Western Washington University · Bellingham, Washington
Art History, BA
What Is the Study of Art History?
Art History examines the histories of art in cultural context, visual communication in the world today, and the impact of visual technology in the future. The Art History major gives students the opportunity to address social, cultural and transnational issues through an engagement with visual culture objects, images and ideas and to imagine critical intersections in the arts, humanities, and sciences by means of innovative course instruction. Art history classes are catalysts through which students make cross-connections between their major areas of study and the diverse perspectives found in visual forms of communication.
Why Should I Consider this Major?
Are you interested in the visual language of culture and systems of representation? In studying Art History, you will learn to interpret and analyze art and visual culture. A degree in Art History will prepare you for a future as teacher, museum educator, gallery curator, visual resource librarian, art critic, scholar, and other careers that require creative problem solving and knowledge of visual language.
How to Declare:
How to apply:
To apply to the Art History major, students must have taken A/HI 275 and two 200-level art history surveys or pre-approved equivalent courses. Students must have a B average or higher in these classes to be considered for the art history program.
Application deadlines:
Application deadlines for the Art History major are October 15 and January 31. Completed forms must be received in the Department of Art by those dates.
Advising Tips:
Students are expected to follow all prerequisite requirements for courses and seek early departmental advisement. As students enter the program they will be assigned an advisor to develop an individualized course of study. This plan becomes an outline of the degree requirements but should be revised yearly in consultation with an advisor.
Coursework
- A/HI 275 Introduction to Writing and Critical Thinking (4)
- A/HI 375 Methods in Art History (4)
- A/HI 475 Senior Projects/Practicum (4)
(the above courses must be taken in sequence) - 100-level courses (6 credits)
- One course from:
- A/HI 220 Visual Culture in Ancient Greece and Rome (3)
- A/HI 221 Visual Culture in Medieval Europe (3)
- One course from:
- A/HI 230 Visual Culture in Western Europe 1400-1550 (3)
- A/HI 231 Visual Culture in Western Europe 1550-1700 (3)
- One course from:
- A/HI 240 Visual Culture in Western Europe in the 19th Century (3)
- A/HI 241 Visual Culture in Western Europe and America in the 20th Century (3)
- One course from:
- A/HI 270 Visual Culture in South and Southeast Asia (3)
- A/HI 271 Visual Culture in East Asia (3)
- Two additional courses from:
- A/HI 220 Visual Culture in Ancient Greece and Rome (3)
- A/HI 221 Visual Culture in Medieval Europe (3)
- A/HI 230 Visual Culture in Western Europe from 1400-1500 (3)
- A/HI 231 Visual Culture in Western Europe 1550-1700 (3)
- A/HI 240 Visual Culture in Western Europe in the 19th Century (3)
- A/HI 241 Visual Culture in Western Europe and America in the 20th Century (3)
- A/HI 270 Visual Culture in South and Southeast Asia (3)
- A/HI 271 Visual Culture in East Asia (3)
- 300- or 400-level courses (36 credits, with a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level)
- 8 credits from:
- A/HI 310 Indigenous Arts of the Pacific Northwest (4)
- A/HI 313 Art and Technology (4)
- A/HI 368 Pacific Arts and Visual Culture (4)
- A/HI 411 Contemporary Japanese Visual Culture (4)
- A/HI 413 Space and Representation
- A/HI 429 Patronage and Power: The Baroque Era (4)
- A/HI 431 Popular Culture, Tourism and Leisure (4)
- A/HI 438 Art and Feminism (4)
- 8 credits from:
- A/HI 301 Modern Art and Modernism (4)
- A/HI 315 Civic Identity in 15th- and 16th-Century Europe (4)
- A/HI 330 Art and Texts of the Sacred (4)
- A/HI 358 Postwar, Mass Media and Popular Culture (4)
- A/HI 360 Nationalism and Cultural Identity, 19th and 20th Centuries (4)
- A/HI 370 Islamic Visual Cultures (4)
- A/HI 371 Transforming Traditions: Art and Visual Culture In Japan (4)
- A/HI 413 Space and Representation (4)
- A/HI 416 Borders and Terrains (4)
- A/HI 420 Building 17th and 18th Century Europe (4)
- 8 credits from:
- A/HI 308 Visual Arts in the Community (4)
- A/HI 316 Land and Landscape (4)
- A/HI 401 Contemporary Issues and Post-Modern Critiques (4)
- A/HI 415 Space and the Urban Environment (4)
- A/HI 440 New Media and Digital Art (4)
- A/HI 450 Colonization and Cross-Cultural Encounters (4)
- A/HI 489 Architecture and Museums (4)
- A/HI 490 Seminar: Exhibition Theory and Practice (4)
- 12 credits Upper-division art history electives: students must select three additional classes from the above groups of 300- and 400-level courses
- Students are strongly encouraged to take courses outside of the art history area, such as computer technologies, modern and classical languages, anthropology, film, communication or other classes to complement their studies and provide better preparation for the diversity of careers that employ skills with visual language.
GURs:
These courses are offered within this major and may be used to satisfy GUR or Writing Proficiency Requirements.
- CCOM: A/HI 275
- HUM: ART 109; A/HI 220, 221, 230, 231, 240, 241
- ACGM: A/HI 270 or 271
Notable Alumni
Sample Careers
- Art Consultant
- Curator
- Gallery or Museum Director
- Art Critic
- Architectural Conservator
- Art Dealer
- Art Historian
- Researcher
- Visual Resource Librarian
- Arts Administrator
- Museum Educator
Department
Contact
Department Chair:
Gaye Green
360-650-3672
FI 117
gaye.green@wwu.edu
General Information:
360-650-4323
FI 116
ArtInfo@wwu.edu