ARTHS-BA - Art History (BA)
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Program Overview
The undergraduate program is designed to help students think critically about the visual arts and visual culture. Courses focus on the meaning of images and media and their historical development, societal roles, and relationships to disciplines such as literature, music, political science, religion, and philosophy. Work performed in the classroom, studio, and screening room is designed to develop a student’s powers of perception, capacity for visual analysis, and knowledge of technical processes.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
- 2236901
- 2142381
- 2046751
Complete any four-unit Art Practice (ARTSTUDI) course
- 2156641
- 1106021
- 1106031
- 2258551
- 1107111
OR 2101161
Majors must take two courses in each of 6 Distribution Categories: three temporal and three geographic.
Any individual course satisfies one temporal and one geographic category. Courses listed in multiple temporal or geographic categories may count toward only one temporal and one geographic requirement (a single course may not be used to satisfy multiple temporal or geographic requirements). Survey Courses and courses taken in the Area of Concentration may apply toward Distribution Categories.
Completing a full year of ITALIC or SLE may count as an Art History elective.
A given course may only be used once to satisfy the below temporal distribution categories.
- 2156641
- 2258551
- 2130991
- 1124531
- 2008511
- 2046561
- 2205461
- 2281141
- 2274391
- 2203841
- 2066962
- 2168971
- 2245051
- 2057771
- 2243081
- 2233291
- 2108961
- 2233301
- 2142181
- 2243221
- 2088203
- 2274361
- 2265531
- 2224874
- 2066102
- 1106021
- 2258551
- 2213901
- 2205461
- 2281141
- 2272661
- 2274391
- 2203841
- 2066962
- 2028031
- 2245051
- 2274361
- 2217703
- 2201965
- 2281272
- 2184632
- 2232581
- 2224874
- 2066102
- 2281131
- 2260761
- 2243121
- 2265511
- 2272661
- 2272831
- 2162422
- 2066962
- 2232601
- 2171311
- 2243071
- 2223863
- 2180171
- 2160731
- 2213881
- 2280931
- 2160581
- 2223141
- 2232612
- 2259631
- 2243061
- 2169822
- 2224874
- 2203832
- 2243052
- 2227152
- 2243031
- 2165527
- 2066102
- 2214131
- 2233602
- 1107111
- 2101161
- 2191801
- 2055001
- 2054981
- 2054971
- 2065751
- 2027001
- 2233321
- 2193963
- 1106151
- 2214461
- 2196361
- 2181033
- 2209501
- 2235693
- 2055101
A given course may only be used once to satisfy the below geographic distribution categories.
- 2156641
- 1106031
- 2258551
- 2046561
- 2281141
- 2265511
- 2272831
- 2203841
- 2054973
- 2168971
- 2028031
- 2160731
- 2088203
- 2280931
- 2223141
- 2252611
- 2265531
- 2259631
- 2066102
- 2156641
- 1106021
- 2130991
- 1124531
- 2008511
- 2046561
- 2213901
- 2205461
- 2243121
- 2272661
- 2272831
- 2054973
- 2243071
- 2223863
- 2057771
- 2233291
- 2108961
- 2233301
- 2142181
- 2243221
- 2088203
- 2280931
- 2217703
- 2201965
- 2184632
- 2232612
- 2232581
- 2224874
- 2283182
- 2260761
- 2272661
- 2274391
- 2272831
- 2066962
- 2232601
- 2054973
- 2223863
- 2180171
- 2213881
- 2232361
- 2274361
- 2281272
- 2232612
- 2232581
- 2243061
- 2169822
- 2203832
- 2165527
- 2214131
- 2231931
The department encourages students to pursue their interests by designing an area of concentration tailored to their intellectual concerns. This area of concentration provides the student with an in-depth understanding of a coherent topic in Art History.
The student’s faculty advisor approves concentrations within the major; they are not declared on Axess and do not appear on the transcript or the diploma. Sample concentrations can be found on the department website.
By Winter Quarter of their junior year, students must complete an area of concentration form, identifying their chosen concentration and three courses to fulfill it.
Seminar course: one seminar (200-level) course within the area of concentration
Two additional courses: two ARTHIST courses of any level within the area of concentration
This course is designed for Art History majors in their junior year, equipping them with the scholarly tools necessary for writing about art in various contexts as they progress through the major.
- 2142381
This course is designed to introduce majors to methods and theories underlying the practice of Art History. The seminar is offered annually, typically during Autumn Quarter.
- 2046751
The purpose of the honors program is to extend and deepen work done in Art History classes. The honors thesis topic typically emerges from prior coursework; it should be focused and have clear parameters. Ordinarily, an honors thesis is an exploration of an area the student has already studied.
Admission to the Honor Program
The minimum requirement for admission to the honors program is an overall GPA of 3.5 and at least 3.5 in Art History courses. Students must complete at least five Art History courses at Stanford by the end of their junior year, and four must be completed by the end of Winter Quarter.
Submission of the Thesis Proposal
Candidates for the honors program must submit a five-page (double-spaced) thesis proposal, including bibliography and illustrations, and one completed paper that demonstrates the student’s ability to conceptualize and write cogently about art historical issues. A complete application is due to the proposed thesis advisor on March 31.
Submission and Approval of the Honors Thesis
Students must submit the final draft of their honors thesis to their faculty advisor, the second faculty reader, the Student Services Specialist, and the Honors Director by the thesis deadline.
More Information
For more information about the Art History and Film & Media Studies Honors Program, students can visit the department website.
- 2058081
Honors students must complete a total of 10 units of course during their senior year.