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Major Requirements

A major in the history of art is intended to make the student particularly qualified to interpret ideas presented in visual form throughout the past. In order to fulfill the requirements for a major in art history, students should complete the following:

  • Two (2) or three (3) semesters of foundation level introductory courses (ARHS 110,111,113,114).
  • Six (6) or five (5) intermediate-level courses, with at least one course in each of the following areas: ancient, medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, modern/American. (ARHS 220-279/ARHS 291-292 Special Topics)

Number of introductory and intermediate courses must equal eight (8); either two surveys and six intermediate courses OR three surveys and five intermediate courses

  • One (1) specialized seminar (ARHS 350-380/ARHS 391-392 Special Topics).
  • The Senior Seminar (ARHS 480) course offered first semester every year.
  • One (1) unit of studio art (ARTS 102,103,106,107, or a beginning level special topics course).
  • The Senior Exercise comprehensive examinations offered in February of spring term each year.

Please note the following:

  • One additional seminar can be substituted for an intermediate-level course in the same area.
  • Some Classics (CLAS), Anthropology (ANTH), American Studies (AMST), and History (HIST) courses can be substituted for .5 unit at the foundation or intermediate level.
  • Reading competence in a foreign language (completion of beginning-level courses, such as FREN 111-112 at Kenyon) is desirable. German is recommended for those students planning to pursue graduate study in art history.

FOUNDATION LEVEL
(.5 unit each)
(1 unit required)


ARHS 110 Survey of Art, Part I
ARHS 111 Survey of Art, Part II
ARHS 113 Survey of Architecture
ARHS 114 Introduction to Asian Art

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
(.5 unit each)
(3 units required, at least 2 before 1600 C.E.)

NOT ALL OF THESE COURSES ARE OFFERED EACH YEAR
(CHECK THE COURSE OF STUDY)

ARHS 216 writing ABOUT ART
ARHS 220 GREEK ART
ARHS 221 ROMAN ART
ARHS 222 NORTHERN RENAISSANCE ART
ARHS 223 EARLY RENAISSANCE ART IN ITALY
ARHS 224 HIGH RENAISSANCE IN ART
ARHS 225 BAROQUE ART IN ITALY, 1580-1650
ARHS226 MODERN ART I: ROCCO TO IMPRESSIONISM
ARHS 227 AMERICAN ART TO 1865
ARHS 228 HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ARHS 230 MODERN ART II: SYMBOLISM TO SURREALISM
ARHS 231 MODERN ART III: ART SINCE 1945
ARHS 233 EARLY CHRISTIAN/BYZANTINE ART
ARHS 234 ROMANESQUE AND GOTHIC ART
ARHS 235 ART OF CHINA
ARHS 238 MODERN CHINESE ART 1840-1949
ARHS 242 ETERNAL GLORIES:MONUMENTS, MUSEUMS, & CHURCHES OF ROME
ARHS 243 FLORENCE: A SOCIAL & CULTURAL HISTORY
ARHS 279 ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FROM EGYPT TO THE MIDDLE AGES
ARHS 291-292 SPECIAL TOPICS
AMST 109 AMERICAN ART & CULTURE, 1900-1945

Intermediate-level courses presuppose a familiarity with key monuments in each period, and an overall familiarity with the general concerns of each period. The scope of the course may vary from year to year at the discretion of the instructor. The focus will be on the particular values, which formed the main artistic challenges of each period. The relation of art and artists to society, to the history of events and ideas, and to the culture of preceding periods and neighboring areas will be examined. There will be more emphasis on discussion and individual research than in introductory courses.

SEMINARS
(.5 unit each)
(.5 unit required)

Not all of these course are offered each year
(check the course of study)

ARHS 350 SEMINAR: HISTORY OF COLLECTING
ARHS 371 MUSEUM STUDIES
ARHS 373 TOPICS IN ANCIENT ART
ARHS 374 TOPICS IN MEDIEVAL ART
ARHS 375 TOPICS IN RENAISSANCE /BAROQUE ART
ARHS 376 SEMINAR: BOOKS & PRINTING
ARHS 377 TOPICS IN MODERN ART
ARHS 378 TOPICS IN AMERICAN ART
ARHS 379 TOPICS IN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
ARHS 380 ROME AND ITS CULTURE: ROME IN THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION
ARHS 391-392 SPECIAL TOPICS SEMINAR
AMST SENIOR SEMINAR IN AMERICAN STUDIES (WHEN CROSS-LISTED WITH ART HISTORY IN CERTAIN YEARS)

Topics of seminars may vary from year to year. They will be more specific in scope than the intermediate level courses. Students will have the opportunity to work at different levels, depending upon their preparation. One seminar in the appropriate area may be substituted for an intermediate course.

SENIOR SEMINAR, ARHS 480 (.5 unit)

ARHS 480, Senior Seminar, is required of all senior majors and will serve as a capstone to their study of art history. Students will study the foundations of the discipline, explore, the variety of methodological approaches employed by art historians, and assess current theoretical issues that have dramatically redefined the field. The course will be offered each fall.

STUDIO ART
(.5 unit)
(1 unit required)

ARTS 102 DRAWING I
ARTS 103 SCULPTURE I
ARTS 106 PHOTOGRAPHY I
ARTS 107 DIGITAL IMAGING I
THE BASIC COURSES ABOVE (OR EQUIVALENT) MAY BE TAKEN AT ANY TIME.

SUBSTITUTIONS

The art history faculty has determined that certain courses taught in other departments such as History, Classics, and American Studies may be counted as meeting various art history department requirements for the major. Questions about this year's offerings should be directed to the chair of the art history program. Art history majors should see their advisers regarding how this may apply.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
(Recommended)

Knowledge of languages other than English is important for research into both primary and secondary sources for the history of art. Consequently, the student who wishes to major in the history of art should undertake (or continue) study in at least one foreign language. Latin, French, German, and Italian are the most relevant. Greek, Japanese, and Chinese (also offered) may also be relevant. Students interested in graduate study in art history are advised to take German.