Art History
The department offers majors and minors in art history.
History of Art and Architecture Program
The curriculum in the history of art acquaints students with the visual culture of humankind through the ages: with works of art as individual organizations of shape, space and color and as cultural artifacts with a history and function within their societies linked to other forms of cultural production. The curriculum shares the studio programs concern with understanding the making of art, and the concern of other humanities departments with the variety of ways in which art has become a focus for discourse in the past and in the present. Students may enroll in one or more of the introductions to art and architecture or to the broader field of visual culture. They may also take more specialized historical courses in the art and architecture of a particular era, or of a particular geographical area, or topical courses on particular problems in the field.
The curriculum places the study of art within the broadest possible context, and in order to be well prepared, students are encouraged to take courses linked to their work and majors in other disciplines. The department encourages and advises students toward interdisciplinary studies and sponsors conferences and symposia to strengthen such links to other fields.
Binghamtons programs in the history of art and architecture prepare students not only for advanced graduate work in art and architectural history, but also for a broad range of professions and vocations in a variety of related fields. In the past, students completing degrees in the program have enrolled in history of art and architecture graduate programs in most major universities across the country (including, of course, Binghamtons own very distinctive graduate program). But many others have chosen to enter fields closely related to art history, such as curatorial practice, museum administration, museum education, art conservation or visual resources management, or work in commercial galleries, auction houses, archives and historic preservation.
Requirements for Art History Major
The undergraduate major in the Art History Department offers three specializations: Track A, art history; Track B, architecture and urban history; and Track C, pre-architecture.
The art history concentration prepares undergraduate majors for scholarly and professional work and study in the art world advanced graduate study, professional museum and gallery work, and arts administration careers.
The concentration in architecture and urban history prepares departmental majors for advanced study in the field, for careers in teaching, for professional work in such areas as historic preservation, and for civic administrative work in related areas.
The pre-architecture concentration prepares students for entry into professional graduate schools in architecture, design and urban planning.
Students who declare a specialization in art history normally take two courses from the introductory sequence (ARTH 101, 102, 103, or 104) in the freshman or sophomore year and then move into intermediate courses (ARTH 200 level) and advanced courses and seminars (ARTH 300 and 400 levels) that focus more intensely on particular periods and problems. The Seminar in Theory and Methods (ARTH 496) examines the discipline and its history from a theoretical and critical perspective. ARTH 496 is offered in the spring semester. The honors program offers students an opportunity to crystallize their studies in a carefully defined project supervised by a member of the art history faculty. Honors candidates must have a GPA of 3.5 in the major and must obtain the agreement of a member of the faculty to enroll for the course by presenting him or her with a short proposal outlining the proposed topic. Students not enrolled in Senior Honors must take an additional seminar course at the 400 level, excluding ARTH 496.
Fifty percent of the required coursework for the major must be in the upper division (ARTH 300 and above). Majors in art history may elect the Pass/Fail grade option in only two art history courses (or a total of eight credits). These courses may not include ARTH 496, Seminar in Theory and Methods, or ARTH 498-499, Senior Honors. Art history transfer credits are accepted toward the major in art history at the discretion of the department and do not exceed 12 credits. No more than four credit hours, equivalent to one of the required advanced-level courses, may be an independent study (ARTH 397). Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the major.
Track A: Art History Concentration
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credit hours |
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Lower level two from 101, 102, 103 or 104 |
8 |
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*Intermediate level 200 and above; 20 course credits |
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in total, no more than eight credits at the 200 level; at least |
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eight credits must be in each of: |
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Pre-1800 |
8 or 12 |
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Post-1800 |
8 or 12 |
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Seminar in Theory and Methods (ARTH 496) |
4 |
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Elective in studio practice |
4 |
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Additional 400-level course |
4 |
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or |
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Senior Honors (ARTH 498-499) |
8 |
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TOTAL |
40-44 |
Track B: Architecture and Urban History Concentration
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credit hours |
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Lower level two from 101 102 or 104, and 103 |
8 |
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*Intermediate level 200 and above; 20 course credits in total, no more than eight credits at the 200 level; |
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12 credits must be in the history of architecture, at least four credits in each of: |
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Pre-1800 |
4 to 16 |
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Post-1800 |
4 to 16 |
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Seminar in Theory and Methods (ARTH 496) |
4 |
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Art studio course in drawing |
4 |
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Additional 400 level course |
4 |
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or |
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Senior Honors (ARTH 498-499) |
8 |
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TOTAL |
40-44 |
Track C: Pre-Architecture Concentration
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credit hours |
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Lower level: 101, 102, or 104 and 103 |
8 |
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*Intermediate level |
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200 and above; 20 course credits in total, no more |
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than 8 credits at the 200 level; 12 credits must be in history |
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of architecture; at least four credits in each of: |
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Pre-1800 |
4 to 16 |
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Post-1800 |
4 to 16 |
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Seminar in Theory and Methods (ARTH 496) |
4 |
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Art studio courses: |
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intermediate-level drawing |
4 |
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elective |
4 |
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Additional 400-level course |
4 |
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or |
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Senior Honors (ARTH 498-499) |
8 |
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Required courses outside the department: MATH 221 |
4 |
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PHYS 121 |
4 |
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TOTAL |
52-56 |
*Two-credit courses may be counted toward the required credit hours.
Courses Outside the Department for Tracks A and B
All art history majors are advised to take at least two courses in other departments that relate specifically to their art historical work in one particular area: e.g. the history, politics and/or literature of a temporal or spatial period in art; courses in the theory of perception, aesthetics, sociology or anthropology, in relation to problems in art theory or the cultural context of art. This pattern of courses is developed with the students departmental adviser. In addition, the department strongly advises majors to acquire a reading knowledge of French or German.
Honors Program in Art History
The honors program in art history is an opportunity for qualified undergraduate students to pursue advanced work with an individual faculty member for two semesters during the senior year. Based upon the successful completion of the senior honors thesis and a demonstration of overall excellence in art history courses, the department will award the BA degree with honors in art history. Requirements for admission to the honors program are a 3.5 average in art history and related courses for the major concentration through the sixth semester and the approval of a faculty adviser, who will also supervise the two-semester project.
Students entering the honors program should contact a potential adviser in their area of interest several months before the start of the fall semester to ensure the acceptability of the project and the availability of the individual adviser. In the first semester, a topic is chosen and a formal proposal written under the supervision of the adviser, in accordance with departmental standards. This proposal is then approved and formally recorded in the minutes of the department faculty meetings. A copy of the proposal is normally sent to the chosen second reader of the thesis. Honors in Art History is a two-semester course (ARTH 498, 499). The first semester is dedicated to research and analysis, while the second is dedicated to the writing of the thesis.
Finished theses are bound and must meet the formatting requirements laid down by the department. At least two copies of the thesis must be provided, one for the library and one for the department. Students who wish to obtain a personal bound copy may do so for a fee. Earlier honors theses may be viewed in the library or through the departmental office.
Certificate in Art History
The certificate in art history consists of 24 credit hours, distributed as follows:
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credit hours |
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Two courses from ARTH 101, 102, 103 or 104 |
8 |
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Intermediate/advanced level ARTH 200 and above, of which |
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no more than four credit hours may be an Independent Study |
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(ARTH 397) |
12 |
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Seminar in Theory and Methods ARTH 496) |
4 |
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TOTAL |
24 |
Of the 24 total credits, at least 16 credit hours must be completed through department course offerings; the remaining eight credit hours may include art history transfer credits. A Pass/Fail grade option may be elected for only one art history course (or four credits). This course may not include ARTH 496, Seminar in Theory and Methods. Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the certificate.