Art and Art History, Minor
The Art and Art History Program
The Department of Art and Art History offers two concentrations: Studio Art and Art History.
The Studio Art concentration offers tracks in Two-Dimensional Art and Three-Dimensional Art, through courses in drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and architecture within the context of a liberal arts education. The concentration aims at developing greater visual awareness through a rigorously structured educational experience based on intensive studio training. All Two-dimensional course offerings, from beginning to advanced, emphasize working from observation to provide a common language and firm visual foundation. At more advanced levels, students develop a more personal sensitivity to visual modes, leading to an informed and specific artistic voice. It is to the advantage of the student to complete ART 211 Drawing and Color and ART 212 Three-dimensional Design: Form and Space by the end of the sophomore year.
The Art History concentration offers tracks in Art History, Critical Curatorial Studies, and Built Environment Studies. Each track contributes to the liberal arts education of undergraduates while preparing students for a variety of future careers and educational paths. Art History concentrators are required to take introductory and intermediate level courses, advanced seminars, one studio art course, a course on critical curatorial studies, and a senior research colloquium. The Art History concentration promotes critical understanding of the development and diversity of visual arts in various historical and global contexts while familiarizing students with current disciplinary concerns. In each Art History concentration, the student is required to complete three foundational ARTH courses and one foundational ART course. It is to the advantage of the student to complete these courses by the end of the sophomore year.
A wide variety of programs can be developed from the offerings of the department to suit the individual needs of majors. Students in Art and Art History have developed careers in art, architecture, art history, landscape design, urban studies, historic preservation, museum work, teaching, and applied arts in business. For purposes of double majoring, Art and Art History combines well with history, anthropology, literature, comparative literature, music and music history, classical studies, philosophy, psychology, and the sciences to give a student a breadth of knowledge and experience in comparable methodologies that leads to mutually reinforcing insights in both majors. Students interested in elementary and secondary school teaching of art should elect the concentration in Studio Art. All members of the department are ready to offer advice on career plans in Art and Art History.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 15 of the 18 credits required for a minor in Art History must be earned at William & Mary. A minor in Art and Art History can be achieved by following one of the three following programs:
Art
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 211 | Drawing and Color | 3 |
| or ART 212 | Three-dimensional Design: Form and Space | |
| Plus five 3-credit studio courses. No more than one of these five 3-credit courses can be at the 200 level | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Art History
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Any two ARTH 200-level courses at or above 230 | 6 | |
| Plus four 3-credit ARTH courses at the 300 or 400-level, at or above 330 | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Combined Art and Art History
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 211 | Drawing and Color | 3 |
| or ART 212 | Three-dimensional Design: Form and Space | |
| Plus one 3-credit Art History course at the 200 level, at or above ARTH230 | 3 | |
| Plus any combination of four 3-credit Studio Art and/or Art History courses. No more than two can be at the 200 level. If a 200-level course is taken in Art History it must be at or above ARTH230 | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |