Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Art History
Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in Art History
Upon completing the BA degree with a major in Art History, students will be able to:
- Understand the historical, social, cultural and political contexts and traditions of art. Students will develop an understanding of the multiple contexts of art, including its relationship to religion, politics, gender and sexuality, urbanism, history, culture, and other domains of human social experience.
- Demonstrate effective use of specialized disciplinary vocabulary and appropriate methodologies to analyze works of art and communicate their form, function, and meaning orally and in writing.
- Demonstrate ability to perform comparative analyses of art works based on differences or similarities in cultural context, form, content, artist, materials, and time and place of production.
- Demonstrate specialized knowledge about, and be able to identify, art from specific geographical locations, periods, artists, and/or artistic movements.
- Evaluate and use primary and secondary sources to generate and answer original research questions and produce independent research.
- Understand major artistic movements, common themes, trends, and the styles of major artists. They will demonstrate generalized knowledge of major figures in art history, major art movements and traditions, and major artistic styles.
Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Art History
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Art History must complete:
- A minimum of 10 courses (30 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 5 courses (15 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
- The requirements for one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization). When students declare the major in Art History, students must additionally identify and declare one of two areas of specialization, either in:
It is possible for students to change their area of specialization at any time, even after initially declaring the major. To do so, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
The department of Art History also offers a Departmental Honors Program. For more information, including Honors Program requirements, see the Opportunities tab.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor, or where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Art History | 30 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Art History | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Area of Specialization | ||
| Select 1 from the following Areas of Specialization (see Areas of Specialization below): | 30 | |
Art History | ||
History of Architecture | ||
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Art History | 30 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 59 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
Areas of Specialization
Students must complete a total of 10 courses (30 credit hours) as listed in the requirements for one of the Art History areas of specialization. Note that the course lists to satisfy each requirement can be found below the specialization requirements.
Area of Specialization: Art History
To satisfy the requirements for the Art History Specialization, Art History majors must complete 10 courses (30 credit hours) as listed below.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above from each of the following 3 chronological areas (see below for course lists) | 9 | |
Up to c. 1400 CE | ||
c. 1400 to 1750 CE | ||
c. 1750 CE to Present | ||
| Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above from 3 of the following 7 geographical areas or cultural tradition areas (see below for course lists) | 9 | |
Africa/African Diaspora/African American Cultures | ||
Asia | ||
Europe/Post-Colonization North America | ||
Islamic Cultures | ||
Latin America/the Caribbean | ||
Global | ||
Cultural Exchange | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses (see below for course list) | 6 | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 additional courses as Electives from departmental (HART) course offerings 1 | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Transfer credit for HART 100 received via the articulation of advanced placement (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not count toward any major requirements, including elective requirements. |
Area of Specialization: History of Architecture
