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 unique 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 major requirements may additionally meet distribution 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient–Medieval (Pre-Modern) | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above (see below for course list) | 3 | |
| Renaissance–18th century (Early Modern) | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above (see below for course list) | 3 | |
| 19th century–Present (Modern through Contemporary) | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above (see below for course list) | 3 | |
| Seminars | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses (see below for course list) | 6 | |
| Outside European and American Traditions | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above (see below for course list) | 3 | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select a minimum of 4 additional courses as Electives from departmental (HART) course offerings 1 | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Transfer credit for HART 100 received via the articulation of advanced placement credit (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 |
|---|---|---|
| History of Architecture | ||
| Select a minimum of 6 courses (see below for course list) 1 | 18 | |
| Seminars | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses (see below for course list) 1, 2 | 6 | |
| Outside European and American Traditions | ||
| Select a minimum of 1 course at the 200-level or above (see below for course list) 1 | 3 | |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 additional courses at the 200-level or above as Electives from two of the following three chronological categories (see below for course lists): 1,2 | 6 | |
Ancient-Medieval (Pre-Modern) | ||
Renaissance-18th Century (Early Modern) | ||
19th century-Present (Modern through Contemporary) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Transfer credit for HART 100 received via the articulation of advanced placement credit (AP) credit, international baccalaureate (IB) credit, or A-level credit will not count toward any major requirements, including elective requirements. |
| 2 | Courses listed in the Seminar Courses list can also satisfy a requirement in the History of Architecture, Outside European and American Traditions, or the three chronological categories requirements. |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Ancient-Medieval (Pre-Modern) Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 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 309 / CLAS 309 | THE DAWN OF ROME: GENERATING THE URBAN, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF THE ETERNAL CITY | 3 |
| HART 311 / ANTH 331 | ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST | 3 |
| HART 312 / HURC 308 | ADVANCED STUDY IN MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: ARTS OF ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN AT THE MENIL COLLECTION | 3 |
| HART 316 / ANTH 346 / ARCH 310 / COMP 316 | VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL CITIES | 3 |
| HART 318 / CLAS 321 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 326 / ARCH 326 / CLAS 326 | MATERIAL, FORM, SPACE, TIME: CONCRETE AND THE REVOLUTION OF SPACE IN ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 327 / CLAS 324 | THE GENESIS OF ROMAN ART | 3 |
| HART 330 / MDEM 330 | EARLY MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 331 / MDEM 331 | GOTHIC ART | 3 |
| HART 332 / MDEM 332 | ART OF THE COURTS | 3 |
| HART 356 | SEX AND MONEY: THE SPECIES DIVIDE | 3 |
| HART 376 / ASIA 376 / MDEM 376 | EAST & WEST: MEDIEVAL VISUAL CULTURE IN CHINA AND NORTHERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 377 / MDEM 377 | MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS | 3 |
| HART 395 | ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY: FIELD SCHOOL | 3 |
| HART 427 | VISUAL CULATURE OF MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGE | 3 |
| HART 431 / MDEM 431 | ARCHITECTURE OF THE GOTHIC CATHEDRAL FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY | 3 |
| HART 433 | THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE ANGLO-NORMAN WORLD | 3 |
| HART 460 | CHINESE BUDDHIST WOODCUTS 850-1450 | 3 |
| HART 482 / CLAS 482 | CAESAR'S PALACE: AUTHOR(ITY) AND MEANING IN THE ROMAN IMPERIAL RESIDENCE | 3 |
Renaissance–18th century (Early Modern) Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 307 | TECHNICAL ART HISTORY: STUDYING THE TECHNIQUES OF WESTERN PAINTING, 13TH-20TH CENTURIES | 3 |
| HART 308 / ARCH 318 | LIVING IN THE CITY IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 321 / ARCH 331 | IMPERIAL CITY: ISTANBUL 1453-1922 | 3 |
