Art History, BA

The undergraduate major in Art History offers broad-based training in Global Art History and Euro-American traditions, as well as experience of studio practice, which we believe is essential to art historical training more broadly. The major is designed to prepare students for entry into graduate school or for entry-level positions in galleries and museums. The Art History program is committed to the study of art outside of the classroom through visits to major museums and galleries and architectural sites in Boston and New York City. There is also potential for art history sponsored/curated exhibitions to be held within the gallery context of the department and the university. An established history of exhibitions enhances classroom instruction. In addition, visiting artists and related art programs are made possible each year by a generous gift from the Class of 1936.

Learning Outcomes

Grade Requirement

Students majoring in art history must achieve a minimum grade of “C-” in all of the required courses within the art program, repeating courses if necessary to achieve the required grade.

Course Requirements

Foundation courses (6 credits)

Studio art foundation courses (6 credits)

Complete at least two courses, selected from the following:

Art history courses (27 credits)

Art history electives (9 credits)

Complete one course, selected from the following:
ARTH 203 - American Art and Architecture
ARTH 205 - Asian Art Survey: India, China and Japan (if not taken to fulfill the Art History course requirement above)
ARTH 206 - Global History of Architecture
ARTH 211 - Monuments as Cultural Symbols and Emblems of Power
ARTH 212 - Art and Culture in Latin America: From Independence to the Present (if not taken to fulfill the Art History course requirement above)
ARTH 214 - Global Art History Study Tour
ARTH 215 - Themes in the Visual Arts
ARTH 217 - African-American Art
ARTH 218 - History of Photography
ARTH 219 - Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture (if not taken to fulfull the Art History course requirement above)
ARTH 288 - Buddhist Art and Architecture (if not taken to fulfill the Art History course requirement above)
Complete two courses, selected from the following:
ARTH 340 - Art after 1989: Contested Subjects, Histories and Places (if not taken to fulfill the Art History course requirement above)
ARTH 485 - Honors Thesis in Art History
ARTH 492 - Topics in Art History
ARTH 498 - Internship in Art History
ARTH 499 - Directed Study in Art History

Cognate courses (12 credits)

Foreign language courses (6 credits)

Complete a two-semester sequence of an introductory foreign language or its equivalent, chosen in consultation with the student’s academic advisor.

Note: SACHEM consortium courses and study abroad courses are available for transfer purposes. See Cross-Registration Programs in the Undergraduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.

History course (3 credits)

In consultation with an advisor, complete one history course at the 400-level.

Anthropology course (3 credits)

In consultation with an advisor, complete one course from the following:

Total minimum credits: 60

Core Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 120 earned credit hours is required for graduation. These earned hours include the Core Curriculum Requirements as specified in the Core Curriculum section of this catalog and at the Core Curriculum website, www.bridgew.edu/corecurriculum. For additional graduation requirements, see the Undergraduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.