B.A. in Art History Undergraduate Program By Western Kentucky University |Top Universities

B.A. in Art History

Main Subject Area

Art and DesignMain Subject Area

Program overview

Main Subject

Art and Design

Degree

Other

Study Level

Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Arts in Art History provides WKU students with a broad and thorough understanding of the history and function of the visual arts from ancient times to the present day. Majors will critically analyze paintings, prints, sculpture, architecture, and other visual media to investigate a range of historical and philosophical issues with which the arts have been deeply involved. As such, majors will gain an understanding of how visual practices proactively articulate and motivate rather than simply illustrate, record, or reiterate history. With an emphasis on reading, writing, research, and critical analysis the AB in Art History prepares students for a broad range of career possibilities. Visual arts-related career paths for art history majors include careers in museums, galleries, and auction-houses as curators, art appraisers, conservators, registrars, art educators, archivists, researchers, website designers, art administrators, marketing specialists, and grant writers. The major requires courses to be taken across a range of chronological periods, ensuring that graduates possess a broad understanding of the field, yet it also allows students to focus their studies on particular historical periods or geographical regions that interest them. A minor or second major is required. No more than 6 hours in the art history major may count toward a student’s minor. No grade of “D” or below may be counted toward the major. The program requires two introductory courses (ART 105 and ART 106) that provide foundational knowledge of the history of global art, one course (ART 130, ART 131, or ART 140) that familiarizes students with the fundamental concepts of art making, and a course in contemporary art that ensures students have a strong grounding in current trends. The two other required courses are a theory and methodology class (ART 405), and a capstone seminar (ART 494). To ensure significant breadth, among the six electives required for the major, at least one must be chosen from each of the five chronological categories. The remaining elective may be customized to accord with the research interests of the student, and allows for a significant degree of expansion into visually oriented coursework in other disciplines. Students are required to take the following 15 hours: ART 105 (History of Art to 1300), ART 106 (History of Art Since 1300), ART 130 (2-D Design) or ART 131 (3-D Design) or ART 140 (Drawing), ART 405 (Theory and Criticism), ART 494 (Seminar in Art History), and ART 390 (Contemporary Art). In addition, students must take 18 hours of elective courses with at least one course from each of the following five categories: Non-Western Art (ART 325, ART 407); Ancient and Medieval (ART 305, ART 316); Renaissance and Baroque Art (ART 314, ART 315, ART 401, ART 403); Eighteenth Century and Nineteenth Century Art (ART 312, ART 408, ART 409); Modern and Twentieth Century Art: (ART 313, ART 410). The following courses may also be taken as an elective; but are considered “free electives,” and do not satisfy any of the four category distributions listed above: ANTH 130, ANTH 432, ANTH 434, ANTH 448, ANTH 470 /FLK 470, ART 334, ART 445 /FLK 445, ENG 465, ENG 466, FLK 434, FLK 445, FLK 464, FREN 450, GERM 437, IDFM 151, IDFM 152, IDFM 332, IDFM 424, IDFM 434, IDFM 446, PHIL 102, PHIL 305, SPAN 490.

Program overview

Main Subject

Art and Design

Degree

Other

Study Level

Undergraduate

The Bachelor of Arts in Art History provides WKU students with a broad and thorough understanding of the history and function of the visual arts from ancient times to the present day. Majors will critically analyze paintings, prints, sculpture, architecture, and other visual media to investigate a range of historical and philosophical issues with which the arts have been deeply involved. As such, majors will gain an understanding of how visual practices proactively articulate and motivate rather than simply illustrate, record, or reiterate history. With an emphasis on reading, writing, research, and critical analysis the AB in Art History prepares students for a broad range of career possibilities. Visual arts-related career paths for art history majors include careers in museums, galleries, and auction-houses as curators, art appraisers, conservators, registrars, art educators, archivists, researchers, website designers, art administrators, marketing specialists, and grant writers. The major requires courses to be taken across a range of chronological periods, ensuring that graduates possess a broad understanding of the field, yet it also allows students to focus their studies on particular historical periods or geographical regions that interest them. A minor or second major is required. No more than 6 hours in the art history major may count toward a student’s minor. No grade of “D” or below may be counted toward the major. The program requires two introductory courses (ART 105 and ART 106) that provide foundational knowledge of the history of global art, one course (ART 130, ART 131, or ART 140) that familiarizes students with the fundamental concepts of art making, and a course in contemporary art that ensures students have a strong grounding in current trends. The two other required courses are a theory and methodology class (ART 405), and a capstone seminar (ART 494). To ensure significant breadth, among the six electives required for the major, at least one must be chosen from each of the five chronological categories. The remaining elective may be customized to accord with the research interests of the student, and allows for a significant degree of expansion into visually oriented coursework in other disciplines. Students are required to take the following 15 hours: ART 105 (History of Art to 1300), ART 106 (History of Art Since 1300), ART 130 (2-D Design) or ART 131 (3-D Design) or ART 140 (Drawing), ART 405 (Theory and Criticism), ART 494 (Seminar in Art History), and ART 390 (Contemporary Art). In addition, students must take 18 hours of elective courses with at least one course from each of the following five categories: Non-Western Art (ART 325, ART 407); Ancient and Medieval (ART 305, ART 316); Renaissance and Baroque Art (ART 314, ART 315, ART 401, ART 403); Eighteenth Century and Nineteenth Century Art (ART 312, ART 408, ART 409); Modern and Twentieth Century Art: (ART 313, ART 410). The following courses may also be taken as an elective; but are considered “free electives,” and do not satisfy any of the four category distributions listed above: ANTH 130, ANTH 432, ANTH 434, ANTH 448, ANTH 470 /FLK 470, ART 334, ART 445 /FLK 445, ENG 465, ENG 466, FLK 434, FLK 445, FLK 464, FREN 450, GERM 437, IDFM 151, IDFM 152, IDFM 332, IDFM 424, IDFM 434, IDFM 446, PHIL 102, PHIL 305, SPAN 490.

Admission requirements

6+

Tuition fee and scholarships

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