| HART 322 / ARCH 332 | JERUSALEM TO ISFAHAN | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 326 / ARCH 326 / CLAS 326 | MATERIAL, FORM, SPACE, TIME: CONCRETE AND THE REVOLUTION OF SPACE IN ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 333 | LOOKING AT EUROPEAN PRINTS 1400-1700 | 3 |
| HART 339 | AMERICAN ART AND ARCHITECTURE I: 1620-1800 | 3 |
| HART 340 / MDEM 340 | NORTHERN RENAISSANCE ART | 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 344 | CAPITALISM AND CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 345 / ARCH 345 | FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850) | 3 |
| HART 346 / SWGS 346 | SEMINAR ON LOVE: MAKING LOVE IN MODERN ART AND THOUGHT | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 355 | JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID: REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 374 | THE VISUAL CULTURE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 378 / MDEM 378 | DUTCH ART IN THE AGE OF REMBRANDT | 3 |
| HART 400 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP I | 3 |
| HART 401 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP II | 3 |
| HART 406 | ICONOCLASMS: THE DESTRUCTION OF IMAGES | 3 |
| HART 434 / MDEM 434 / SWGS 434 | SEEING SEX IN EUROPEAN ART, 1400-1700 | 3 |
| HART 435 / HIST 443 / MDEM 435 | MULTICULTURAL EUROPE, 1400-1700 | 3 |
| HART 440 | ISSUES IN THE HISTORY OF PRINTS, PRE-MODERN TO PRESENT | 3 |
19th century–Present (Modern through Contemporary) Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 202 | AVANT-GARDE AND AFTER: MODERN ART IN EUROPE, 1900-1945 | 3 |
| HART 205 | ART SINCE 1945 | 3 |
| HART 207 | FOURTEEN ARTWORKS AT THE MFAH | 3 |
| HART 225 / ARCH 225 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL THINKING | 3 |
| HART 250 / FILM 250 | CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN CINEMA | 4 |
| 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 281 / FILM 281 | THE BEGINNINGS OF CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 283 / FILM 285 | AUTEUR FILM: CASE STUDIES OF THREE AUTEURS | 3 |
| HART 284 / FILM 284 | NONFICTION FILM | 4 |
| HART 286 / ENGL 286 | CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY FILM AND THEORY | 3 |
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 304 / FILM 339 / SPPO 375 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 305 | POST WAR: ART IN EUROPE, 1945-2000 | 3 |
| HART 307 | TECHNICAL ART HISTORY: STUDYING THE TECHNIQUES OF WESTERN PAINTING, 13TH-20TH CENTURIES | 3 |
| HART 308 / ARCH 318 | LIVING IN THE CITY IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE | 3 |
| HART 310 / ARCH 315 | BRAZIL BUILT: THE CLINIC, THE TROPICAL, AND THE AESTHETIC | 3 |
| HART 314 | POLITICS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST, 1800 TO THE PRESENT | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 317 | MODERN ART AND MONSTROSITY | 3 |
| HART 321 / ARCH 331 | IMPERIAL CITY: ISTANBUL 1453-1922 | 3 |
| HART 322 / ARCH 332 | JERUSALEM TO ISFAHAN | 3 |
| HART 326 / ARCH 326 / CLAS 326 | MATERIAL, FORM, SPACE, TIME: CONCRETE AND THE REVOLUTION OF SPACE IN ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 328 / RELI 375 | EPIPHANIES: SEEING IN A NEW LIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THE RADIANCE | 3 |
| HART 329 / ARCH 329 / HIST 329 | STREETS AND URBAN LIFE: PARIS TO ISTANBUL | 3 |
| HART 334 | PICASSO, POLLOCK, WARHOL | 3 |
| HART 336 / ASIA 355 / FILM 336 | CINEMA AND THE CITY | 3 |
| HART 345 / ARCH 345 | FOUNDATIONS IN THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE I (1450-1850) | 3 |
| HART 346 / SWGS 346 | SEMINAR ON LOVE: MAKING LOVE IN MODERN ART AND THOUGHT | 3 |
| HART 348 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 1 |
| HART 349 | TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 351 | ART, REVOLUTION, WAR: MODERN ART IN VIOLENT TIMES | 3 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 355 | JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID: REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 357 | CONSTABLE AND TURNER | 3 |
| HART 358 | IMPRESSIONISM AND POST-IMPRESSIONISM | 3 |
| HART 359 / ARCH 359 / FILM 359 | CINEMAS OF URBAN ALIENATION | 4 |
| HART 361 / FILM 361 | WHAT IS CINEMA? CLASSIC READINGS OF CLASSIC FILMS | 3 |
| HART 365 | ART BETWEEN THE WARS: EUROPEAN MODERNISM, 1918-1940 | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 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 386 | DADA | 3 |
| HART 387 / GERM 351 | HOLOCAUST MEMORY IN MODERN GERMANY | 3-4 |
| HART 388 / FILM 388 | POST WAR EUROPEAN CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 389 | JUSTICE AND CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 391 / ANTH 378 / FILM 378 | PLACE AND MEMORY IN MIDDLE EASTERN AND EUROPEAN CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 398 / GERM 339 | FROM EXPRESSIONISM TO FASCISM: ART AND FILM IN GERMANY | 3 |
