Program Description
Coordinator: David Ehrenpreis
Phone: (540) 568-5656
Email: ehrenpdh@jmu.edu
The Bachelor of Arts in art history is intended for students who wish to study the history of the visual arts, including the cultural and social context in which they were created. It is the mission of the art history program to educate students in global and cross-cultural perspectives on the arts.
Students majoring in art history will develop a general knowledge of exemplary monuments, artists, art media, art periods and artistic styles. Students will also:
- Describe, analyze and interpret the form and content of individual works of art in relation to their cultures and historical contexts.
- Become familiar with art history theory and methods of analysis and criticism.
- Research and write about significant artists, artistic events, periods and artistic concepts.
The art history program encourages majors and minors to participate in internship opportunities at museums, galleries and other art related settings, and it provides up-to-date information about jobs and graduate programs in art history and related fields. Visiting scholars, campus art exhibitions, trips to major museums and the JMU Study Abroad program provide students with opportunities to study and apply their art history knowledge outside the classroom. Upon completion of the art history major, students will have been exposed to a broad background and knowledge of the opportunities for graduate school and employment. The art history program also advocates cross disciplinary education and actively supports students who double major with other disciplines. Throughout the student’s undergraduate years, faculty provide individualized curricular advising and career mentorship.
Internship/Independent Study Credit
A maximum of three credits of art history internship, independent study or honors course work may be applied toward the major in art history. A student may petition the art history coordinator to apply six credit hours toward the art history major if the internship or independent study course work is directly relevant to the student’s interests and career goals.
Requirements for Art History as a Second Major
Students in any degree program may study art history as a second major by completing the 39 credit art history requirement. Students studying art history as a second major do not need to complete the requirements for the B.A. degree if their first major will complete the requirements for a different baccalaureate degree. However, non-B.A. degree students completing art history as a second major are strongly encouraged to complete the B.A. foreign language requirement.
Footnotes
1 The
General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232) or by placing out of that language through the
Department of World Languages and Cultures placement test.
3 Depends on number of hours needed to fulfill the B.A. foreign language requirement. If they are completed in six hours, students should use the larger number of general electives to complete a second major or minor that complements art or art history or, for students intending to pursue graduate degrees, to gain reading knowledge of a second foreign language.
Major Requirements
The major in art history requires 39 credit hours in art history and studio courses, as the following chart shows. At least six of these credit hours must be 400-level art history courses.
Core courses at the 200 level are broad interpretive overviews of art history that combine lecture and discussion to permit students to learn the content and chronology of world art history; to learn how art historians collect, analyze and synthesize evidence; and engage in introductory exercises in the discipline. They generally include short formal writing assignments and exams with essay sections.
Distributives at the 300 level also combine lecture and discussion, more narrowly survey specific periods or cultures and address aspects of art historical methodology. These courses require longer formal writing assignments and include student research. Courses at the 400 level are seminars on specialized topics that center on advanced student research. A single course may not fulfill more than one distribution requirement.
Required Courses
Non-Western Electives (choose one of the following):
Cross-Cultural Electives (choose one of the following):
Pre-Modern Elective (choose one of the following):
Modern and Contemporary Elective (choose one of the following):
Additional Courses
- Art history electives (300-400 level)1 Credits: 12.00
- Studio art and design electives (any level)2 Credits: 6.00
Footnotes
1 ART 305 , may count as an art history elective. A maximum of three credits from ARTH 490 , ARTH 495 or ARTH 499 may count toward the major.
2 ART 200 may not count as a studio art and design elective.
Major Requirements Total: 39 Credit Hours
Internship/Independent Study Credit
A maximum of three credits of art history internship, independent study or honors course work may be applied toward the major in art history. A student may petition the art history coordinator to apply six credit hours toward the art history major if the internship or independent study course work is directly relevant to the student’s interests and career goals.
Museum Studies Concentration
The museum studies concentration enriches the art history curriculum by offering course work that examines the critical role that museums have played in constructing the discipline and pedagogy of art history. History and theory-oriented classes will introduce students to the role and function of museums in society and the ways in which museums both reflect and perpetuate the values of the cultures that create them. Experiential practica or internship courses will expose students to the wide range of work conducted in museums, including curation, collections management, conservation, education, design and installation, media and public relations, publications, development and administration.
While the concentration is academic and not vocational, it offers students valuable hands-on experience beneficial for admission into graduate school and entry into the competitive market of art-related professions. Virginia is a state that boasts a plethora of art museums, house museums, history museums, and historic and archaeological sites. Art history majors who complete the concentration will be well positioned for seeking employment in regional and state museums.
The museum studies concentration consists of five courses (15 credit hours). Students are required to complete three core courses and two elective courses. Students may only count three credit hours toward both the art history major and the museum studies concentration.
A 3.3 GPA in the minimum of nine credits in Art History (ARTH) and General Education Art History (ARTH) courses are required to enroll in the concentration. To apply, students submit an unofficial transcript to the area coordinator. Students may apply to the concentration in the fall or spring semester, but no later than the last day of the course add registration deadline.
Required Courses
Electives (choose two of the following):
Museum Studies Concentration Total: 15 Credit Hours
Admission Requirements
Students intending to major in art history are not required to submit a portfolio, but should follow the regular JMU admissions process. To enroll in the museum studies concentration in art history, students must have a minimum 3.3 GPA in the major and a minimum of nine credits in art history and general education art history courses.
