are accepted as the equivalent of an elective.

 

Fourth year majors must also complete the Concentration Seminar.

VAHI 400

Advice for Students Interested in Pursuing the Major

Students interested in the art history major should complete the introductory level art history course early in their program. The department encourages art history majors to study abroad during their junior year.

Art History Minor (History and Theory and Museum Studies)

The art history minor is available to students in any major, including the studio art major. Art history minors have a choice of two tracks: Art History: History and Theory or Art History: Museum Studies. Both tracks require six courses. Art history majors are eligible to also minor in studio art.

Art History: History and Theory Minor

Minor requirements – minimum 6 courses

Course number(s)

Introduction to the Visual Arts

VAHI 100

Three courses distributed among the following three areas:

  • pre-1800
  • post-1800
  • cross-cultural
 

Two VAHI electives

 

 

 

Art History: Museum Studies Minor

Minor requirements –minimum 6 courses

Course number(s)

Introduction to the Visual Arts

VAHI 100

Museum Studies

VAHI 150

Three intermediate or upper-level VAHI courses

 

Internship (as approved)

VAHI 420

 

Studio Art Major

The studio art major requires a minimum of 10, a maximum of 14 courses. These include:

  • Fundamentals of Drawing
  • 3D Fundamentals
  • One additional drawing course
  • 2 Sequential Courses in one media:
    • Drawing
    • Painting
    • Sculpture
    • Photography
    • Printmaking
    • Digital Media
    • Studio Concentration Seminar
  • Two Art History Courses
    • VAHI 210: Contemporary Art (required)
    • One additional Art History Course
  • Remaining courses are selected from the areas of Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Digital Media, plus Special Topics courses.

Studio art majors are required to participate in the Majors and Minors Review, a department wide critique scheduled once per semester.

During the senior year studio majors are required to take the Studio Concentration Seminar which focuses on the development of an individual body of work. Students are provided with a workspace in Millard Art Center. Studio Art Majors are required to take the fall semester (VAST 300) and are eligible for the spring semester (VAST 301). While both semesters are strongly recommended for the major, students will be admitted to the spring semester based on an evaluation of their work by studio art faculty. Only students taking the spring semester, Studio Concentration Seminar 2, will participate in the senior exhibition in Cantor Art Gallery.

Studio Art Minor

The studio art minor requires a total of six courses, a maximum of 14 courses. These include:

  • Fundamentals of Drawing
  • 3D Fundamentals
  • One art history course 
  • Three electives in any of:
    • Drawing 
    • Painting
    • Photography
    • Sculpture
    • Printmaking
    • Digital Media
    • Special Topics Courses


Studio art minors are required to participate in the Majors and Minors Review, a department wide critique scheduled once per semester. 

Students with extensive previous experience may be allowed to bypass either Fundamentals of Drawing or 3D Fundamentals with a portfolio review by a studio faculty member. In such cases students may move directly into intermediate level courses.

Combined Major and Minor

A combined major and minor in either of the department’s two divisions (art history major/studio art minor or studio art major/art history minor) requires the completion of 16 courses: 10 in the major and six in the minor, following the individual requirements listed for the selected major and selected minor. Courses may not be double counted across the two divisions; 16 courses are required for a combined major and minor.

Advanced Placement Credit 

Students with AP credit in art history, studio, and drawing are awarded placement in the studio art curriculum. AP credit does not count toward the minimum number of courses required for the majors or minors.