To satisfy the requirements for the History of Architecture Specialization, Art History majors must complete 10 courses (30 credit hours) as listed below.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above from 2 of the following 3 chronological areas (see below for course lists) | 6 | |
Up to c. 1400 CE | ||
c. 1400 to 1750 CE | ||
c. 1750 CE to Present | ||
| Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above from 2 of the following 7 geographical areas or cultural tradition areas (see below for course lists) | 6 | |
Africa/African Diaspora/African American Cultures | ||
Asia | ||
Europe/Post-Colonization North America | ||
Islamic Cultures | ||
Latin America/the Caribbean | ||
Global | ||
Cultural Exchange | ||
| Seminars | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses (see below for course list) 1, 2 | 6 | |
| History of Architecture | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 courses (see below for course list) 1 | 18 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Transfer credit for HART 100 received via the articulation of advanced placement (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not count toward any major requirements. |
| 2 | Courses listed in the Seminar category can also satisfy a requirement in the History of Architecture, Chronological Breadth, or Breadth of Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions requirements. |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Chronological Breadth - up to c. 1400 CE Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 214 | ART & WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES IN CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA | 3 |
| CLAS 225 | AUGUSTUS AND THE 'GOLDEN AGE' OF ROME | 3 |
| HART 201 | ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 216 / CLAS 218 | CITIES, SANCTUARIES, CIVILIZATIONS: INTRODUCTION TO GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| HART 220 | INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF WESTERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 221 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 307 | WOMEN IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 312 / MUCH 308 | ADVANCED STUDY IN MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: ARTS OF ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN AT THE MENIL COLLECTION | 3 |
| HART 316 | ART OF THE OBJECT: CRAFT, SENSORY EXPERIENCE, AND MATERIALITY IN ISLAMICATE LANDS | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 320 | ART, SCIENCE, AND MAGIC IN THE MEDIEVAL WORLD | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 330 / MDEM 330 | EARLY MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 332 / MDEM 332 | ART OF THE COURTS | 3 |
| HART 337 | RADICAL BODIES IN MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 360 | FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE: INVENTING ROMAN ART | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND THE WORLD | 3 |
| HART 377 / MDEM 377 | MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS | 3 |
| HART 385 | ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES | 3 |
| HART 395 | ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY: FIELD SCHOOL | 3 |
| HART 427 | VISUAL CULATURE OF MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGE | 3 |
| HART 433 | THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE ANGLO-NORMAN WORLD | 3 |
Chronological Breadth - c. 1400 to 1750 CE Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 214 | ART & WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES IN CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA | 3 |
| HART 221 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 316 | ART OF THE OBJECT: CRAFT, SENSORY EXPERIENCE, AND MATERIALITY IN ISLAMICATE LANDS | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 339 | AMERICAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE I: 1620-1800 | 3 |
| HART 341 | EARLY RENAISSANCE ART IN ITALY | 3 |
| HART 342 | THE HIGH RENAISSANCE AND MANNERISM IN ITALY | 3 |
| HART 343 / MDEM 343 | MASTERS OF THE BAROQUE ERA | 3 |
| HART 345 / ARCH 345 | FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850) | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND THE WORLD | 3 |
Chronological Breadth - c. 1750 CE to Present Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CMST 201 | HISTORY OF CINEMA AND MEDIA I: INVENTION TO 1945 | 3 |
| CMST 202 | HISTORY OF CINEMA AND MEDIA PART II: 1945-PRESENT | 3 |
