Art History, B.A.
Program Description
The Art History program prepares students to see images with precision, to describe how and what the images express, and to interpret them in terms of the culture that produced them. Our many courses provides the broad historical frameworks to understand art in all its forms: painting, sculpture, architecture, landscape architecture, minor arts and more. Students work with physical objects in museum and gallery collections, as well as in the urban spaces, and write persuasively about them.
Our program offers:
- Foundational survey courses in the history of Western art
- A choice of courses dedicated to the art of specific historical periods or cultures, including cultures from around the globe, and to certain issues or concerns throughout the history of art
- Internships and Exhibition Seminars in which students gain real-world experience working in galleries or museums
- Small classes and accessible faculty advisers and mentors and alumni
- A Capstone project tailored to the students' individual interests
Why take this major?
You are a good candidate to major in Art History if you:
- are visually perceptive and wonder about the significance of the visual world around you
- love visiting art museums and galleries
- are interested in learning about other cultures and traveling to explore the art of different countries
- want to pursue a career in which visual acuity is needed, such as in the health sciences, marketing, or law enforcement
- might have a talent for making art
- want to sharpen your skills at critical thinking, written and oral communication, and problem-solving
...and if you want to work in the following types of careers working in/as:
- Museums
- Operations Management, Directorship, and Development
- Object Registration and Collections Management
- Curation and Exhibition Design
- Art Educator in a Museum
- Retail
- Galleries
- Art Auction Houses
- Art or Art History Education
- Arts Administration
- Art Therapy
- Art Consultancy
- Art Appraisal
- Art Conservation
- Publishing and Journalism
- Graduate level study in any humanistic discipline
Degree Earned
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Required for Graduation
- Courses
- Major: 12
- Credits
- Major: 36
- Total: 120
- GPA
- Major: 2.0
- Cumulative: 2.0
Student Learning Outcomes
- Recall and apply the basic terms of the discipline
- Demonstrate knowledge of major works of art or iconic images, and important artists, movements, and periods
- Perform close visual analysis of images using formal and iconographic tools
- Evaluate the inter-relationship between an image and its historical, social, intellectual and cultural contexts
- Write critically and clearly about a work of art or iconic image, and conduct research using primary and/or secondary sources
- Engage in hands-on experiences in art museums or cultural sites in Philadelphia
- Evaluate the different methodological approaches to art history
Progress Chart
Level One - Core Courses
12 courses and 2 modules required.
Major Requirements
Major requirements include 4 Level Two ILO requirements, fulfilled through the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Level One - Core Courses | ||
| Universal Required Courses | ||
| Students must complete the following 4 courses. | ||
| ILO 8.1: Written Communication | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing I: Persuasion | 3 |
| ILO 5.1: Information Literacy | ||
| ENG 210 | College Writing II: Research | 3 |
| ILO 1.1: Understanding Diverse Perspectives | ||
| FYS 130 | First-Year Academic Seminar 1 | 3 |
| ILO 2.1: Reflective Thinking and Valuing | ||
| REL 100 | Religion Matters | 3 |
| Elective Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. | ||
| ILO 3.1a: Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 4 | |
| ILO 3.1b: Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 6.1: Technological Competency | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 8.1a/12.1: Oral Communication/Collaborative Engagement | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Distinct Discipline Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. Each course must be from a different discipline. (A "discipline" is represented by the 3- or 4-letter prefix attached to each course.) | ||
