Art History
Students must take a minimum of 18 credit hours for the minor, at least 12 of which must be upper-division hours. Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division hours toward the appropriate minor.
Students may contact the academic advisor in their major for a list of the courses that satisfy each minor.
Courses that satisfy the Art History minor are listed below.
Students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours from the following courses and are responsible for completing all prerequisite courses.
ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts (3 semester hours) This course introduces students to the physical and intellectual demands required of the author, the performer, and the visual artist. This introduction includes, but is not limited to, the student’s production of a creative project as well as written assessments of art and performance. (3-0) Y
AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval (3 semester hours) An introduction to painting, sculpture, and architecture in the West from prehistory through the late Middle Ages and including the achievements of the ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Medieval cultures. Monuments will be studied within their historical, religious, and social contexts, with particular focus on the role of art in society and on the development of style. (3-0) Y
AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern (3 semester hours) An introduction to painting, sculpture, and architecture in the West from the Renaissance to the modern period, including work by such artists as Michelangelo, Rembrandt, the Impressionists, and Picasso. Artists and monuments will be studied within their historical, religious, and social contexts, with particular focus on the role of art in society and on the development of style. (3-0) Y
AHST 2331 Understanding Art (3 semester hours) An investigation into the nature of the visual arts with an emphasis on the issues and ideas that artists explore through their work and how these ideas translate into the artwork.Attention will be given to the interpretation or “reading” of the artwork and how it may relate to society. (3-0) Y
AHST 2390 Topics in Art History (3 semester hours) Subjects will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) R
AHST 3315 The Art of the Renaissance (3 semester hours) Studies in the art and architecture of Italy and Northern Europe during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Special attention is paid to the role of patronage, the developing self consciousness of the artist, and the importance of new techniques. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3316 The Art of the Baroque (3 semester hours) Studies in the art and architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. Emphasis is on the social and religious bases of the baroque styles and on the impact of certain artistic personalities, such as Bernini, Rubens, Velazquez, and Rembrandt. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3317 Pioneers of Modern Art (3 semester hours) Focus on the work of the Post Impressionists (Seurat, Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Cézanne) and the Symbolists with special emphasis on the artist’s contribution to the discourse of ideas and the crisis of meaning in the late 19th century. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3318 Contemporary Art (3 semester hours) An issue oriented class in which a selection of recent developments in art serve to introduce the ideas and aims of postmodernism. Special attention is given to those artists who are concerned with representation and the visual element in social constructs. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3319 Twentieth Century European Art: Avant-Garde and Aftermath (3 semester hours) The situation of the European avant garde before and after its explosive center point of World War I. Special emphasis will be given to the breakthrough of abstraction and modernism’s problematic relation to tradition. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3320 Art in Historical Context (3 semester hours) Studies in the arts and/or architecture of such eras as ancient Greece and Rome or the 18th and 19th centuries. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 3324 History of Photography (3 semester hours) Photography, from 1825 to the present, as a study of evolving styles, stressing key turning points and contributing factors and focusing on a background of the modern art movement and the psychology and events of the times. Critical analysis of the work of various photographers will be included. Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301. (3-0) T
AHST 4342 Topics in Art History (3 semester hours) Subjects will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit as topics vary (6 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Three hours of lower-division AHST coursework or ARTS 1301, AHST 1303, or AHST 1304. (3-0) R
AHST 4399 Senior Honors in Art History (3 semester hours) Intended for students conducting independent research for honors theses or projects. Signature of instructor on proposed project outline required. (3-0) R
AHST 4V71 Independent Study in Art History (1-3 semester hours) Independent study under a faculty member’s direction. Signature of instructor on proposed project outline required. May be repeated for credit (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, and completion of all lower-division requirements in AP and permission of the instructor. ([1 3] 0) R
AP 3300 Elements of Art and Performance (3 semester hours) An analysis of the elements of space, time, image, text, and gesture as they relate to art making in the various visual and performing arts. These elements will also serve as a starting point from which students will investigate notions of creativity, expression, and aesthetics in a workshop setting. Explorations into what constitutes a work of art, and ways in which a work of art can be perceived and interpreted. Prerequisite: ARTS 1301 or equivalency. This course is a requirement for all AP majors and should be taken prior to completing the first 12 hours of upper-division course work. It is normally offered only during the fall and spring semesters. (3-0) S
For additional information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies
