Undergraduate Requirements

Major Requirements

(These requirements were updated on September 10, 2025. Students should check degree requirements for their entry year in the .)

Art History Track Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the following requirements for the Art History track                         (40 credits total, including 24 upper-level credits):

A. Introductory Courses (8 credits total)

Credits

Students take two introductory courses from the following four options:

     8

B. Art History Courses (24 credits total)

  
  • Six ARTH courses at the 200 level or above, which must include:
    • At least 16 credits of advanced (300 level or above) coursework. Of this, at least 8 credits must be “pre-1800†and 8 credits must be “post-1800â€.
    • At least 12 credits in “History of Architectureâ€. Of this, at least 4 credits must be “pre-1800 History of Architecture†and 4 credits must be “post-1800 History of Architectureâ€.
     24

C. Seminar or Thesis Requirement (8 credits total)

  
    • Either of the following:
      • Two additional ARTH seminars at the 400 level or above; OR
      • Two senior honors thesis courses (ARTH 498 and ARTH 499)
      8
Total     40

*Please note: 2-credit courses may count toward total required credits.

Architecture and Urban Studies Track Course Requirements

Students must fulfill the following requirements for the Art History track                     (52 credits total, including 24 upper-level credits):

A. Introductory Courses (8 credits total)

Credits
  • One introductory architecture course:
  • One additional introductory course, chosen from: , ARTH 110 or ARTH 111
      8

B. Art History Courses (20 credits total)

  
  • Five ARTH courses at the 200 level or above, which must include:
    • At least 16 credits of advanced (300 level or above) coursework
    • At least 12 credits in “History of Architectureâ€. Of this, at least 4 credits must be “pre-1800 History of Architecture†and 4 credits must be “post-1800 History of Architectureâ€.
     20

C. Seminar or Thesis Requirements (4-8 credits total)

  
  • Either of the following:
    • Two additional 400-level architecture and urban studies seminars; OR
    • Two senior honors thesis courses (ARTH 498 and ARTH 499)
    4 - 8

D. Electives (16 credits total)

  
  • One general physics course (PHYS 121 or PHYS 131) (4 credits)
  • One drawing course (ARTS 171 or by advising) (4 credits)
  • One additional Art History course at the 200-level (4 credits)
  • Two calculus courses (MATH 224 and MATH 225) (4 credits)
     16
Total     52

*Please note: 2-credit courses may count toward total required credits.

Additional Information About the Program

At least 24 credits of the required coursework for the major must be 300-level or above. No more than four credit hours, equivalent to one of the required advanced-level courses, may be an independent study (ARTH 397).

Students majoring in art history may elect the Pass/ Fail grade option in only two ARTH courses (or a total of 8 credits). These courses may not include the Honors Thesis (ARTH 498-499). Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill the requirements for the major.

Transfer credits toward the art history major must be reviewed by the department. A maximum of 16 credits at the 100- or 200-levels may be accepted. Students must take no fewer than five upper-level courses/20 upper-level credits in residence.

All art history majors are advised to take at least two courses in other departments that relate specifically to their art historical work. Such courses might include the history, politics, and/or literature of a temporal period or geographical region or courses in philosophy, sociology, or anthropology. In addition, the department strongly advises majors to acquire a reading knowledge of French, German, or another research language appropriate to their field of interest. Courses should be selected with the advice of the student’s departmental advisor. The department also encourages the pursuit of study-abroad opportunities related to research interests, when feasible.