Art History, BA

Art History (BA) Offered by the Department of Art, College of Arts and Sciences. Admission to the Program Formal admission to the major requires satisfactory completion (grades of C or better) of 12 credit hours of art history courses and departmental approval. 120 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better Completion of college writing requirement Completion of university mathematics requirement General Education Requirements A total of ten courses, consisting of two courses from each of the five foundational areas At least one course from Area Five: The Natural and Mathematical Sciences must include a laboratory science component No more than two courses may be taken in the same discipline Major Requirements 39 credit hours with grades of C or better including a minimum of 24 credit hours at the 300-level or above and at least 20 credit hours taken in residence at American University. Art history majors are advised to take at least 12 credit hours in elective courses that complement their interests in art history from studio art, American studies, anthropology, history, literature, music, or philosophy, or a minor in one of these fields. Students planning graduate study in art history are advised to attain a reading knowledge of French, Italian, or German to the intermediate level (or the equivalent of 12 credit hours at the college level). With approval of the art history advisor, two 3-credit courses taken through AU Abroad may be counted toward the major requirements. Course Requirements Required (18 credit hours) ARTH-105 Art: The Historical Experience FA1 (3) ARTH-205 Art of the Renaissance FA2 (3) ARTH-210 Modern Art: Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries FA1 (3) ARTH-225 Buddhist Arts of Asia FA1 (3) ARTH-400 Approaches to Art History (3) 3 credit hours in studio art Upper-level Electives (18 credit hours) 18 credit hours at the 300-level or above in Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, modern European, contemporary, and/or Asian art history 3 credit hours from the following: ARTH-490 Independent Study Project in Art History (1-3) ARTH-491 Internship (3) ARTH-520 Seminar in Art History (3) Other approved course at the 400 or 500-level Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor's/master's programs. See Combined Bachelor's and Master's Degrees for more information.