Art history courses offer students the opportunity to become more aware of their cultural heritage, to live an inner life deepened and enriched by contact with the world's greatest works of visual art, and to understand and appreciate the myriad images that permeate our culture.
Works of art are examined in relation to the philosophical, social, political, and economic contexts in which they were produced.
Slide projections, videos, computer imagery, and field trips to museums and historic buildings help the student understand, more graphically, the importance of the visual arts to history and our own lives.
Art history majors have the opportunity to do internships for credit at the Philadelphia region's many art museums, galleries, and auction houses.
Art History majors must complete 30 credits (or 10 courses). Majors in Art History have the opportunity to do internships at nearby museums, auction houses, or historical sites; or to participate in the Villanova Summer Program in Siena, Italy, which places a strong emphasis on art history. One particular strength of the art history major is the opportunity to write a major work of original research and analysis — the Senior Thesis.
Any art history course offered by the Honors Program will be considered as fulfilling requirements toward the B.A in Art History.
Requirements for Major
Art History majors must complete all seven of the following:
- AAH 1101 History of Western Art: Ancient-Medieval
- AAH 1102 History of Western Art: Renaissance-Contemporary
- AAH 2000 Ancient Art
- AAH 2001 Early Christian and Medieval Art
- AAH 4010 Interpreting Art
- AAH 4000 Senior Thesis
- One Upper Level Art History Elective — from AAH 2000 to AAH 4999
PLUS
One Renaissance/Baroque Art course from the following:
- AAH 2002 Renaissance Art
- AAH 2003 Age of Rembrandt and Bernini
- AAH 2008 The Spirit of the Renaissance
- One Modern Art course from the following:
- AAH 1104 Visual Arts in US 1877-Present
- AAH 2004 Modern Art
- AAH 2005 Modern Architecture
- AAH 2009 Contemporary Art
- AAH 3003 Romanticism to Post Impressionism
- One Studio Art course from the following:
- SAR 1000 Introduction to Art
- SAR 2020 Basic Watercolor Techniques
- SAR 2021 Basic Drawing Techniques
- SAR 2022 Basic Oil Painting
- SAR 4007 ICON History and Making
- SAR 5000 Art Restoration
- SAR 5004 Printmaking
