Art History Program

The discipline of Art History is object-based cultural history that is, at the same time, informed by other historical sources including written texts, archival documents, archaeology and oral history, as well as other art forms such as music and dance. It is founded on the premise that artifacts embody, reflect and shape the beliefs and values of the persons who made, commissioned, and used them. Unlike exclusively text-based historical disciplines, Art History documents and interprets changes in human society by taking works of art and other objects of material culture as its primary sources. But since these objects can only be fully understood within the social, economic, political, and religious contexts in which they were produced and used, Art History further requires the critical analysis and interpretation of other historical sources to illuminate these contexts. Art History, therefore, is inherently interdisciplinary.

Major Requirements: The Art History major has two distinct programs of concentration: (1) the histories of European, American, and African art, and (2) the histories of different traditions in Asian art.  All majors are required to take one 100-level course as an introduction to the discipline and nine semester-length courses numbered 200 or above including a minimum of two seminars (i.e., courses numbered 300-399). Beginning with the class of 2012, all majors also will be required to take the Senior Colloquium (in the fall of senior year); this course counts as one of the nine required courses numbered 200 or above.

Majors must take at least five of their nine upper-level courses at Wesleyan. Art History courses taken at other universities must be pre-approved in writing by the student’s advisor before they can be counted toward the major requirements. One or two of the required nine upper-level courses may be courses relevant to the student’s area(s) of interest taught at Wesleyan outside the Art History program.  Students must obtain prior written approval from their faculty advisor before taking such courses as part of their major program. All Art History majors are encouraged to take at least one course in archaeology as part of the major.

Concentration in the history of European, American, or African art: The nine upper-level courses required of the major must include at least one course in each of the following historical periods: classical; medieval; Renaissance and Baroque; and modern. In addition, majors must take at least one course in the areas of Asian or African art. Beginning with the class of 2012, students also must take the Senior Colloquium.

Concentration in the history of Asian art:  Students must take at least five Asian Art History courses numbered 200 or above, at least one of which should be a departmental seminar treating Asian art, and two courses in the European, American, or African traditions.  A second ARHA seminar is further required to complete the major. Students who concentrate in the history of Asian art are strongly urged to take at least one course outside the department dealing with the history or culture of pre-modern Asia. Beginning with the class of 2012, students also must take the Senior Colloquium.

The Senior Colloquium: is a 1-credit course on the theory and methods of Art History as a discipline. Beginning with the class of 2012, it will be required of all majors, who are expected to take this course in the fall of their senior year. In rare instances, junior majors may be permitted to enroll upon application.

Language requirement:  Demonstrated proficiency is required in at least one foreign language for completion of the major. Proficiency is defined as a minimum of two full years of study at the college level, or the equivalent, as measured by a placement test administered by the language department in question. German, French, and Italian are normally considered the most valuable for study in the discipline.  Generally speaking, Spanish is not recommended as a means of satisfying the language requirement, since Iberian and Latin American art are not represented in the curriculum.  Students concentrating in the history of Asian art may use a relevant Asian language to satisfy the language requirement.  Majors considering graduate study in Art History should plan to acquire a reading knowledge of German and French before entering graduate school. Students planning to pursue graduate study in Asian art should begin the study of an Asian language as soon as possible.

Honors:  The Honors Program in Art History is designed to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue a long-term scholarly research project in an area of particular interest. The research project can take the form of either a year-long senior thesis or a one-semester senior essay (see below), but in either case, candidates for honors are also required to earn a minimum GPA of B+ for their major course work and to be compliant with the University's General Education expectations (through Stage II). The senior thesis/essay does not replace the Senior Colloquium or either of the two required seminar courses.  Students wishing to consider an honors project must discuss their research interests with a member of the Art History faculty and secure the professor's agreement to serve as tutor for the project by the last day of classes of the student's junior year. After consulting with the tutor, the student is expected to carry out preliminary research during the course of the summer and is required to submit a detailed proposal and preliminary bibliography for the project by the first day of classes of the fall term of the senior year. No one who fails to meet these minimal requirements will be allowed to pursue honors. The two options for honors projects are:

1. A senior thesis: A two-term project involving substantial research and writing on a topic agreed upon by the student in consultation with a faculty member who will serve as tutor for the thesis. The senior thesis courses for honors in the major are ARHA409 (fall) and ARHA410 (spring).

2. A senior essay: A single-semester essay project may be undertaken for honors in lieu of a year-long thesis project, but it must be based on a research paper on the same topic, written by the candidate in the context of earlier coursework. This will ensure that preliminary research has been completed before the essay tutorial has begun. The essay must represent a considerable expansion and refinement of the earlier work, involving additional research and new argumentation, and not just a revision of the earlier paper. Essay projects may only be undertaken in the fall semester and must be completed by the last day of the reading period of the fall semester to be considered for honors. The senior essay course for honors in the major is ARHA403 (fall).

 Both senior theses and senior essays must conform to the University's general requirements and deadlines for honors in the senior year, as administered through the Honors Coordinator. Each year's honors candidates will present 20-minute public talks based on their theses or essays. These talks will normally be held in April of the senior year and will be developed in consultation with the students' faculty tutors. For more information and an application form, see the document "Honors in Art History: Regulations and Procedures," available in the department office.

Courses taken outside of Wesleyan:  Students who are unusually well prepared seek reputable foreign study as an adjunct to the major.  All study abroad must be pre-approved by the Office of International Studies (in order to receive Wesleyan credit) and by the student's major advisor (in order to receive credit toward the major requirements).  Study at other educational institutions in the United States must also be pre-approved by the student's major advisor.  In the case of non-Wesleyan affiliated programs, transfer of major credit will be awarded only if the student submits a course description and/or syllabus in advance of taking the course and also provides an example of a substantial written assignment for each course for which s/he desires credit.  This should be submitted to the faculty member who teaches in the most closely related field.  In the case of study abroad programs focusing on cultural areas beyond the major advisor's expertise, the student will be expected to consult with an appropriate member of the Art History faculty.

Requirements for acceptance to the major:  Students interested in the Art History major should consult with the faculty person they would like to have serve as their advisor or with the director of the Art History program if their prospective advisor is on sabbatical or leave. This should be done early in the spring semester of sophomore year. Students must complete an application (available from the faculty or the administrative assistant in the program) for major status in the Art History program and present it to the prospective advisor or to the director of the program. By the end of the sophomore year, a prospective major should plan to have taken one 100-level introductory course and at least two other courses in Art History. For admission to the major, the student must have a B average in courses taken in Art History and a B average overall.

Advanced Placement credit:  A student who has completed an Advanced Placement Art History course or its equivalent while in secondary school, and has achieved a grade of 5 in the art history AP examination will be granted one AP course credit, but only after completing an intermediate-level (numbered 200 or above) course in Art History at Wesleyan, and receiving a grade of B+ or higher.  Credit is not awarded for a score of less than 5. (The awarding of AP credit does not exempt a student from the 100-level course requirement).

Education in the Field: Students interested in pursuing museum internships may apply for Education in the Field credit. In order to be approved, the internship must involve work that is the equivalent in intellectual content and rigor to a Wesleyan Art History course, as demonstrated in substantive research and writing. Students are expected to provide a description of the project(s) they will be working on and the name of their supervisor who will coordinate the project with an on-campus advisor. Students also must provide examples of the work they did when they return to campus before credit is given. Note, too, that the university charges additional tuition for Education-in-the Field credits taken in the summer or while on an authorized leave of absence during the academic year.