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.
Receive an “A” in both semesters of Senior Thesis (ART 436 and ART 437).
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. Transfer students who have satisfactorily completed studio art courses at another institution may, with a portfolio approved by the art faculty, be exempted from the studio prerequisites for some of the advanced studio courses. All internal transfer students and reapplicants are evaluated using the general catalog for the year in which the student matriculates into the Art program.

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

ART 329 - Historical Methods Credits: 3
ART 425 - Capstone Experience/Seminar Credits: 1
ART 436 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 3
ART 437 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 3

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: 44 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
3-D art studio class (ART 205, ART 207, ART 211, or ART 216): 3 Credits

ART 115 - Drawing I Credits: 3
ART 127 - New Majors Seminar Credits: 1
ART 210 - Design I Credits: 3
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
ART 324 - Renaissance Art Credits: 3
ART 328 - The Art of Greece and Rome Credits: 3
ART 329 - Historical Methods Credits: 3
ART 425 - Capstone Experience/Seminar Credits: 1
ART 436 - Senior Thesis I Credits: 3
ART 437 - Senior Thesis II Credits: 3

Electives to Total: 120 Credits

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. Further information is available from the Chair of the Art History Committee.

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 329 Historical Methods, and for ART 436 & ART 437 Senior Thesis I & II. Art advisors and the Art Assessment Office can provide more information.