Art History Majors
Major requirements are designed to maximize exposure to a range of world art traditions, while allowing students to develop and refine their study of specific areas of interest. Working in dialogue with faculty advisers, majors plan programs that combine introductory lecture courses with smaller, more specialized colloquia and seminars. Foreign travel and education abroad can provide unparalleled opportunities for students to refine and extend their study of art, architecture, and archaeology. Department faculty enthusiastically encourage foreign study, and advisers work closely with students to integrate rigorous and rewarding study abroad experiences into their major.
There are no prerequisites for entry into the department, but most students declare a major in art history after taking one or both of the department's introductory survey courses (ARTH 1051 and 1052). While these courses are not required for majors, credit toward the major may be granted for one class at the 1000-level.
Major Requirements
There are no prerequisites for entry into the department, and a major may be declared after completing one class in the major with a grade of C or above. The major in art history requires 11 courses, 10 of which must be above the 1000 level. Courses taken at any time during the student's career can be counted, including those earned while studying abroad, in summer session or in architectural history. By graduation, a student must have achieved a minimum GPA of 2.000 in major courses. (A student who does not maintain an average of 2.000 or better in departmental courses will be put on probation, and may be dropped from the program.) No course graded below C- may count for major credit.
Distribution Requirements
Students’ 11 courses should be distributed according to the following criteria:
Table of World Regions and Historical Periods
· Three courses at the 2000 level or above in 3 of 5 world regions (Africa and the Mediterranean; the Americas; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Multi-regional - courses that substantially engage two or more regions). Please note: a course may count for either a world region or a historical period, but not both.
· Three courses at the 2000 level or above in 3 of 5 historical periods (up to 400 CE; 400-1400; 1400-1800;1800- present; cross-period) Please note: a course may count for either a world region or a historical period, but not both.
· In addition to fulfilling your regional and periods requirements, student must take two 4000 level seminars.
· Three electives.
· At least two courses must be at the 3000 level. These courses can count toward your region or period requirements or as electives.
· Courses in Architectural History (ARH) at the 2000 level or above may count towards any requirement.
· One 1000 level course may count towards an elective.
· Any Studio Art (ARTS) course may count as one of the electives, including one at the 1000 level.
· Any Arts Administration (ARAD) course may count as one of the electives, including one at the 1000 level.
· University Museum Internship (ARTH 4951, ARTH 4952) may count as one of the electives.
· One Advanced Placement (ap) Art History course with a score of 4 or 5 or International Baccalaureate (ib) Art History course with a grade of 6 or 7 may be applied toward the major. The course will transfer as either arth 1051 or 1052 and will count as elective credit.
Minor Requirements
There are no prerequisites for a minor in art history. A student must complete 15 credits in the department. ARTH courses taken at any time during the student's career may be counted toward the minor, including those earned while studying abroad or in summer session. At the time of graduation, a student must have achieved a minimum gpa of 2.0 in the minor courses.
Distribution Requirements
Table of World Regions and Historical Periods
The minor program in Art History requires the completion of a minimum of five courses in Art History. Students take courses in 2 of 5 world regions [Africa and the Mediterranean; the Americas; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; and Multi-regional (courses that substantially engage two or more regions]; and in 2 of 5 historical periods [up to 400 CE; 400-1400; 1400-1800; 1800-present; cross-period]. No more than one 1000-level course may count toward the minor and at least one of the courses must be at the 3000-level. One of the requirements may be fulfilled by an appropriate course in Architectural History at or above the 2000-level.
For those who declared the major before 2017
Major Requirements
For a degree in art history, students must complete 11 courses (minimum 33 credits) in the department, 10 of which must be above the 1000 level. Courses taken at any time during the student's career can be counted, including those earned while studying abroad, in summer session, or in architectural history. By graduation, a student must have achieved a gpa of 2.000 in major courses. A student who does not maintain an average of 2.000 or better in departmental courses will be put on probation, and may be dropped from the program. No course graded below C- may count for major credit.
Distribution Requirements
At least one course at the 2000 level or above in each of five areas (Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, Modern, Non-Western); a minimum of two 4000 level seminars (either one arth 4051 and one arth 4591, or two arth 4591); and four electives within the department including up to one class at the 1000-level that may be counted as credit. At least two of the non-seminar courses must be at the 3000 or 5000 level. Requirements may be fulfilled by appropriate courses in Architectural History at the 2000 level or above. One course in Arts Administration (arad) and one course in Studio Art at the 1000 level or above may count as electives.
Advanced Placement (ap)/ International Baccalaureate (ib) courses:
One Advanced Placement (ap) Art History course with a score of 4 or 5 or International Baccalaureate (ib) Art History course with a grade of 6 or 7 may be applied toward the major. The course will transfer as either arth 1051 or 1052 and will count as elective credit.
Minor Requirements
There are no prerequisites for a minor in art history. A student must complete 15 credits in the department. ARTH courses taken at any time during the student's career may be counted toward the minor, including those earned while studying abroad or in summer session. At the time of graduation, a student must have achieved a minimum gpa of 2.0 in the minor courses.
Distribution Requirements
The minor program in Art History requires the completion of a minimum of five courses in Art History. Students take courses in 2 of 5 world regions [Africa and the Mediterranean; the Americas; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; and Multi-regional (courses that substantially engage two or more regions]; and in 2 of 5 historical periods [up to 400 CE; 400-1400; 1400-1800; 1800-present; cross-period]. No more than one 1000-level course may count toward the minor and at least one of the courses must be at the 3000-level. One of the requirements may be fulfilled by an appropriate course in Architectural History at or above the 2000-level.
The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found here
New Declarations
Students who wish to declare a major or a minor in art history should contact the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Fayerweather Hall in order to be assigned an advisor.
To contact the Director of the Undergraduate Program, email
Director of the Undergraduate Program
Eric Ramirez-Weaver
309 Fayerweather Hall | email