Art History

From cave paintings to cathedrals and from Leonardo da Vinci to Andy Warhol, the history of art embodies the human imagination, human history, and the rich tapestry of human cultures in a memorable and accessible form. Within blocks of the University, our own history and culture comes to life in the golden dome of the classically inspired State House and in the “brutalist” modernism of Boston City Hall; in the Holocaust Memorial on Congress Street and in the Civil War monument to Robert Gould Shaw’s black infantry unit on the corner of Beacon and Park.  Art history is an examination of how such images and monuments communicate and how they function in society:  to teach us, move us, and to exalt us—and also, occasionally, to mislead us and to sway our opinions against our better judgment.  The study of art provides an access to other cultures, other eras, and other ways of thinking, and will prepare you for your junior year abroad and for an entire lifetime of thinking and living with a global and historical perspective.

The information below is an updated version of the 2007-08 Suffolk Catalog.  Students who entered the University before that time may be subject to the requirements under an earlier catalog.

Humanities Major-Art History Track

10 courses, 38-40 hours total

Foundation Requirement (2 courses, 8 credits)

• HUM 105-106  Art History 1 & 2

Upper Level Course Requirement (6-8 courses, 24-32 credits)

Chosen from among the following courses:

• HUM 107    Non-Western Visual Culture and Traditions
• HUM 305    Art of Greece and Rome
• HUM 306    Art of the Middle Ages
• HUM 307    Art of the Italian Renaissance
• HUM 308    Art of the Baroque and Rococo
• HUM 309    Art of the Nineteenth Century
• HUM 310    Modernism in Art
• HUM 311    American Art
• HUM 312    Art of the Northern Renaissance
• HUM 316    Contemporary Art
• HUM 321    Women, Art, and Society
• HUM 345     Art of India
• HUM 346    Art of the Silk Road
• HUM 347     History of Photography
• HUM 501    Independent Study in art history
• HUM 502    Honors Thesis in art history

Related Options Outside the HUML Department (A maximum of 2 courses, 6-8 credits)

• Art History majors may take up to two courses in other aspects of visual culture, such as the philosophy of art, photojournalism, advertising, cinema, and select 3-credit studio art and design courses, including:  ADF S101, ADF S123, ADF S143, ADF S151, ADF S152, ADFA 304, CJN 218, CJN 257, CJN 288, CJN 290, CJN 291, FR 320, GER 306, PHIL 219, SPAN 408, and SPAN 409.  Other courses may be permitted at the discretion of the major advisor.

Notes:

• A relevant Seminar for Freshmen with a strong concentration in art history or visual culture may also count toward the major requirements.
• Upper-level art history courses taken at other institutions or through study abroad must be approved by the student’s art history advisor (preferably prior to being taken), and must not overlap significantly with any other upper-level art history course(s) counted toward the major.  
• Except under special circumstances approved by the student’s art history advisor, at least 6 of the 10 courses (24 of the 38-40 credit hours) must be fulfilled through coursework offered by the Department of Humanities and Modern Languages.

Art History Minor

(6 courses, 24 hours total)

Foundation Requirement (2 courses, 8 credits)

• HUM 105-106    Art History 1 & 2

Upper Level Course Requirement (4 courses, 16 credits)

Chosen from among the following courses:

• HUM 107    Non-Western Visual Culture and Traditions
• HUM 305    Art of Greece and Rome
• HUM 306    Art of the Middle Ages
• HUM 307    Art of the Italian Renaissance
• HUM 308    Art of the Baroque and Rococo
• HUM 309    Art of the Nineteenth Century
• HUM 310    Modernism in Art
• HUM 311    American Art
• HUM 312    Art of the Northern Renaissance
• HUM 316    Contemporary Art
• HUM 321    Women, Art, and Society
• HUM 345     Art of India
• HUM 346    Art of the Silk Road
• HUM 347    History of Photography

Notes:

• A relevant Seminar for Freshmen with a strong concentration in art history or visual culture may also count toward the minor requirements.
• Upper-level art history courses taken at other institutions or through study abroad must be approved by the student’s art history advisor (preferably prior to being taken), and must not overlap significantly with any other upper-level art history course(s) counted toward the minor.  
• Except under special circumstances approved by the student’s art history advisor, at least 4 of the 6 courses (16 of the 24 credit hours) must be fulfilled through coursework offered by the Department of Humanities and Modern Languages.