BA in Art History

Catalog Year: 2023-2024

Banner Code: LA-BA-AH

Art History emphasizes the analysis of visual data in a historical context. Faculty expertise extends to many world regions—the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Mediterranean, South and Southeast Asia, China, and the Islamic world—and over all historical periods. Students apply what they learn through internship opportunities available in the Washington DC area, including the world-famous collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institutions. Students go on to work in areas including museums, arts institutions, galleries, government and managerial positions. They also pursue further studies in fields including art history, library science, design technology, historic preservation, and fashion.

Honors in the Major

Eligibility

Majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 credits in art history, with 6 credits taken at Mason) with an overall GPA of 3.50 and a GPA of 3.80 in art history are eligible to apply to graduate with honors in art history. Eligible students should apply to the undergraduate director by November 15 or April 15 with a statement of application including the names of two references from Mason art history faculty members. Transfer students should also submit transcripts. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into honors in the major.

Honors Requirements

Students pursuing honors in the major complete ARTH 492 Honors Directed Readings and ARTH 493 Honors Directed Research, linked individualized courses that culminate in a research paper. Students must have completed at least 3 credits in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. ARTH 492 Honors Directed Readings should be taken before ARTH 493 Honors Directed Research, but they may be taken concurrently. To graduate with honors in the major, students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in honors courses and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in art history courses applied to the degree. The two honors courses (6 credits) may be applied toward the requirement of 33- to 34-credits in art history, but they cannot replace the 6 required credits in the following:

Degree Requirements

Total credits: minimum 120

Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.

All art history majors are encouraged to pursue internships in art history (ARTH 393 Art History Internships) in their junior or senior year. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad program. Students contemplating graduate study in art history should acquire a reading knowledge of French, German, or other appropriate research languages in consultation with an advisor.

Core Courses in the Major

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In addition to ARTH courses, art history majors may use 3 credits of a 300-level HIST course to fulfill this requirement.

Elective in the Major

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in art history fulfill the university's writing-intensive requirement by successfully completing 3 credits in any 400-level ARTH course.

Additional Electives

Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.

Upper Level Requirement

Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.

College Level Requirements for the BA Degree

In addition to the Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the coursework below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).

Philosophy or Religious Studies

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Note that the following courses may not be used to fulfill this requirement:

• PHIL 323 Classical Western Political Theory 
• PHIL 324 Modern Western Political Theory 
• PHIL 327 Contemporary Western Political Theory 
• PHIL 393 Humanities College to Career 
• PHIL 460 Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Additionally, PHIL 253, RELI 235,  RELI 333, and RELI 339 cannot be used to fulfill both the philosophy/religious studies requirement and the Mason Core literature requirement.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

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The two courses used to fulfill the combined college and Mason Core requirements must be from different disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. 

²

HIST 100 and HIST 125 may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Foreign Language

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Students who are already proficient in a second language may be eligible for a waiver of this requirement. Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Non-Western Culture

Select 3 credits of an approved course in the study of a non-Western culture (additional to the Mason Core requirement in global understanding)

¹

A course used to fulfill the Mason Core global understanding requirement may not be simultaneously used to satisfy this college-level requirement. A course used to fulfill this requirement may be used simultaneously to fulfill any other requirements (Mason Core requirements, college-level requirements, or requirements for the major). Additional information on waivers can be found at the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

Mason Core

Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.

Students who have completed the following credentials are eligible for a waiver of the Foundation and Exploration (lower level) requirement categories. The Integration category (upper level) is not waived under this policy. See Admissions for more information. 

• VCCS Uniform Certificate of General Studies
• VCCS or Richard Bland Associate of Science (A.S.), Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Arts and Sciences (A.A.&S.), or Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.)

¹

Most programs include the writing-intensive course designated for the major as part of the major requirements; this course is therefore not counted towards the total required for Mason Core.

²

Minimum 3 credits required.