Art History-Built Environment Studies (BA in Fine Art)
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.
Art History, Critical Curatorial Studies, and Built Environment Studies requirements are designed to offer students program experiences that provide breadth, variety and a balance between lecture courses and seminars.
Course Requirements
Students concentrating in Art History-Built Environment Studies must complete 33 credits. Of those 33 credit hours, at least 24 must be taken in residence at the College or with an Art History faculty teaching at the W&M in Washington Program, and/or in William & Mary faculty-led and faculty-assisted study abroad programs. No more than 6 of the remaining 9 semester credits may be derived from Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate. The 33 credit hours must include the following:
Art History-Built Environment Studies Concentration
Foundational Courses (12 Credits)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One course (at least three credits) at or above ARTH230 to 299 | 3 | |
| ARTH 272 | Modern Architecture and Urbanism | 3 |
| ARTH 282 | Art and Ecology | 3 |
| ART 211 | Drawing and Color | 3 |
| or ART 212 | Three-dimensional Design: Form and Space | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Core Requirements (9 Credits)
The Curatorial Project: Students are encouraged to take ARTH 331 The Curatorial Project in the semester following their major declaration. In this course, students will engage with the history, theory and politics of curating. They will then apply these methods practically in curating an exhibit. The course will combine critical readings, classroom discussion, writing, exhibition design, and implementation.
Theories and Methods: Art History majors are encouraged to take ARTH 333 Theories & Methods of Art History in their junior year (or earlier) in order to gain desirable writing and research experience. The class will familiarize students with theories and methods of art history and with the idea of art history as a discipline, while also covering the arts and techniques of art-historical writing. The course will typically require a final paper demonstrating critical analysis, compositional skills, and scholarly apparatus.
Senior Research Colloquium or “Capstone”: Completion of ARTH 493 Senior Research Colloquium (Senior Research Colloquium or “Capstone” Seminar) is required for the Art History degree. Students enroll in this 3-credit writing-focused seminar during their senior year. Students in ARTH 493 Senior Research Colloquium expand and refine a paper already written for an earlier art history course and deliver a related public presentation. Students must earn at least a C in ARTH 493 Senior Research Colloquium. The seminar will fulfill the major writing and computing requirements.
Upper Division Courses (9 Credits)
Art History-Built Environment Studies concentrators must complete ART 313 Architectural Design I and at least two courses at or above ARTH 330 Topics in Art History or ART 314 Architectural Design II.
Elective (3 Credits)
Any advisor approved elective taken at W&M.
Major Computing Requirement
Students satisfy the Major Computing Requirement (MCR) during the completion of the Major Writing Requirement.
Major Writing Requirement
Students satisfy the Major Writing Requirement (MWR) for Art History by attaining a C or better in the ARTH 493 Senior Research Colloquium (Senior Research Colloquium or “Capstone” Seminar) required by the major.
Internships
In addition to taking the major requirements, students are encouraged to gain practical experience through an internship. Internships for credit are approved on a case-by-case basis by the Department Chair and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. See Special Programs-Internships in this catalog. ARTH 389 is open only to Art or Art History majors who have completed at least 21 credits towards the major.
Additional Information
Foreign languages are recommended for students planning to major in Art History, especially if they plan to enter graduate programs in the discipline. Students are advised not to limit their junior and senior year classes to courses focused only on the history of a single region. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to pursue independent study in Art History. Students are encouraged to undertake an Honors Thesis in Art History. Those interested in Honors must submit by the end of their junior year a thesis proposal and bibliography in some specific area of art historical literature, prepared in consultation with their advisor.