Requirements for the Interdepartmental Major:
A minimum of eight courses in the Visual Arts Department, which include three art history surveys divided between Asian and Western, four intermediate or advanced Art History courses, one of which must be AAH 400 - Seminar: The Methods of Art History (usually taken in the junior year), and one course in studio art. All proposals for interdepartmental majors including art history must be approved by the art history faculty.
Requirements for Honors in Art History:
To qualify for departmental honors, a student must fulfill the following requirements: (1) cumulative grade point average of 3.3; (2) a grade point average of 3.3 in the art history concentration; (3) successful completion of a two-term senior thesis (“A” or “A-minus”); (4) approval by a second faculty reader; (5) an oral presentation at The Steinmetz Symposium in the spring term of senior year and (6) a copy of the thesis must be left with the department’s collection and archives. Having fulfilled the above, the student must then be nominated by the department for honors. Further guidelines for the senior thesis and departmental honors are available from the art history faculty.
Course Selection Guidelines
Placement: Incoming first-year students who score a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in Art History may receive credit for one of the three introductory Art History courses (AAH 101 -AAH 103 ). Students who plan to major or minor in Art History are nonetheless encouraged to take the introductory courses as a way of deepening their backgrounds.
100-level courses: These courses are designed to be introductions to the study of Art History, and comprise either a chronological sequence of courses on Western art or two geographical introductions to Asian art. Though they are numbered sequentially, students may begin the sequence at any point. These courses are suitable for first-year students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors and many of them carry Common Curriculum (CC) LCC credit. They serve as the prerequisites for many advanced courses.
200-level courses: These courses are focused, thematic introductions to sub-fields within Art History. They are designed to be introductory courses and do not carry prerequisites. Many are cross-listed with other disciplines or interdisciplinary programs, and they may, with approval of the department, count as advanced courses for the major. These courses are suitable for first-year students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and many of them carry Common Curriculum (CC) LCC credit.
300-400-level courses: These courses are advanced courses that concentrate on specific historical periods, geographic regions, or themes. They generally have prerequisites drawn from the introductory Art History courses, and are designed for majors and minors. These courses are suitable for advanced sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Internships, Independent Studies, and Thesis: These courses are generally reserved for advanced Art History students, who must consult with the Art History program and arrange for academic sponsorship prior to registering for them.