| CMST 203 | INTRODUCTION TO FILM AND MEDIA ANALYSIS | 3 |
| HART 202 | AVANT-GARDE AND AFTER: MODERN ART IN EUROPE, 1900-1945 | 3 |
| HART 203 | GLOBAL MODERNISM: TWENTIETH AND TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY MODERNISM FROM AROUND THE WORLD | 3 |
| HART 204 | INTRODUCTION TO BLACK ART IN AMERICA: 1900S TO TODAY | 3 |
| HART 205 | ART SINCE 1945 | 3 |
| HART 225 / ARCH 225 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL THINKING | 3 |
| HART 228 | INTRO. TO A HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: IDEAL CITIES, CANONIC BUILDINGS, AND THEIR POLITICS | 3 |
| HART 257 | ART AND ART HISTORY OF THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY | 3 |
| HART 263 / FOTO 263 | EPISODES IN THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FROM INVENTION TO THE PRESENT | 3 |
| HART 265 | A VISUAL CULTURE TRAVELOGUE: ART AND POLITICS IN MODERN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 280 / ARTS 280 / FILM 280 | HISTORY & AESTHETICS OF FILM | 4 |
| HART 284 / FILM 284 | NONFICTION FILM | 4 |
| HART 286 / ENGL 286 | CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY FILM | 3 |
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 305 | POST WAR: ART IN EUROPE, 1945-2000 | 3 |
| HART 306 | WHAT ARTISTS CITE: CORE TEACHINGS IN BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 317 | MODERN ART AND MONSTROSITY | 3 |
| HART 321 | AMERICAN ART, 1800-1920 | 3 |
| HART 325 | COFFEEHOUSES AND TEAHOUSES: A GLOBAL HISTORY | 3 |
| HART 328 / RELI 375 | EPIPHANIES: SEEING IN A NEW LIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THE RADIANCE | 3 |
| HART 334 | PICASSO, POLLOCK, WARHOL | 3 |
| HART 336 / ASIA 355 / FILM 336 | CINEMA AND THE CITY | 3 |
| HART 347 / RELI 343 | SEMINAR ON LOVE | 3 |
| HART 349 | TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 351 | ART, REVOLUTION, WAR: MODERN ART IN VIOLENT TIMES | 3 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART : SPECULATIVE (UN)MAKINGS | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 358 | IMPRESSIONISM AND POST-IMPRESSIONISM | 3 |
| HART 363 | SENSORIAL QUEERNESS : QUEERING THE SENSORIAL | 3 |
| HART 364 | GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN FILM | 3 |
| HART 365 | ART BETWEEN THE WARS: EUROPEAN MODERNISM, 1918-1940 | 3 |
| HART 366 | RADICAL BLACK THOUGHT IN THE STUDIO: ARTISTS CITING BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 369 | STATE OF THE ART | 3 |
| HART 374 | THE VISUAL CULTURE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 375 / ARCH 375 | LATIN-EUROPE/LATIN-AMERICA: THE AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF MODERN CITIES | 3 |
| HART 379 | THE AESTHETICS OF REALISM: FROM COURBET TO THE WIRE | 3 |
| HART 380 / ENGL 373 / FILM 373 | SURVEY OF AMERICAN FILM AND CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 381 | COLLAGE AND ITS HISTORIES | 3 |
| HART 382 / FILM 382 | MODALITIES OF CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 383 / FILM 383 | GLOBAL CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 389 | JUSTICE AND CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 390 | THINKING MODERN DRAWING: ON SITE AT THE MENIL DRAWING INSTITUTE | 3 |
| HART 400 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP I | 3 |
| HART 401 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP II | 3 |
| HART 408 | EXTRACTIVE ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 451 | MODELS OF ABSTRACTION | 3 |
| HART 452 | MANET(S) AND MODERNISM(S) | 3 |
| HART 462 | THE WHITENESS OF GREEN: A HISTORY OF RACIALIZED LANDSCAPES | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 473 | EVOLUTION CUSTOM BUILT: ARCHITECTURE, GENETICS, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE | 3 |
| HART 480 / ARTS 435 / FILM 435 | SEMINAR ON FILM AUTHORSHIP: THE NEW HOLLYWOOD | 4 |
| HART 495 | READINGS IN MEDIA HISTORY AND THEORY | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Africa/African Diaspora/African American Cultures Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 204 | INTRODUCTION TO BLACK ART IN AMERICA: 1900S TO TODAY | 3 |
| HART 306 | WHAT ARTISTS CITE: CORE TEACHINGS IN BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART : SPECULATIVE (UN)MAKINGS | 3 |
| HART 363 | SENSORIAL QUEERNESS : QUEERING THE SENSORIAL | 3 |
| HART 366 | RADICAL BLACK THOUGHT IN THE STUDIO: ARTISTS CITING BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Asia Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 214 | ART & WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES IN CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA | 3 |
| HART 323 / ASIA 323 / MDEM 323 | BUDDHIST AND DAOIST ART AND RITUAL | 3 |
| HART 371 / ASIA 371 | HOW TO READ CHINESE PAINTING | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND THE WORLD | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Europe/Post-Colonization North America Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CLAS 225 | AUGUSTUS AND THE 'GOLDEN AGE' OF ROME | 3 |
| CMST 201 / GERM 280 | HISTORY OF CINEMA AND MEDIA I: INVENTION TO 1945 | 3 |
| CMST 203 | INTRODUCTION TO FILM AND MEDIA ANALYSIS | 3 |
| HART 201 | ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 202 | AVANT-GARDE AND AFTER: MODERN ART IN EUROPE, 1900-1945 | 3 |
| HART 205 | ART SINCE 1945 | 3 |
| HART 216 / CLAS 218 | CITIES, SANCTUARIES, CIVILIZATIONS: INTRODUCTION TO GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| HART 220 | INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF WESTERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 257 | ART AND ART HISTORY OF THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY | 3 |
| HART 263 / FOTO 263 | EPISODES IN THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY: FROM INVENTION TO THE PRESENT | 3 |
| HART 305 | POST WAR: ART IN EUROPE, 1945-2000 | 3 |
| HART 312 / MUCH 308 | ADVANCED STUDY IN MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: ARTS OF ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN AT THE MENIL COLLECTION | 3 |
| HART 317 | MODERN ART AND MONSTROSITY | 3 |
| HART 320 | ART, SCIENCE, AND MAGIC IN THE MEDIEVAL WORLD | 3 |
| HART 328 / RELI 375 | EPIPHANIES: SEEING IN A NEW LIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THE RADIANCE | 3 |
| HART 330 / MDEM 330 | EARLY MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 332 / MDEM 332 | ART OF THE COURTS | 3 |
| HART 334 | PICASSO, POLLOCK, WARHOL | 3 |
| HART 336 / ASIA 355 / FILM 336 | CINEMA AND THE CITY | 3 |
| HART 337 | RADICAL BODIES IN MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 339 | AMERICAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE I: 1620-1800 | 3 |
| HART 341 | EARLY RENAISSANCE ART IN ITALY | 3 |
| HART 342 | THE HIGH RENAISSANCE AND MANNERISM IN ITALY | 3 |
| HART 343 / MDEM 343 | MASTERS OF THE BAROQUE ERA | 3 |
| HART 347 / RELI 343 | SEMINAR ON LOVE | 3 |
| HART 349 | TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 351 | ART, REVOLUTION, WAR: MODERN ART IN VIOLENT TIMES | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 358 | IMPRESSIONISM AND POST-IMPRESSIONISM | 3 |
| HART 360 | FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE: INVENTING ROMAN ART | 3 |
| HART 364 | GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN FILM | 3 |
| HART 365 | ART BETWEEN THE WARS: EUROPEAN MODERNISM, 1918-1940 | 3 |
| HART 369 | STATE OF THE ART | 3 |
| HART 374 | THE VISUAL CULTURE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 377 / MDEM 377 | MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS | 3 |
| HART 379 | THE AESTHETICS OF REALISM: FROM COURBET TO THE WIRE | 3 |
| HART 380 / ENGL 373 / FILM 373 | SURVEY OF AMERICAN FILM AND CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 381 | COLLAGE AND ITS HISTORIES | 3 |
| HART 389 | JUSTICE AND CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 390 | THINKING MODERN DRAWING: ON SITE AT THE MENIL DRAWING INSTITUTE | 3 |
| HART 395 | ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY: FIELD SCHOOL | 3 |
| HART 400 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP I | 3 |
| HART 401 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP II | 3 |
| HART 427 | VISUAL CULATURE OF MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGE | 3 |
| HART 433 | THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE ANGLO-NORMAN WORLD | 3 |
| HART 451 | MODELS OF ABSTRACTION | 3 |
| HART 452 | MANET(S) AND MODERNISM(S) | 3 |
| HART 480 / ARTS 435 / FILM 435 | SEMINAR ON FILM AUTHORSHIP: THE NEW HOLLYWOOD | 4 |
| HART 495 | READINGS IN MEDIA HISTORY AND THEORY | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Islamic Cultures Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 221 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 316 | ART OF THE OBJECT: CRAFT, SENSORY EXPERIENCE, AND MATERIALITY IN ISLAMICATE LANDS | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 385 | ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Latin America/the Caribbean Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 265 | A VISUAL CULTURE TRAVELOGUE: ART AND POLITICS IN MODERN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 304 / FILM 339 / SPAN 392 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 408 | EXTRACTIVE ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Global Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CMST 202 | HISTORY OF CINEMA AND MEDIA PART II: 1945-PRESENT | 3 |
