Art History, B.A.
Art History is the study of works of art and other visual artifacts from all regions of the world and all periods of history. Consequently, the undergraduate curriculum in Art History, with its global perspective, is one of the most diverse disciplines in the humanities. Through Art History, students learn how to describe and interpret a range of objects including sculpture, painting, photography, architecture, and “new media” such as video and performance art. These skills, along with the program’s intense focus on writing and verbal expression, prepare students to think critically and to express themselves clearly at a time when visual communication is becoming ever more important.
Because works of art are always created within a larger cultural context, Art History courses are a good way to understand what other places or times were like. Students may explore, for example, ancient Greece, 19th century Japan, or even the 21st century United States. Majors in Art History are encouraged to take related courses in other fields in the humanities and to pursue the study of language beyond the minimum requirements. Because of its international perspective, Art History is a particularly good major for students interested in studying abroad. There are many study centers throughout the world associated with the University’s Education Abroad Program that offer widely varied selections of Art History courses.
All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Departmental Requirements for the Major
| A. Select three of the following: | |
| Latin American Art and Architecture: 1492 to the Present | |
| Ancient Greek and Roman Art, and Architecture | |
| Arts of Europe: Medieval and Renaissance | |
| Early Modern and Modern Art in Europe and America | |
| History of Asian Art: Arts of India | |
| History of Asian Art: Arts of China | |
| History of Asian Art: Arts of Japan | |
| History of Asian Art: Arts of Islam | |
| Art and Archaeology of Ancient Persia, Egypt, and Mesopotamia | |
| Image Collision: A Multicultural Approach to Images and Their Users | |
| Disneyland | |
| B. Select eight upper-division Art History courses, with at least one course in each of the following geographical regions: 1 | |
| Americas: Art History 140, 156, 163–167 | |
| Europe: Art History 100–140 | |
| Asia: Art History 150–163 | |
| and at least one course in each of the following five historical periods: 1 | |
| Ancient: | |
| Art History 100–107 | |
| Ancient India | |
| Medieval: | |
| Studies in Medieval Art | |
| Byzantine Art: 650-1450 | |
| Studies in Western Medieval Art | |
| Medieval India | |
| Early Modern: | |
| Art History 120–128 | |
| Later Imperial China | |
| Early American Art | |
| Modern: | |
| Modern European Art: From Impressionism to the Fauves | |
| Modern European Art: From Cubism to Surrealism | |
| Topics in Modern European Art | |
| Studies in Modern Architecture | |
| Modern China | |
| Art and Globalization, Modern | |
| Modern African American Art | |
| African Americans and Photography | |
| Nineteenth Century American Art | |
| Modern American Art | |
| Contemporary: | |
| History of Contemporary Art | |
| Topics in Contemporary Art | |
| Studies in Architecture after 1945 | |
| Contemporary Japan | |
| Asian American Art, Contemporary | |
| Contemporary African American Art | |
| African American Women in Art | |
| C. Complete: | |
| ART HIS 190W | Art History Methods |
| D. Complete: | |
| 1. Two quarters of: | |
| ART HIS 198 | Advanced Seminar: Topics in Art History |
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NOTE: A course may apply as both one Geographical Region and one Historical Period, but no course may be used to satisfy more than one Geographical Region or more than one Historical Period.
Students should enroll in ART HIS 190W (for upper-division writing) as early as possible in their junior year, after successfully completing UCI’s lower-division writing requirement. It is strongly recommended that students complete ART HIS 190W before taking ART HIS 198.
Residence Requirement for the Major: Five upper-division courses required for the major must be completed successfully at UCI.
Following their graduation, students with a B.A. in Art History have found employment in art galleries, auction houses, and museums, and they have entered graduate programs with a view to careers in university teaching, curatorial work, and art conservation. Moreover, with its strong emphasis on developing critical skills in writing, speaking, and analysis, Art History also provides an excellent preparation for many other careers. UCI graduates have pursued professional paths ranging from medicine and law, to business and education, to information technologies and architecture. As in the case of arts administration or intellectual property law, some of these professional pursuits have depended on and continue to make use of training in the arts.