The Art History program offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and an Art History minor. Eligible students may also choose to pursue Honors in Art History.
The sequence of courses required for the BA degree is designed to equip students with structured training in the skills of art historical analysis and scholarly research and writing. These skills are introduced in 200-level courses and developed as students proceed through the requirements of the major. Breadth of art historical education is encouraged, and students are urged to take a range of courses focused on varied cultures and periods.
The organization of requirements also allows considerable flexibility for students to pursue specific academic interests in particular areas of historical and contemporary art. The Division of Art History is structured around four clusters of particular expertise: Arts of Asia, Art of the Americas, Medieval and Early Modern Art in Europe and the Mediterranean, and Modern and Contemporary Art in a Global Context. Students who choose to focus their coursework in one of these areas should plan to take a minimum of one course in another area to ensure a range of art historical understanding across eras and cultures.
To graduate with undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, students must successfully complete at least 180 course credits: a combination of major requirements (listed below), UW general education requirements, and electives.
Art History Major Requirements (60 Credits)
10 credits (2 courses) from 200-level Art History (ART H) classes
200-level classes introduce students to the artistic production of a number of diverse cultures and historical eras, teach fundamental skills of visual analysis and the assessment of scholarly arguments in art history, and prepare students for more advanced courses. Many of these classes also satisfy the UW and College of Arts and Sciences Writing Requirement. Check Courses for current and upcoming quarter course offerings
20 credits (4 courses) from 300-level Art History (ART H) classes
300 level classes are designed for students who have some background in art history, and are intended to deepen the skills in visual analysis, critical writing, and art historical scholarship introduced in 200-level courses, while offering more focused and in-depth exploration of specific cultures and periods. Check Courses for current and upcoming quarter course offerings.
20 credits (4 courses) from 400-level Art History (ART H) classes
400 level classes are capstone courses that are designed to be taken in the junior and senior year. These courses explore particular topics in depth and help students master the skills of scholarly argumentation and writing in art history. Check Courses for current and upcoming quarter course offerings.
10 credits (2 courses) from Art History electives
Electives are art history classes that students may select based on their interest in specific areas of study in art history. These can include any courses listed with an ART H prefix. Check Courses for current and upcoming quarter course offerings.
Courses taken at other institutions
A maximum of 15 transfer credits of art history classes may be applied towards the major credits required for the BA in Art History.