| HART 203 | GLOBAL MODERNISM: TWENTIETH AND TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY MODERNISM FROM AROUND THE WORLD | 3 |
| HART 228 | INTRO. TO A HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: IDEAL CITIES, CANONIC BUILDINGS, AND THEIR POLITICS | 3 |
| HART 280 / ARTS 280 / FILM 280 | HISTORY & AESTHETICS OF FILM | 4 |
| HART 284 / FILM 284 | NONFICTION FILM | 4 |
| HART 307 | WOMEN IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 325 | COFFEEHOUSES AND TEAHOUSES: A GLOBAL HISTORY | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 383 / FILM 383 | GLOBAL CINEMA | 4 |
Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth - Cultural Exchange Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 225 / ARCH 225 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL THINKING | 3 |
| HART 286 / ENGL 286 | CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY FILM | 3 |
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 345 / ARCH 345 | FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850) | 3 |
| HART 375 / ARCH 375 | LATIN-EUROPE/LATIN-AMERICA: THE AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF MODERN CITIES | 3 |
| HART 382 / FILM 382 | MODALITIES OF CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 462 | THE WHITENESS OF GREEN: A HISTORY OF RACIALIZED LANDSCAPES | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 473 | EVOLUTION CUSTOM BUILT: ARCHITECTURE, GENETICS, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE | 3 |
Seminar Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CLAS 225 | AUGUSTUS AND THE 'GOLDEN AGE' OF ROME | 3 |
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 304 / FILM 339 / SPAN 392 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 305 | POST WAR: ART IN EUROPE, 1945-2000 | 3 |
| HART 306 | WHAT ARTISTS CITE: CORE TEACHINGS IN BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| HART 307 | WOMEN IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 312 / MUCH 308 | ADVANCED STUDY IN MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: ARTS OF ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN AT THE MENIL COLLECTION | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 316 | ART OF THE OBJECT: CRAFT, SENSORY EXPERIENCE, AND MATERIALITY IN ISLAMICATE LANDS | 3 |
| HART 317 | MODERN ART AND MONSTROSITY | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 320 | ART, SCIENCE, AND MAGIC IN THE MEDIEVAL WORLD | 3 |
| HART 323 / ASIA 323 / MDEM 323 | BUDDHIST AND DAOIST ART AND RITUAL | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 328 / RELI 375 | EPIPHANIES: SEEING IN A NEW LIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THE RADIANCE | 3 |
| HART 334 | PICASSO, POLLOCK, WARHOL | 3 |
| HART 336 / ASIA 355 / FILM 336 | CINEMA AND THE CITY | 3 |
| HART 338 | HART IN THE WORLD SPRING SEMINAR | 3 |
| HART 347 / RELI 343 | SEMINAR ON LOVE | 3 |
| HART 349 | TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 351 | ART, REVOLUTION, WAR: MODERN ART IN VIOLENT TIMES | 3 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART : SPECULATIVE (UN)MAKINGS | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 358 | IMPRESSIONISM AND POST-IMPRESSIONISM | 3 |
| HART 363 | SENSORIAL QUEERNESS : QUEERING THE SENSORIAL | 3 |
| HART 364 | GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN FILM | 3 |
| HART 365 | ART BETWEEN THE WARS: EUROPEAN MODERNISM, 1918-1940 | 3 |
| HART 366 | RADICAL BLACK THOUGHT IN THE STUDIO: ARTISTS CITING BLACK STUDIES | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 369 | STATE OF THE ART | 3 |
| HART 371 / ASIA 371 | HOW TO READ CHINESE PAINTING | 3 |
| HART 374 | THE VISUAL CULTURE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 375 / ARCH 375 | LATIN-EUROPE/LATIN-AMERICA: THE AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF MODERN CITIES | 3 |
| HART 377 / MDEM 377 | MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS | 3 |
| HART 379 | THE AESTHETICS OF REALISM: FROM COURBET TO THE WIRE | 3 |