| ILO 4.1: Critical Analysis and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 9.1: Creative and Artistic Expression | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 10.1: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| ILO 11.1: Cultural and Global Awareness and Sensitivity | ||
| Choose course within ILO | 3 | |
| Universal Required Modules | ||
| Students must complete the following 2 non-credit modules. 2 | ||
| ILO 7.1a | ||
| Health Literacy Module | ||
| ILO 7.1b | ||
| Financial Literacy Module | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| Level Two | ||
| Students must complete 1 course/learning experience in each of the 4 commitments. | ||
| ILO 2.2: Broader Identity (Capstone Course/Experience) | ||
| ARTH 460 | Internship (ILO 2.2) | 3 |
| or ARTH 480 | Exhibition Seminar | |
| Select one ILO from 3.2a, 3.2b, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2a, or 7.2b: Expanded Literacies | ||
| ARTH 380 | Research Topics in Art History (ILO 4.2) | 3 |
| ILO 8.2b: Effective Expression (Writing-Intensive Course) | ||
| ARTH 316 | Women and Art (ILO 8.2b) | 3 |
| or ARTH 322 | Topics in American Art | |
| Select one ILO from 10.2, 11.2, or 12.2: Active Responsibility | ||
| ARTH 340 | Art and Culture (ILO 11.2) | 3 |
| or ARTH 370 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| All Other Required Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Art History | ||
| History of Art I, II | ||
| History of Art I, II | ||
| 5 ARTH 200- or 300-level courses | 15 | |
| Choose 1: an ART course or another ARTH 200- or 300-level course | 3 | |
| ARTH 316 | Women and Art | 3 |
| or ARTH 322 | Topics in American Art | |
| ARTH 340 | Art and Culture | 3 |
| or ARTH 370 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| ARTH 380 | Research Topics in Art History | 3 |
| ARTH 460 | Internship | 3 |
| or ARTH 480 | Exhibition Seminar | |
| Free Electives | ||
| In addition to the requirements listed above, students must take enough courses to the fulfill graduation credit requirements for their School and major. | ||
| Total Credits | 82 | |
- 1
NOTE. The following students use Level 2 Capstone Experience in Major instead of FYS 130 First-Year Academic Seminar: Honors, BUSCA, Core-to-Core, Transfer, and Non-Traditional/Evening.
- 2
The Modules are not required for Transfer Students, Core-to-Core Students, or BUSCA Students. BUSCA students are required to take modules if/when they pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Recommended Course Sequence
Fall Year 1:
- ARTH 150 Introduction to Art History (ILO 9.1)
Spring Year 1:
- Two Upper-Level Electives
Fall Year 2:
- Two Upper-Level Electives
Spring Year 2:
- Two Upper-Level Electives
Fall Year 3:
- Two Upper-Level Electives
Spring Year 3:
- One Upper-Level Electives
Fall Year 4:
- ARTH 480 Exhibition Seminar
Spring Year 4:
- ARTH 460 Internship (Capstone)
Dual Major Requirements
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Art History as a Dual Major: 10 courses
- Choose 2 of 3:
- 5 courses in ARTH at the 200- or 300-level (ARTH 460 Internship or ARTH 480 Exhibition Seminar may also be considered for the dual major)
- Choose 1: 1 course in ART or another ARTH course at the 200- or 300-level
- ARTH 316 Women and Art or ARTH 322 Topics in American Art
- Choose 1: ARTH 340 Art and Culture or ARTH 370 Special Topics in Art History
Course Descriptions
Art History
This course will introduce students to basic elements of visual literacy through the exploration of art history in a variety of cultural traditions, geographic locations, and chronological periods. Students will learn about principles of design, form, and iconography while exploring the art of different societies and cultures.
This course is a chronological survey of architecture, painting, sculpture, and minor arts from major cultures, especially in the West. Emphasis is on identification and comprehension of styles, monuments, and traditions. ARTH 201 covers pre-historic art to ca. 1400; ARTH 202 covers the Renaissance to the 21st century.
This course is a chronological survey of architecture, painting, sculpture, and minor arts from major cultures, especially in the West. Emphasis is on identification and comprehension of styles, monuments, and traditions. ARTH 201 covers pre-historic art to ca. 1400; ARTH 202 covers the Renaissance to the 21st century.
This course is a study of the art and architecture of selected early civilizations from about the 13th Century BC to the 4th Century AD, emphasizing Greek, Roman, and other Aegean and Mediterranean cultures.
