home   |    studio fine arts   |    art history   |    faculty + staff   |    visual arts resources

     Twelve courses including two of the three Introduction to Art History I, II, and III (AAH11-12-13) and one of the Asian Art History survey courses (AAH14-15), five other art history courses (which must cover at least three historical periods, cultures, or geographic regions), a minimum of one studio arts course, and three additional upper-level art history courses. One of these upper-level courses must be AAH 112, a seminar in methodology, which should be taken the winter term of the student's junior year. Majors concentrating in art history are encouraged to continue the study of at least one foreign language at Union. Seniors must fulfill the WS requirement in an Art History Seminar or through the senior thesis.

     Six courses including at least two terms of the introductory art history survey (AAH11-12-13-14-15) Three of the remaining art history courses to be in areas related culturally or chronologically.

     Seven courses in each of the two divisions.
     In Art History: Students must take two of the three Introduction to Art History I, II, and III (AAH 11-12-13) and one of the two Asian Art History survey courses (AAH 14-15). Additionally, students must take four additional courses that cover at least three historical periods or geographic regions; three of these four must be upper-level courses (numbered 30 or above). The WS requirement for combined dual concentration must be fulfilled by an Art History Seminar taken in the senior year.      In Studio Art: Students must take one course in each of the disciplines of the studio arts offered by the department (drawing and painting; photography; printmaking and two-dimensional design; sculpture and three-dimensional design). Students may not exceed more than four introductory courses. Two intermediate-level courses are required in at least two studio art disciplines (AVA 21-28, 45 or 54). Two advanced courses are required in a single discipline (AVA 100). For honors requirements, see below.

     A Minimum or eight courses in the Visual Arts Department, of which seven must be in art history (and include two from AAH11-12-13 and one from AAH14-15)and one in studio art. All proposals for interdepartmental majors including art history must be approved by the art history faculty.

     To pursue a senior thesis, art history concentrators or interdepartmental majors must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 overall and 3.3 in their art history concentration. The student must have successfully completed a junior qualifying paper ("B plus" or above) in the context of an upper level art history course with the approval of the faculty advisor, and have completed AAH 112. The senior thesis topic must be approved by the faculty advisor in the third term of the junior year. All of these criteria must be met by the end of junior year.

     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) Passing (with distinction) an oral defense before a board of faculty examiners

     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.

     Honors requirements for the combined concentration are:
(1) Cumulative grade point average of 3.3
(2) A 3.3 grade point average in all courses for the combined concentration
(3) Successful completion of a two-term written thesis ("A" or "A-minus") and
(4) Passing (with distinction) an oral defense before a board of faculty examiners or
(5) A two-term independent study project focusing on the student's particular area of interest in the studio arts, culminating in a solo exhibition ("A" or "A-Minus")
(6) Thesis and project abstracts must be filed with the Dean of Faculty's office (7) For those doing a written thesis, a copy of the thesis must be left with the department's collection and archives; for those doing a studio project, visual documentation (usually slide reproductions) of the project, a one-page project abstract, and one original work must be left with the department's collection.