| HART 380 / ENGL 373 / FILM 373 | SURVEY OF AMERICAN FILM AND CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 381 | COLLAGE AND ITS HISTORIES | 3 |
| HART 382 / FILM 382 | MODALITIES OF CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 383 / FILM 383 | GLOBAL CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 385 | ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES | 3 |
| HART 389 | JUSTICE AND CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 390 | THINKING MODERN DRAWING: ON SITE AT THE MENIL DRAWING INSTITUTE | 3 |
| HART 408 | EXTRACTIVE ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 412 / ARCH 412 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 427 | VISUAL CULATURE OF MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGE | 3 |
| HART 433 | THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE ANGLO-NORMAN WORLD | 3 |
| HART 451 | MODELS OF ABSTRACTION | 3 |
| HART 452 | MANET(S) AND MODERNISM(S) | 3 |
| HART 462 | THE WHITENESS OF GREEN: A HISTORY OF RACIALIZED LANDSCAPES | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 473 | EVOLUTION CUSTOM BUILT: ARCHITECTURE, GENETICS, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE | 3 |
| HART 480 / ARTS 435 / FILM 435 | SEMINAR ON FILM AUTHORSHIP: THE NEW HOLLYWOOD | 4 |
| HART 495 | READINGS IN MEDIA HISTORY AND THEORY | 3 |
History of Architecture Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ASIA 214 | ART & WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES IN CHINA, JAPAN AND KOREA | 3 |
| HART 101 / CLAS 102 / MDEM 111 | INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART I: ANTIQUITY TO GOTHIC | 3 |
| HART 118 | A GLOBAL ARCHITECTURE HISTORY I | 3 |
| HART 201 | ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 203 | GLOBAL MODERNISM: TWENTIETH AND TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY MODERNISM FROM AROUND THE WORLD | 3 |
| HART 216 / CLAS 218 | CITIES, SANCTUARIES, CIVILIZATIONS: INTRODUCTION TO GREEK ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY | 3 |
| HART 220 | INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF WESTERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 221 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 225 / ARCH 225 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL THINKING | 3 |
| HART 228 | INTRO. TO A HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE: IDEAL CITIES, CANONIC BUILDINGS, AND THEIR POLITICS | 3 |
| HART 265 | A VISUAL CULTURE TRAVELOGUE: ART AND POLITICS IN MODERN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 304 / FILM 339 / SPAN 392 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 321 | AMERICAN ART, 1800-1920 | 3 |
| HART 325 | COFFEEHOUSES AND TEAHOUSES: A GLOBAL HISTORY | 3 |
| HART 330 / MDEM 330 | EARLY MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 332 / MDEM 332 | ART OF THE COURTS | 3 |
| HART 339 | AMERICAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE I: 1620-1800 | 3 |
| HART 345 / ARCH 345 | FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850) | 3 |
| HART 360 | FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE: INVENTING ROMAN ART | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND THE WORLD | 3 |
| HART 375 / ARCH 375 | LATIN-EUROPE/LATIN-AMERICA: THE AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF MODERN CITIES | 3 |
| HART 385 | ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES | 3 |
| HART 408 | EXTRACTIVE ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN LATIN AMERICA | 3 |
| HART 412 / ARCH 412 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 462 | THE WHITENESS OF GREEN: A HISTORY OF RACIALIZED LANDSCAPES | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 473 | EVOLUTION CUSTOM BUILT: ARCHITECTURE, GENETICS, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE | 3 |
Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Art History
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the major in Art History should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, students may not major and minor in the same subject.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s transfer credit advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in Art History should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guidelines:
- No more than 4 courses (12 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major.
- Requests for transfer credit will be considered by the program director (and/or the program’s official transfer credit advisor) on an individual case-by-case basis.
