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THE UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR and
MINOR in ART HISTORY

BA in art history structure and
requirements of the degree program


The undergraduate major in art history is an ideal choice for students who want to connect a passion for art and culture with a quest for social and historical insight. It affords knowledge of the production and reception of art in the context of history, gender studies, literature, religion, philosophy, psychology, and archaeology, and offers a strong foundation in critical thinking, aesthetic discernment, and historical perspective.

Graduates with a BA in art history are equipped for a wide range of professional careers: in museums, galleries, auction houses, or publishing. An art history major is not only a sound preparation for any professional field, it may also provide a distinct advantage for entry into those fields, given the increasing preference of law, medical, and professional schools for students with a broad intellectual background. Our graduates have held positions in museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of American Art, National Gallery of Art, and the Phillips Collection. Our graduates have been accepted into Art History MA and PhD programs including the Courtauld Institute, CUNY Graduate Center, Hunter College, Sotheby’s Institute, the University of Virginia, and the University of Maryland.

Ideally we would like you to declare your major or minor in art history at the beginning of your junior year. At that point you should make an appointment with one of the Art History professors to be sure that you are on the right track with your course selections. Please do not wait until the semester in which you graduate, at which point you may discover that you have missed some requirement. Come talk to us before you make each semester’s course choices!


Prerequisite to declaring Major:
12 hours of Art History with grade of C or better


University requirements:
120 hours total for BA

  • 54 hours = Major requirements (must have grade of C or better)

  • 30 hours = General Education requirements (2 courses in each of 5 areas)

  • 3 hours = University math, requirement (with grade of C or better)

  • 27 hours = Electives

The MAJOR requires:
12 art history courses, 6 related courses, 9 electives

  • 2 introductory level courses:100 and 101
    If you took ARTH 105 for General Education, you may substitute it for 101.

  • 4 courses: one each in Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, Modern
    Second tier Gen Ed courses ARTH 205 (Renaissance Art) and ARTH 210 (Modern Art) can be used to satisfy this requirement as well as other 300 level courses. Note: AU does not currently offer courses in Ancient Art (but will do so beginning spring 2007). You can take this course at GW or Georgetown; the Roman Art course offered in AU's study abroad program also counts.

  • 6 additional courses in Art History: (at least 2 at the 500 level)
    All majors are required to take ARTH 500, Approaches to Art History. You must take one other course at the 500 level in this group.
    One 3-credit internship can be also counted towards your major in this section.

  • 6 related courses:
    2 courses in studio art
    4 courses in a mix of related subject areas, such as history, literature, sociology of art, aesthetics, etc. (at the 300 level or higher)

Total Art History and related courses for Major: 18 (54 credit hours)
All courses taken for the major must earn a C or better to count.

PLUS: 9 elective courses
Can include language(s). Study Abroad courses and 3 Internship credits not used for the major may be accepted for elective credits at the discretion of your advisor.
Elective courses should have some relationship to the study of art history.


The MINOR requires:
6 courses (18 credit hours)

  • 2 introductory level courses:100 and 101
    For the minor, you may substitute ARTH 100 and 205 or ARTH 105 and 210.

  • 4 additional courses at 200, 300, or 500 level
    (only one 200-level in this group, and 500-level courses only with faculty approval)
    Courses can include Ancient, Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern European, American, and Contemporary. Students should select courses that represent varied chronological periods.
    All courses taken for the major must earn a C or better to count.

Internships
One internship for 3 credits can count towards major requirements; a second internship can be included as an elective. For information about internships and requirements, see Dr. Langa.

Residency Requirements
(important for students planning to do Study Abroad programs)
24 of last 30 credits (8 of last 15 courses) in major must be taken at AU in Washington (courses taken at AU's Study-Abroad program in Rome can count for this) 18 of those 24 should be in Art History and 6 in related fields or studio.

Individually-tailored double majors (art history combined with a second major, for example, in the Business School, the Arts Management Program, the School of International Service, the School of Government and Public Administration) can also be arranged upon consultation with an art history advisor.