Art History, BA

Location(s): Main Campus

The curriculum in Art History acquaints students with the visual and built culture of humankind through the ages. Students will gain an understanding of the making of art and architecture and the variety of ways in which art and architecture have become a focus for discourse in the past and the present. The curriculum places the study of art and architecture 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 major offers two tracks: the art history track and the architecture and urban studies track. The art history track prepares undergraduate majors for scholarly and professional work and study in the art world, including advanced graduate study, professional museum and gallery work, and careers in arts administration. The architecture and urban studies track prepares departmental majors for advanced study in the field for careers in teaching and professional work in such areas as architectural design, urban planning, interior design, historic preservation, and civic administrative work in related areas.

Program Requirements

University General Education Requirements

All Binghamton University undergraduate students are required to fulfill this set of university-wide requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of a SUNY university undergraduate education. Please refer to the General Education page for more information.

Harpur College Requirements

All students in Harpur College must fulfill additional requirements designated by Harpur College to complement and extend the general education requirements. Please refer to the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences page for more information.

Major Requirements

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)

Students take two introductory courses from the following four options:

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. Of this, at least 8 credits must be “pre-1800” and 8 credits must be “post-1800”.

C. Fine Arts Requirement (4 credits total)

One fine arts course (ARTS, CINE, MUS or THEA)

D. 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)

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)

One introductory architecture course: ARTH 103
One additional introductory course, chosen from: ARTH 102 , ARTH 110 or ARTH 111

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 Architecture”. Of this, at least 4 credits must be “pre-1800 History of Architecture” and 4 credits must be “post-1800 History of Architecture”.

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)

D. Electives (16 credits total)

One general physics course (PHYS 121 or PHYS 131) (4 credits)
One drawing course (ARTS 171 or by advising) AND One additional studio arts production course (8 credits)
Two calculus courses (MATH 224 and MATH 225) (4 credits)

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.

NOTE: Students who have previously been convicted of a felony are advised that this may impede their ability to study abroad. Students who have concerns about such matters are advised to contact the Office of International Education and Global Initiatives.

For more information on the Art History BA program, please refer to the Art History website. To apply to the Art History BA program, please visit the University Admissions website.