Art History, Bachelor of Arts (613)
Program Coordinator
Guy D. Jordan, guy.jordan@wku.edu, (270) 745-8865
The Bachelor of Arts in Art History provides WKU students with a broad and thorough understanding of the history and function of the visual arts from ancient times to the present day. Majors will critically analyze paintings, prints, sculpture, architecture, and other visual media to investigate a range of historical and philosophical issues with which the arts have been deeply involved. As such, majors will gain an understanding of how visual practices proactively articulate and motivate rather than simply illustrate, record, or reiterate history.
With an emphasis on reading, writing, research, and critical analysis the AB in Art History contributes experiences useful to a broad range of possible careers, including museum, gallery, and auction house curatorial duties, art appraisal, conservator and registrar positions, docent roles, archiving, and grant writing interests.
Program Requirements (36 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major requires courses to be taken across a range of chronological periods, ensuring that graduates possess a broad understanding of the field, yet it also allows students to focus their studies on particular historical periods or geographical regions that interest them. A minor or second major is required. No more than 6 hours in the art history major may count toward a student’s minor. No grade of “D” or below may be counted toward the major.
The program requires two introductory courses (ART 105 and ART 106) that provide foundational knowledge of the history of global art, one course (ART 130, ART 131, or ART 140) that familiarizes students with the fundamental concepts of art making, and a course in contemporary art that ensures students have a strong grounding in current trends. The two other required courses are a theory and methodology class (ART 405), and a capstone seminar (ART 494). To ensure significant breadth, among the six electives required for the major, at least one must be chosen from each of the five chronological categories. The remaining elective may be customized to accord with the research interests of the student, and allows for a significant degree of expansion into visually oriented coursework in other disciplines.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 105 | History of Art to 1300 | 3 |
| ART 106 | History of Art Since 1300 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Two-Dimensional Design | ||
| Three-Dimensional Design | ||
| Drawing | ||
| ART 405 | Art Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| ART 494 | Seminar in Art History | 3 |
| ART 390 | Contemporary Art | 3 |
| ART 325 | Art of Asia, Africa, and the Americas | 3 |
| or ART 407 | Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| ART 305 | Ancient Greek and Roman Art | 3 |
| or ART 316 | Medieval Art & Architecture | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Southern Baroque Art | ||
| Northern Baroque Art | ||
| Art of the Italian Renaissance | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Art of the United States to 1865 | ||
| European Art, 1700-1848 | ||
| European Art, 1848-1900 | ||
| ART 313 | Art of the United States Since 1865 | 3 |
| or ART 410 | European Art, 1900-1945 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Archaeology | ||
| Field Course in Archaeology | ||
| Graveyard Archaeology | ||
| Visual Anthropology | ||
| Museum Procedures and Preservation Techniques | ||
| Art and Power | ||
| Art and Landscape | ||
| Survey of Graphic Design | ||
| A Cultural History of Alcohol | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Film Genres | ||
| Film Theory | ||
| Historic Preservation | ||
| American Architectural History | ||
| Vernacular Architecture | ||
| Topics in Francophone Cinema | ||
| German Literature and Film | ||
| Survey of Architecture and Interiors I | ||
| Survey of Architecture and Interiors II | ||
| History of 20th Century Fashion | ||
| History of Costume | ||
| Restoration of Historic Interiors | ||
| Enduring Questions: The Good and the Beautiful | ||
| Aesthetics | ||
| Hispanic Cinema | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 105 | 3 | ART 106 | 3 |
| ART 130, ART 131, or ART 140 | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | MATH 109 | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Behavioral | 3 | Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ lab | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 305 or ART 316 | 3 | ART 314, ART 315, ART 401, or ART 403 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Social & Cultural | 3 | ENG 300 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences w/ no lab | 3 | Colonnade - Local to Global | 3 |
| World Language Requirement or Elective Course | 3 | World Language Requirement or Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Art History Restricted Elective | 3 | ART 312, ART 408, or ART 409 | 3 |
| Colonnade - Systems | 3 | ART 313 or ART 410 | 3 |
| ART 325 or ART 407 | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ART 390 | 3 | ART 405 | 3 |
| ART 494 | 3 | World Language Requirement or Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Minor/Elective Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||