Bachelor of Fine Arts in History of Art
Bachelor of Fine Arts in History of Art
History of Art BFA majors learn how to investigate and analyze the aesthetic characteristics, meaning, and function of works of art, and to place works in historical, cultural, and stylistic contexts. Students gain a general knowledge of the monuments and principal artists of all major periods of the past, with an emphasis on the art of the 20th and 21st centuries and gain a sophisticated understanding of what can be learned about different cultures and time periods through the study of art.
First-Year Preparation
The first year foundations courses for the B.F.A., B.A., and B.A.E. degree include 10 hours of foundations studio, 6 hours of English, and 6 hours of Art History coursework.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| English | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Reading and Writing | 3 |
| History of Art | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval | 3 |
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of the University Registrar website.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in History of Art Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core 34 General Education | 34 | |
| The KU Core 34 is comprised of 34-35 credit hours typically completed during the first two years of study. The Core 34 consists of the following requirements: English (6), Communications (3), Math & Statistics (3), Natural & Physical Sciences with lab (4-5), Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 in two different disciplines), Arts & Humanities (6 in two different disciplines), US Culture (3), and Global Culture (3) | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| HA 150 | History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval | 3 |
| or HA 160 | History of Western Art : Ancient Through Medieval, Honors | |
| HA 151 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary | 3 |
| or HA 161 | History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary, Honors | |
| HA 166 | The Visual Arts of East Asia | 3 |
| Breadth Courses: Six courses total; a course or topic may fulfill only one requirement, either for geographical or chronological breadth. | ||
| Geographical Regions: Complete one course in three out of four geographical regions. | 9 | |
A. Americas, Africa, Middle East | ||
| African American Art History | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| African Art and Gender | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| American Art and Culture since 1900 | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in American Art: _____ | ||
| Archaeology and Art of Ancient Egypt and the Near East | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
B. Europe | ||
| The Art and Architecture of the British Isles | ||
| European Architecture 300-1300 | ||
| Aegean Archaeology and Art | ||
| Greek Archaeology and Art | ||
| Roman Archaeology and Art | ||
| Italian Renaissance Art | ||
| Rococo to Realism: Painting in Europe c. 1750-1848 | ||
| Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: 1848-1900 | ||
| Renaissance Architecture in Italy | ||
| Baroque Art in Europe | ||
| Special Study in Medieval Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Renaissance Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Baroque Art: _____ | ||
| Early Medieval and Romanesque Art | ||
| Gothic Art | ||
| Medieval Manuscripts and Early Printed Books | ||
| The Spatial Arts of Urban Italy | ||
| Pompeii and Herculaneum | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| C. East Asia | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art Before 1900: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
D. Cross-regional | ||
| Art of the Early Modern Hispanic World | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art and the Sea | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Chronological Periods: Complete one course in three out of four chronological periods. | 9 | |
| A. Pre-1400 | ||
| European Architecture 300-1300 | ||
| Aegean Archaeology and Art | ||
| Greek Archaeology and Art | ||
| Roman Archaeology and Art | ||
| Buddhist Art of Korea | ||
| Special Study in Ancient Art: ______ | ||
| Special Study in Medieval Art: _____ | ||
| Early Medieval and Romanesque Art | ||
| Gothic Art | ||
| Medieval Manuscripts and Early Printed Books | ||
| Archaeology and Art of Ancient Egypt and the Near East | ||
| Pompeii and Herculaneum | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| B. 1400-1850 | ||
| Italian Renaissance Art | ||
| Art of the Early Modern Hispanic World | ||
| Rococo to Realism: Painting in Europe c. 1750-1848 | ||
| Renaissance Architecture in Italy | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Baroque Art in Europe | ||
| Special Study in Renaissance Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Baroque Art: _____ | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| C. Post-1850 | ||
| Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: 1848-1900 | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| African American Art History | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| American Art and Culture since 1900 | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| D. Cross-period | ||
| The Art and Architecture of the British Isles | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| Art of the United States | ||
| Art and the Sea | ||