This course examines the development of the visual arts from the late Roman period to the late Gothic of the 15th century. Special emphasis is on the establishment of Christian iconography.
This course is a study of Renaissance painting, sculpture, and architecture of Italy from 1250 to 1570. Emphasis will be on the social, economic, religious, and political conditions in which the art of the age participates.
This course addresses major styles and trends in the visual arts of Western Europe during the 17th Century. Emphasis will be on the social, economic, religious and political conditions in which the art of the age participates.
This course focuses on painting's evolution, content, and style, from circa 1780 to the turn of the 20th century. Emphasis is on the major movements: Neoclassism, Romanticism, Realism and Impressionism.
This course is a study of developments in late 19th- and early 20th-century art as they pertain to the rise of Modernism. Movements examined include Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, and Surrealism. While the focus will be on painting and sculpture, related developments in architecture and the decorative arts may also be considered.
This survey course introduces American art through the study of selected artists and works of art, many of them in local museums. It traces the evolution of American art from Native American beginnings, through the Colonial and Federal periods, and concluding in the World War II era.
This course is a study of the types and styles of American architecture from the Colonial to the Post-modern periods. Some emphasis is placed on urban and garden architecture, including that of Philadelphia. Field trips to significant architectural sites are included.
An examination of the visual culture of Latin America beginning with the Spanish and Portuguese arrival and colonization of the New World to the present. It will encompass the study of painting, sculpture, graphics, architecture and other visual media from Mesoamerica, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, as well as Chicano art production in the United States.
A study of the history and evolution of the museum and an examination of its main objectives. Topics include the mission and function of art museums--collection, care of objects, exhibition, and education--as well as the politics of interpretation and display. Site visits to local art museums and presentations by museum professionals from the area are required.
The topics in this course vary from semester to semester. It may be repeated for credit if the material is essentially different.
A survey of the history of photography from its invention to the present. It addresses photography as an artistic medium, a social text, a technological adventure and a cultural practice. Important contributors to photography's history, as well as iconic images, will be examined. Ethical issues prompted by the creation and consumption of photographs will be addressed.
This course explores the common goals of art and medicine with representations of health, anatomy, and medical issues throughout the history of art. Students hone the skills shared by the disciplines of art history and the health sciences, a type of visual literacy that requires a keen sense of observation and an analysis of social context.
This course encourages students to think critically about the contributions of women artists, collectors, critics, models, and viewers to the fields of art and art history. This course requires that students look beyond the traditional models of art criticism to consider how gender has shaped women's artistic practices and responses.
This course evaluates art of the late 20th and 21st Centuries in terms of a particular idea or issue. Topics include: Art & Identity in a Global World, and Art & Social Justice in the Contemporary World.
This is an advanced course that takes an in-depth look at a particular topic in American Art. Possible subjects include The Hudson River School, and Picturing Ecology in America.
This course takes an in-depth look at the art of one particular culture. It offers a thematic approach to understanding art in a cultural context. Past topics include Art of Asia, Irish Art & Rebellion, and Art & Politics of World War II.
Topics in this course will vary from semester to semester. It may be repeated for credit if the material is essentially different.
This course focuses on an analysis and application of methods used in art criticism and research, with the emphasis on writing. Subjects will vary, depending on student interests.
This course provides the student with an opportunity to do research with a faculty member. The student and the faculty member agree on the research project before the student registers for the course.
This course is a continuation of the 444 research course. It provides the student with an opportunity to continue to conduct research with a faculty member.
The internship is designed to give art history students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the art field. Students will meet regularly with a faculty member during their internship.
This course is for those with an interest in museum studies. It gives students practical training in anticipation of a museum or gallery career. The outcome of the course is an art exhibition, most often in the La Salle University Art Museum.
Program Contact Information
Kelly Madden Daily, Chair
Communication Center, Room 223
daily@lasalle.edu
(215) 951-1821