Majors

Each student major is required to take a minimum of eleven courses according to the following guidelines.

1. Foundation (three courses):
   
   
   1. One AH 100 course: AH 100 , AH 103 , AH 104 , AH 105 , AH 107 , AH 108  (Students may take more than one, but only one counts toward the Art History major);
       
   2. One studio art course of your choice (note prerequisites where necessary), except AR 299 , AR 399  AT 361 , and AT 375 ; and
       
   3. AH 221 - Practices Of Art History  should be taken by the end of the second year.
       
2. Breadth (four art history courses of three credits or more). Choose one course from four of the following five areas:
   
   
   1. Ancient and Medieval Art in the West: AH 222 , AH 223 , AH 232 , AH 233 , AH 330 , AH 361A ;
       
   2. 15th- to 18th-Century Art in the West: AH 241 , AH 253 , AH 254 , AH 268 **, AH 342 , AH 345 , AH 347 , AH 348 , AH 355 , AH 361B ;
       
   3. Modern and Contemporary Art in the West: AH 217 , AH 257 , AH 261 , AH 265 , AH 268 **, AH 315 ***, AH 321 , AH 322 , AH 323 , AH 354 , AH 364 , AH 361C ;
       
   4. Arts of Africa and the Americas:  AH 203 , AH 207 , AH 208 , AH 310 , AH 315 ***, AH 361D ; and
       
   5. Asian Art:  AH 202 , AH 209 , AH 361E .
       
3. Exploration (at least three courses of two, three, or four credits each): Besides the foundation and breadth courses, each student must take a minimum of three additional art history courses, including at least one seminar but not including the senior thesis. (The senior thesis is an option students may take beyond the twelve courses required for the art history major.)
    
4. AH 220  fulfills the writing requirement in the major.
    
5. AH 380 - The Art History Major and Beyond , fall semester, senior year.
    
6. The Art History major GPA is calculated based on all Art History courses.
   
   
7. An Art History major must complete at least 16 credits of course work in the major on the Skidmore campus.
   

**Fulfills breadth areas “b” or “c,” NOT both
***Fulfills breadth areas “c” or “d,” NOT both

THE WRITING REQUIREMENT IN THE MAJOR:  Art history requires clear, well-organized, analytical prose that articulates compelling ideas based on a wide range of strategically presented visual and written evidence.  Writing in art history classes might include comparative visual analysis, reading responses, research papers, art criticism, and wall texts or catalogue entries for museum exhibitions. Art history majors fulfill Skidmore’s writing in the major requirement by taking AH 220  in conjunction with a 3- or 4- credit art history course at the 200- or 300-level.

DOUBLE COUNTING OF COURSES BETWEEN ART AND ART HISTORY:  Students double-majoring in Art and Art History can double-count up to 3 courses between Art and Art History (and no other courses between or among minors.) Students majoring in Art History and minoring in Art can double-count a maximum of 2 courses between Art and Art History (and no other courses between or among other minors.)

For more information about double-counting of courses between majors and minors please see “Academic Requirements and Regulations” under the heading “Multiple Counting of Courses ” in this catalog.

Because advanced research in any aspect of art history requires foreign languages (generally French or Italian and/or German, plus any language appropriate to your area, e.g., Chinese), we recommend language study. We also recommend additional art history courses (including independent studies, museum/gallery internships, and the senior thesis) and/or courses in related fields, such as literature, history, philosophy, anthropology, religion, arts administration, and studio art.

Students may receive AP (Advanced Placement) credit in art history. A score of 4 or 5 earns the student four college credits. It is the program’s policy that the AP credits can count as AH 100  and may be applied toward a major or minor in art history. A score of 5 will automatically receive this credit; a score of 4 requires consultation with the director of the Art History program before it is approved.

See Art History