Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of General Studies in History of Art
Why study the history of art?
The study of the visual arts in their historical contexts enriches our understanding of human creativity and the human condition. It provides students with visual and cultural literacy and critical thinking, research, problem solving, and communication skills that are relevant for a variety of careers. Art history majors may find work in arts institutions such as museums, galleries, and auction houses. Many also go on to careers in other professions such as education, business, law, media, or government.
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.
Requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. Major
| 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) | ||
| Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) Degree Requirements | 16-21 | |
| Students will follow the BA or BGS degree specific requirements based on their degree selection. BA students will demonstrate proficiency in a Non-English Language, complete a Quantitative Literacy course, a Laboratory or Field Experience, and two semesters of Writing. BGS students will complete a minor, two certificates, or a second major and a Career Preparation Course. Please see the College's undergraduate tab for more detailed information on these requirements. | ||
1 credit hour of a Laboratory of Field Experience, 6 credit hours of Writing, and 3 credit hours of Quantitative Literacy are required for all BA students. These requirements will be met through the completion of the KU Core 34. | ||
| History of Art Major Requirements | ||
| 1. Foundation Courses: | ||
| 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 (and) | 3 |
| 1 studio course in Visual Art; options include: | 3 | |
| Drawing I | ||
| Art Concepts and Practice | ||
| Fundamentals of Painting | ||
| Fundamentals of Printmaking | ||
| Fundamentals of Sculpture | ||
| Fundamentals of Expanded Media | ||
| Fundamentals of Ceramics | ||
| Fundamentals of Metalsmithing/Jewelry | ||
| Fundamentals of Fibers | ||
| Fundamentals of Photography | ||
| Breadth Courses: Six courses total; a course or topic may fulfill only one requirement, either for geographical or chronological breadth. | ||
| 2. Breadth Courses, 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 | ||
| Special Study in 18th/19th-Century European or American Art: _____ | ||
| Baroque Art in Europe | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| K-Pop and the Arts | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| Art and Culture of Korea | ||
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| Japanese Sculpture | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: _____ | ||
| Early Chinese Art | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| D. Cross-regional | ||
| Art of the Early Modern Hispanic World | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Art and the Sea | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| 3. Breadth Courses, 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 | ||
| Rococo to Realism: Painting in Europe c. 1750-1848 | ||
| Art of the Early Modern Hispanic World | ||
| Renaissance Architecture in Italy | ||
| Special Study in 18th/19th-Century European or American Art: _____ | ||
| Ceramics of East Asia | ||
| Japanese Prints | ||
| Baroque Art in Europe | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| Special Study in Renaissance Art: _____ | ||
| Special Study in Baroque Art: _____ | ||
| C. Post-1850 | ||
| Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: 1848-1900 | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African Art | ||
| Modern Korean Art and Culture | ||
| K-Pop and the Arts | ||
| American Art and Culture since 1900 | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in African Art: _____ | ||
| Islamic Art and Architecture in Africa | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| D. Cross-period | ||
| The Art and Architecture of the British Isles | ||
| African American Art History | ||
| Ceramics of Korea | ||
| Art and Culture of Japan | ||
| Art and Culture of China | ||
or HA 468 | Art and Culture of China, Honors | |
| Art and Culture of Korea | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Art and the Sea | ||
| The Art of Buddhism | ||
| Japanese Painting | ||
| The Spatial Arts of Urban Italy | ||
| Chinese Sculpture | ||
| Chinese Painting | ||
| 4. Complete an art history capstone course. (The art history capstone course may also fulfill one of the breadth requirements above, in which case an elective course should be taken for the final 3 required hours of art history.) | 3 | |
| Capstone Course | ||
| Capstone in Art History: _____ | ||
| Honors Essay in Art History | ||
| 5. Art history elective (0-3 hours; see number 4 above). | ||
| General Electives | 37-32 | |
| Students will need to complete additional general elective credits to reach the required 120 hours. | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Note: HA 100/HA 300 is a 1-semester survey of Western art history intended for non-majors. A student who takes HA 100 or HA 300 and then decides to major in art history must then also take either HA 150 or HA 151 (or both). A student who already has credit in either HA 150 or HA 151, however, should not take HA 100 or HA 300.
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.
A sample 4-year plan for the BA degree in History of Art can be found here: History of Art, or by using the left-side navigation.
A sample 4-year plan for the BGS degree in History of Art can be found here: History of Art, or by using the left-side navigation.
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate visual literacy.
- Conduct art-historical research.
- Compose/communicate an art-historical argument.
- Demonstrate relational thinking.
- Demonstrate digital literacy.
Departmental Honors
The department invites art history undergraduate majors to apply for graduation with departmental honors. They must meet the following criteria:
- An overall grade-point average of at least 3.25 and an art history grade-point average of 3.5 at the time of declaring intention to seek honors.
- In consultation with the departmental honors coordinator and with approval from a supervising professor, declared intention of seeking honors no later than the time of enrollment for the final undergraduate semester.
- Enrollment in HA 698 Honors Essay in Art History and full participation in a concurrent art history graduate seminar (numbered 700 or above) for which the student must write a substantial, original research paper to be submitted to the supervising professor as an honors essay.
- Approval of the honors essay by the supervising professor and 2 other faculty members who, as a committee, certify to the departmental honors coordinator that the student has successfully completed the requirements to earn honors.