Bachelor of Arts in Art History


The B.A. in Art History requires 33 hours of study with 6 hours of Art History Core Courses, 21 hours of Art History upper division electives and 6 hours of Studio Art electives. 

Required Courses Credit Hours
 Core 6 
Upper Division Electives  21 
Studio Art Electives    
     Must be one 2-D and one 3-D  6 
   
Total Hours Required for Major 33

Students must complete a minor or a certificate  under the direction of their advisor.

Art History Senior Project Guidelines


The senior project for art history majors consists of writing a 30-page thesis based on original research. Although you will work with one of the art history faculty on the project, the final paper has to be approved by both members of the art history program.

We recommend that you work on your senior project the semester before you graduate so that you have a highly polished paper to submit with your applications for graduate studies.

The thesis can be on any topic of your choosing. The choice of your topic will determine which faculty member you will be working with. Discuss your ideas for the thesis with your advisor before signing up for the senior project. You are required to turn in a proposal the third week of the semester, regularly consult with your thesis advisor throughout the semester, turn in your completed thesis to your advisor three weeks before the end of the semester, and submit a final, edited copy one week before the end of the semester.

Prospectus

Your prospectus should contain the following information:

  • Introduce the topic of your thesis:
    Explain: Why are you writing this paper? What will you accomplish? Why is it important? What will you do that has not been done this way before?
  • Outline your method or approach:
    Contextual? Formalist? Iconographic? Critical? What advantages does your approach offer over other methods that have been or might be applied to the same topic?
  • Summarize the state of research:
    How much has been published on your topic, and in what form? By whom? How have other scholars approached your topic?
    working bibliography

Senior Thesis

Your senior thesis should be a 30-page critical essay based on original research. The formatting of the thesis should follow academic standards, be properly footnoted, include a bibliography and illustrations. It also should include a cover page listing your name, the title of your thesis, the name of your advisor, and the semester in which you submitted the thesis, and a signature page with space to sign for the two art history professors and the department chair.

You are required to turn in two copies of the final version. One copy will be returned to you, the second copy will remain on file in the department. 
 

Students should refer to the University Bulletin for a complete program description.  Current students should see their Department Advisor or the College Advising Office for a copy of their Program Balance Sheet for complete program requirements.