Art History (BA)

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Affiliation: School of Arts & Letters

THE MAJOR

The objectives of the degree programs in the visual arts are defined by and were developed to:

Offer programs of concentrated study that are sensitive to the needs of students and relate to the overarching goals of the University.
Ensure well-organized, coherent programs that provide opportunities for synthesis and integration across courses within those programs.
Help students assimilate the knowledge delivered within the programs and develop the capacity to focus on methods of inquiry and analysis that enables them to use that knowledge.
Encourage students to develop a critical perspective that enables them to learn about and from the variety of views existing within their chosen field of study.
Guide students in the cultivation of liberal learning by helping them perceive and appreciate the connections among courses in their major and those in other disciplines.
Assure practical support and encouragement for students’ intellectual and creative growth and development by providing opportunities for interaction and dialogue in an environment conducive to learning.
Present students with a culturally diverse approach to art and to acknowledge biases that may be inherent within the discipline.
Prepare students for graduate study or employment opportunities within the field.

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS IN ART HISTORY

GPA: 3.50 or above cumulative.
GPA: 3.50 or above in the major.
Successful completion of the Research Track in the major.
Receive an “A” in both semesters of Senior Thesis (
ART 436 - Senior Thesis I
and
ART 437 - Senior Thesis II
)
Provide documentation to Honors Committee Chair of presentation at an off-campus conference, either regional or national (NCUR, Midwest Art History Society, or other venue).

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

Special Requirements for the B.A. in Art History Degree

BA candidates in Art History must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in their major courses. Individual instruction courses are applied for through a written contract between the instructor, the advisor, and the student. Forms are available in the Office of the School of Arts & Letters or the Department Chair’s office. Consent of the instructor and the advisor are required. Independent study courses may not be substituted for existing courses.

The following required courses may not be transferred into the Art History program or substituted:

ART 429 - Historical Methods Credits: 3
ART 436 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 3
ART 437 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 3
ART 495 - Art History Senior Capstone: Praxis Credits: 2

Liberal Studies Program Requirements: 31-57 Credits

Missouri Statute Requirement: 1-3 Credits

Bachelor of Arts Requirement: 0-6 Credits

Intermediate proficiency in ONE foreign language

(see Liberal Studies section for details)

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (Lower Level Courses): 16 Credits

ART 101 - Art Foundations I Credits: 3
ART 127 - New Majors Seminar Credits: 1
ART 222 - Caves to Cathedrals: European and Middle Eastern Art from Prehistory to 1400 C.E. Credits: 3
ART 223 - Art in Europe and America from the Renaissance to the Present Day Credits: 3
ART 224 - Non-Western Art Credits: 3
One additional art course at the 200-level or above (may be either studio or art history) Credits: 3

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS (Upper Level Courses): 18 Credits

One upper-level art history course on art after 1800: 3 Credits
Two additional art history courses at the 300-level or above: 6 credits
ART 324 - Renaissance Art Credits: 3
ART 328 - The Art of Greece and Rome Credits: 3
ART 429 - Historical Methods Credits: 3

Track Requirements: 5-6 Credits

Students in the Art History major choose to complete one of two tracks: The Praxis Track or the Thesis Track:

Praxis Track Requirements:

One additional art history course at the 300-level or above: 3 Credits
ART 495 - Art History Senior Capstone: Praxis Credits: 2
Students completing the Praxis track in the major must complete a professional experience of at least 140 hours prior to enrolling in ART 495 Art History Senior Capstone: Praxis. In the event that an Out-of-Classroom experience is not a study abroad course, it may also be used for this requirement of the Praxis track; however, study abroad is not an appropriate experience for completion of the Praxis Capstone. Students in the Praxis Track are strongly encouraged to enroll in courses such as IDSM 360 - Museums: Object and Collections Management , IDSM 361 - Exhibition and Museums: Planning and Practice , ART 380 - Art in the Elementary School , and PD 541 - Grant Writing Across the Disciplines , as well as to consider–in consultation with their academic advisors–relevant and applicable minors.

Thesis Track Requirements (6 credits):

ART 436 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 3
ART 437 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 3

Electives to Total: 120 Credits

Students in either the Praxis or Thesis track who want more studio art coursework than the 3 to 6 credits embedded in the major may choose to pursue the Studio Art minor.

NOTE: If successful completion of the LSP and major requirements total less than 120 credits, electives are taken to bring the total to 120 credits.

OUT-OF-CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE

Students, in consultation with their advisors and upon prior approval of the Art History Committee, must participate in an activity related to their field of study outside of required coursework. This may include but is not limited to: gallery work, museum or gallery internships, art conservation, archaeological work, or study abroad. This practical experience need not result in credits. In consultation with the Art History Committee, this experience may be counted towards the Capstone: Praxis track. Further information is available from the Program Coordinator for the Art History program.

ART HISTORY RESEARCH PROFICIENCY

All Art History majors must pass the research proficiency by the end of the fall semester of their Junior year. The research proficiency is a review of written research work done by the student. Passing this proficiency is a requirement for the major, as well as a prerequisite for ART 429 - Historical Methods , and for all Art History Capstone courses (ART 436 - Senior Thesis I , ART 437 - Senior Thesis II , and ART 495 - Art History Senior Capstone: Praxis ). Art advisors and the Program Coordinator for Art History can provide more information.