Art History Major
Art History Major Requirements
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 (totaling at least 33 credits) should be distributed according to the following criteria:
- 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. Please consult the course list tab.
- 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. Please consult the course list tab.
- In addition to fulfilling your regional and periods requirements, student must take two 4000 level seminars, which must be taken on-Grounds.
- Three electives.
- At least two courses must be at the 3000 level. These courses can count toward your region or period requirements and/or as electives.
- Courses in Architectural History (ARH) at the 2000 level or above may count towards any requirement.
- One 1000 level Art History (ARTH) 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 count as 1000 level elective credit.
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
311 Fayerweather Hall | email