Art History

From cave paintings to cathedrals and from Leonardo da Vinci to Andy Warhol, the history of art embodies the human imagination, human history, and the rich tapestry of human cultures in a memorable and accessible form. Within blocks of the University, our own history and culture comes to life in the golden dome of the classically inspired State House and in the “brutalist” modernism of Boston City Hall; in the Holocaust Memorial on Congress Street and in the Civil War monument to Robert Gould Shaw’s black infantry unit on the corner of Beacon and Park.  Art history is an examination of how such images and monuments communicate and how they function in society:  to teach us, move us, and to exalt us—and also, occasionally, to mislead us and to sway our opinions against our better judgment.  The study of art provides an access to other cultures, other eras, and other ways of thinking, and will prepare you for your junior year abroad and for an entire lifetime of thinking and living with a global and historical perspective.

Art History (ARH) courses fulfill the Humanities and History component of the Core requirements.

ARH 103, 321, 345, and 346 can be used to fulfill the Cultural Diversity component of the Core requirements.

Humanities Major-Art History Track

10 courses, 38-40 hours total

Foundation Requirement (2 courses, 8 credits)

• ARH 101-102  Art History 1 & 2

Upper Level Course Requirement (6-8 courses, 24-32 credits)

Chosen from among the following courses:

• ARH 103    Non-Western Visual Culture and Traditions
• ARH 305    Art of Greece and Rome
• ARH 306    Art of the Middle Ages
• ARH 307    Art of the Italian Renaissance
• ARH 308    Art of the Baroque and Rococo
• ARH 309    Art of the Nineteenth Century
• ARH 310    Modernism in Art
• ARH 311    American Art
• ARH 312    Art of the Northern Renaissance
• ARH 316    Contemporary Art
• ARH 321    Women, Art, and Society
• ARH 345     Art of India
• ARH 346    Art of the Silk Road
• ARH 347     History of Photography
• ARH 401    Special Topics:  Seminar in art history
• ARH 501    Independent Study in art history
• ARH 502    Honors Thesis in art history

Related Options Outside the HUML Department (A maximum of 2 courses, 6-8 credits)

• Art History majors may take up to two courses in other aspects of visual culture, such as the philosophy of art, photojournalism, advertising, cinema, and select 3-credit studio art and design courses, including:  ADF S101, ADF S123, ADF S143, ADF S151, ADF S152, ADFA 304, CJN 218, CJN 257, CJN 288, CJN 290, CJN 291, FR 320, GER 306, PHIL 219, SPAN 408, and SPAN 409.  Other courses may be permitted at the discretion of the major advisor.

Notes:

• A relevant Seminar for Freshmen with a strong concentration in art history or visual culture may also count toward the major requirements.
• Upper-level art history courses taken at other institutions or through study abroad must be approved by the student’s art history advisor (preferably prior to being taken), and must not overlap significantly with any other upper-level art history course(s) counted toward the major.  
• Except under special circumstances approved by the student’s art history advisor, at least 6 of the 10 courses (24 of the 38-40 credit hours) must be fulfilled through coursework offered by the Department of Humanities and Modern Languages.

Art History Minor

(6 courses, 24 hours total)

Foundation Requirement (2 courses, 8 credits)

• ARH 101-102    Art History 1 & 2

Upper Level Course Requirement (4 courses, 16 credits)

Chosen from among the following courses:

• ARH 103    Non-Western Visual Culture and Traditions
• ARH 305    Art of Greece and Rome
• ARH 306    Art of the Middle Ages
• ARH 307    Art of the Italian Renaissance
• ARH 308    Art of the Baroque and Rococo
• ARH 309    Art of the Nineteenth Century
• ARH 310    Modernism in Art
• ARH 311    American Art
• ARH 312    Art of the Northern Renaissance
• ARH 316    Contemporary Art
• ARH 321    Women, Art, and Society
• ARH 345     Art of India
• ARH 346    Art of the Silk Road
• ARH 347    History of Photography
• ARH 401    Special Topics:  Seminar in art history

Notes:

• A relevant Seminar for Freshmen with a strong concentration in art history or visual culture may also count toward the minor requirements.
• Upper-level art history courses taken at other institutions or through study abroad must be approved by the student’s art history advisor (preferably prior to being taken), and must not overlap significantly with any other upper-level art history course(s) counted toward the minor.  
• Except under special circumstances approved by the student’s art history advisor, at least 4 of the 6 courses (16 of the 24 credit hours) must be fulfilled through coursework offered by the Department of Humanities and Modern Languages.