Art History, BA

Theo Cateforis, Chair
Suite 308 Bowne Hall
315-443-4835

Romita Ray, Undergraduate Director
Suite 308 Bowne Hall
315-443-5030

Faculty

Luis Castañeda, Sally Cornelison, Laurinda Dixon, Wayne Franits, Jeehee Hong, Richard Ingersoll, Matilde M. Mateo, Alick McLean, Jonathan Nelson, Romita Ray, Sascha Scott

The Department of Art and Music Histories was one of the first in the country dedicated to the study of the history of art and music from an interdisciplinary perspective. The department offers courses in most major periods of the history of visual and musical arts from ancient to postmodern times. The research and teaching specialties of the art history faculty include art and medicine in the early modern period, Northern and Italian Renaissance art, 17th-century Dutch painting, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art, 19th- and 20th-century European art, South Asian art and Architecture, American and Latin American art and architecture

Studies in the history of architecture are offered in association with the faculty of the School of Architecture (see program description under “History of Architecture ” in this section of the catalog). Cooperative programs with the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, and other divisions of the University allow students to take courses in studio art, and public communications.

Students who major in one of the department’s disciplines are strongly encouraged to take a foreign language and to study abroad.

Major Requirements

The major in art history requires 30 credits in art history courses numbered above 299. Students in this specialized major may also include 6 credits of art studio work at any level in the required 30 credits. Students may petition to have up to 9 credits of appropriate courses in art history taken outside the department (non-HOA courses) count toward the art history major.

Additional requirements for the art history major follow:

Distribution Requirement

Course offerings in art history are divided into five broad categories: ancient/medieval; Northern/Italian Renaissance; Baroque/18th-century European; modern/American; and non-Western. Art-history majors are required to take at least one course in each of these five categories.

500-level Course Requirement

Art history majors are required to take at least one course at the 500 level or above. 500-level or above courses are customarily open to advanced undergraduate majors as well as to graduate students in the M.A. program in art history. Such courses offer more detailed study of particular fields within art history than those numbered at the 300 and 400 levels.

Senior Seminar Requirement

During the fall semester of their senior year, art history majors are required to successfully complete a senior seminar. This seminar explores the practical aspects of the discipline, paying particular attention to potential careers and professional research and writing.