-
Transfer credit received via the articulation of approved exam credit (HART 100), such as advanced placement (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not be considered towards major requirements.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Distribution courses from Art History (HART) introduce students to fundamental historical and/or methodological concepts for the study of art, architecture, and material culture. They aim to develop key skills in looking at, writing about, and discussing works of art and their historical roles. These courses may introduce a broad historical overview (Renaissance to the present, etc.), a more specific historical period or concept (Baroque, modernism, ancient Rome, etc.), or a cultural idea or practice that has been important for art's history (pilgrimage, iconoclasm, etc.).
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Art History website: https://arthistory.rice.edu/
Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Art History
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Departmental Honors Program in Art History
The departmental honors designation is reserved for those accepted into the Art History Honors Program. Students apply (via the departmental Director of Undergraduate Studies) no earlier than spring of the sophomore year and no later than spring of the junior year, and once accepted, they will be assigned to a faculty mentor. Financial assistance is available for honors students to conduct research between their junior and senior years. Students pursuing this opportunity will have a stronger engagement with art historical research to better prepare for a graduate degree in art history.
To remain in the Honors Program, students must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.30 or higher and receive an A (4.00 grade points) or A- (3.67 grade points) in both semesters of the Honors Thesis (HART 402 and HART 403) taken in their senior year. Students who maintain a grade point average of 3.70 or higher and who receive an A (4.00 grade points) in both semesters of the Honors Thesis (HART 402 and HART 403) may be awarded high honors by vote of the department. If students are not able to maintain the requirements of the Departmental Honors Program, they can still graduate with the Art History major.
Departmental Honors Program Requirements
To satisfy the requirements for the Departmental Honors Program in Art History, Art History majors must complete 12 courses (36 credit hours) as listed below. A minimum of 6 courses (18 credit hours) must be taken at the 300-level or above. Note: please see the Requirements tab for course lists to satisfy each requirement listed below.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses at the 200-level or above from each of the following 3 chronological areas (see Requirements tab for course lists) | 18 | |
Up to c. 1400 CE | ||
c. 1400 to 1750 CE | ||
c. 1750 CE to Present | ||
| Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions Breadth | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above from 3 of the following 7 geographical areas or cultural tradition areas (see Requirements tab for course lists) | 9 | |
Africa/African Diaspora/African American Cultures | ||
Asia | ||
Europe/Post-Colonization North America | ||
Islamic Cultures | ||
Latin America/the Caribbean | ||
Global | ||
Cultural Exchange | ||
| Seminar 1 | ||
| Select a minimum of 3 courses (see Requirements tab for course list) | 9 | |
| Honors Thesis 2 | ||
| HART 402 | HONORS THESIS (Senior Year, Fall Semester) | 3 |
| HART 403 | HONORS THESIS (Senior Year, Spring Semester) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Of the 3 courses (9 credit hours) listed as required in the Seminar category, 2 courses (6 credit hours) can also satisfy a requirement in the Chronological Breadth or Breadth of Geographical Areas or Cultural Traditions requirements. |
| 2 | Students register for HART 402 Honors Thesis in the fall semester and HART 403 Honors Thesis in the spring semester of their senior year. Students generally spend the fall semester conducting research on their topic and the spring semester writing the thesis. The final result is a 25-30 page paper with an original argument, well supported by research. Students' interpretative, analytical, research, and writing skills evidenced in the thesis are expected to approach graduate-level work. The final step of the Honors Thesis is the defense, in which students present their thesis to the faculty and students of the Art History department in a 20-minute talk followed by 20 minutes of questions and discussion. Students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.30 or higher and receive an A (4.00 grade points) or A- (3.67 grade points) in both semesters of the Honors Thesis (HART 402 and HART 403) to remain in the Honors Program in Art History. High honors are awarded to students earning 4.00 grade points in both HART 402 and HART 403. |
It is strongly recommended that majors in Art History acquire proficiency in at least one foreign language.
In addition, Art History majors are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities provided by museum internships, study abroad programs, and travel fellowships.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Art History website: https://arthistory.rice.edu/
See https://humanities.rice.edu/student-life for tables of fellowships, prizes, and internships/practica that may be relevant to this major.