Requirements for Concentration in Art History:

The major consists of a minimum of 12 units. 10 units, including ART 105 -ART 106 , must be graded art history courses taken at Vassar. 2 units may be taken in studio art or architectural design, or may be transferred from work completed outside of Vassar, such as courses taken during Junior Year Abroad.

Distribution:

6 units at the 200-level must be divided equally between groups A, B, and C. 3 units must be in 300-level art history courses: two seminars in different art historical groups and ART 301  (senior project). 300-level seminars are to be selected on the basis of courses in the same area already taken on the 200-level. Majors are urged to take a 300-level seminar before ART 301 .

A: Ancient, Medieval, Asian art

B: Italian and Northern Renaissance and baroque art, Renaissance and baroque architecture (ART 270 , ART 271 ), American art (ART 249 )

C: Nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century art, American art (ART 251 , ART 266 ), nineteenth century to contemporary architecture (ART 272 , ART 273 ), African art

Departmental and interdisciplinary courses that do not conform to the groupings listed above may be applied to the distribution requirements upon approval of the student’s major adviser.

Ungraded/NRO work may not be used to satisfy the requirements for the art history concentration.

Senior Year Requirements:

ART 301  and 1 additional unit at the 300-level. Majors concentrating in art history are required to write a senior essay, based upon independent research and supervised by a member of the department. Petitions for exemption from this requirement, granted only in special circumstances, must be submitted to the chair in writing by the first day of classes in the A semester.

Recommendations:

The selection and sequence of courses for the major should be planned closely with the major adviser. Students are advised to take courses in the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture, and are strongly encouraged to take at least one studio course. Students considering graduate study in art history are advised to take courses in foreign languages: German, and the Romance, Classical, or Asian languages, depending on areas of interest. Students interested in careers in architectural design, preservation, or architectural history should consult with members of the Art Department faculty with special interests in architecture (Nicholas Adams, Tobias Armborst, Harry Roseman, Andrew Tallon). Special programs in art history and art studio can be devised to prepare students for graduate study in these areas.