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| The Spatial Arts of Urban Italy | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| Elective hours in Art History | 3 | |
| Electives in applicable studio courses: Satisfied by completing coursework with subject code (ART, CER, EXM, METL, PHOT, PNTG, PRNT, SCUL, TD, VAE) | 18 | |
| Foundational Studies Courses | ||
| ART 101 | Drawing I | 3 |
| or BDS 103 | Drawing for Design | |
| ART 101 is a required course, BDS 103 only accepted for students transferring into the deptartment | ||
| ART 102 | Drawing II | 3 |
| ART 103 | Art Concepts and Practice | 3 |
| or BDS 101 | Design Thinking and Making | |
| ART 103 is a required course, BDS 101 only accepted for students transferring into the department | ||
| ART 105 | Visual Art Seminar | 1 |
| Visual Art Core Courses | 15 | |
| Select 1 course in 5 of the following areas: | ||
| Fundamentals of Painting (or PNTG course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Printmaking (or PRNT course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Sculpture (or SCUL course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Expanded Media (or EXM course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Ceramics (or CER course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Metalsmithing/Jewelry (or METL course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Fibers (or TD course) | ||
| Foundations in Photography: Digital | ||
or PHOT 205 | Foundations in Photography: Darkroom | |
| Senior Studio Requirement | 9 | |
| Prerequisite of 30 hours of studio art courses | ||
| Professional Activities Seminar | ||
| Senior Seminar I | ||
| Capstone Course | ||
| Senior Seminar II | ||
| General Electives | 4 | |
| Students will need to complete additional general elective credits to reach the required 120 hours. | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Major Hours & Major GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by a minimum of 12 hours from junior/senior courses (300+) in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BFA in History of Art. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill Core 34, please visit the KU Core 34 page.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 101 (Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE))060* | 3 | MATH 105 (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE))030 | 3 |
| ART 103 (Major Requirement) | 3 | ART 102 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| ART 105 (Major Requirement) | 1 | Fundamentals or 200+ studio course (Major Requirement)1 | 3 |
| HA 150 | 3 | HA 151 (Major Requirement; Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE))060* | 3 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HA 166 (Major Requirement) | 3 | HA 300+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement)2 | 3 |
| Fundamentals or 200+ studio course (Major Requirement)1 | 3 | HA 300+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement)2 | 3 |
| Fundamentals or 200+ studio course (Major Requirement)1 | 3 | Fundamentals or 200+ studio course (Major Requirement)1 | 3 |
| Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 | Fundamentals or 200+ studio course (Major Requirement)1 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)040 | 4-5 |
| 15 | 16-17 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HA 300+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement)2 | 3 | HA 300+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement)2 | 3 |
| HA 300+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement)2 | 3 | Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 | Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 | ART 540 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HA Breadth Course 300+ (Major Requirement)2 | 3 | ART 660 (Capstone Course) | 3 |
| Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 | Visual Art Studio 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| ART 650 (Major Requirement)4 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 |
| Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
Visual Art majors are required to enroll in 15 credit hours across studio areas. Students select 5 courses from the following 7 listed options: ART 120 Fundamentals of Painting; ART 121 Fundamentals of Printmaking; ART 122 Fundamentals of Sculpture; ART 123 Fundamentals of Expanded Media; ART 131 Fundamentals of Ceramics; ART 132 Fundamentals of Metalsmithing/Jewelry; ART 133 Fundamentals of Fibers ; PHOT 200 Foundations in Photography: Digital or PHOT 205 Foundations in Photography: Darkroom. The Fundamental (100 level) courses can be taken concurrently with other 200+ level courses in any studio area.
- 2
History of Art Breadth requires one course in 3 out of the 4 Geographical Regions and one course in 3 out of the 4 Chronological Periods for a total of 18 hours (6 courses). See Degree Requirements tab in the Catalog for course lists.
- 3
Credit hour requirements for the degree include 45 credit hours of 300 level or above (300+). These credit hours are typically met through Core 34, major area of study, and/or general elective credit hours. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
- 4
- 5
ART 650 and ART 660 should be taken in sequence, during the last two semesters for the degree.
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to completed 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.