| HART 400 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP I | 3 |
| HART 401 | BAYOU BEND UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP II | 3 |
| HART 406 | ICONOCLASMS: THE DESTRUCTION OF IMAGES | 3 |
| HART 407 | POP ART | 3 |
| HART 413 | MURDER AND MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 451 | MODELS OF ABSTRACTION | 3 |
| HART 452 | MANET(S) AND MODERNISM(S) | 3 |
| HART 457 / FILM 455 | VIDEO AND EXPANDED CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 461 | ART OF THE 60s AND 70s | 3 |
| HART 463 / ARCH 452 | PRACTICING UTOPIA: ARCHITECTURE, EUGENICS AND THE MODERN LATIN CITY | 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 481 / FILM 485 | AUTEUR FILM: CASE STUDIES OF THREE AUTEURS | 4 |
| HART 493 | WALTER BENJAMIN, MEDIA & MODERNITY | 3 |
| HART 495 | READINGS IN MEDIA HISTORY AND THEORY | 3 |
Seminar Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 302 | FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SUSTAINABLE: ART, ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE | 3 |
| HART 304 / FILM 339 / SPPO 375 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 305 | POST WAR: ART IN EUROPE, 1945-2000 | 3 |
| HART 309 / CLAS 309 | THE DAWN OF ROME: GENERATING THE URBAN, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF THE ETERNAL CITY | 3 |
| HART 310 / ARCH 315 | BRAZIL BUILT: THE CLINIC, THE TROPICAL, AND THE AESTHETIC | 3 |
| HART 312 / HURC 308 | ADVANCED STUDY IN MUSEUMS AND HERITAGE: ARTS OF ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN AT THE MENIL COLLECTION | 3 |
| HART 314 | POLITICS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST, 1800 TO THE PRESENT | 3 |
| HART 315 | ART AND ACTIVISM: CREATIVE PROTESTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY AMERICAS | 3 |
| HART 316 / ANTH 346 / ARCH 310 / COMP 316 | VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL CITIES | 3 |
| HART 317 | MODERN ART AND MONSTROSITY | 3 |
| HART 318 / CLAS 321 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 321 / ARCH 331 | IMPERIAL CITY: ISTANBUL 1453-1922 | 3 |
| HART 322 / ARCH 332 | JERUSALEM TO ISFAHAN | 3 |
| HART 323 / ASIA 323 / MDEM 323 | BUDDHIST AND DAOIST ART IN CHINA | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 326 / ARCH 326 / CLAS 326 | MATERIAL, FORM, SPACE, TIME: CONCRETE AND THE REVOLUTION OF SPACE IN ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 328 / RELI 375 | EPIPHANIES: SEEING IN A NEW LIGHT AND RECOGNIZING THE RADIANCE | 3 |
| HART 333 | LOOKING AT EUROPEAN PRINTS 1400-1700 | 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 344 | CAPITALISM AND CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 346 / SWGS 346 | SEMINAR ON LOVE: MAKING LOVE IN MODERN ART AND THOUGHT | 3 |
| HART 347 / RELI 343 | SEMINAR ON LOVE | 3 |
| HART 348 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 1 |
| HART 349 | TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 351 | ART, REVOLUTION, WAR: MODERN ART IN VIOLENT TIMES | 3 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 353 | ART AND EMOTION | 3 |
| HART 354 | AGE OF ROMANTICISM IN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 355 | JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID: REVOLUTION | 3 |
| HART 356 | SEX AND MONEY: THE SPECIES DIVIDE | 3 |
| HART 357 | CONSTABLE AND TURNER | 3 |
| HART 359 / ARCH 359 / FILM 359 | CINEMAS OF URBAN ALIENATION | 4 |
| HART 361 / FILM 361 | WHAT IS CINEMA? CLASSIC READINGS OF CLASSIC FILMS | 3 |
| HART 362 | UPCYCLING: MEANINGFUL REUSE IN ART AND MONUMENTS FROM ANTIQUITY TO TODAY | 3 |
| HART 365 | ART BETWEEN THE WARS: EUROPEAN MODERNISM, 1918-1940 | 3 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 369 | STATE OF THE ART | 3 |
| HART 371 / ASIA 371 | 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 376 / ASIA 376 / MDEM 376 | EAST & WEST: MEDIEVAL VISUAL CULTURE IN CHINA AND NORTHERN EUROPE | 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 386 | DADA | 3 |
| HART 387 / GERM 351 | HOLOCAUST MEMORY IN MODERN GERMANY | 3-4 |
| HART 388 / FILM 388 | POST WAR EUROPEAN CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 389 | JUSTICE AND CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 391 / ANTH 378 / FILM 378 | PLACE AND MEMORY IN MIDDLE EASTERN AND EUROPEAN CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 396 | MEDICAL HUMANITIES VISUAL CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 397 | HART IN THE WORLD FIELD STUDY | 3 |
| HART 398 / GERM 339 | FROM EXPRESSIONISM TO FASCISM: ART AND FILM IN GERMANY | 3 |
| HART 399 / SWGS 321 | EXHIBITING SEXUALITIES | 3 |
| HART 406 | ICONOCLASMS: THE DESTRUCTION OF IMAGES | 3 |
| HART 407 | POP ART | 3 |
| HART 412 / ARCH 412 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 413 | MURDER AND MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 427 | VISUAL CULATURE OF MEDIEVAL PILGRIMAGE | 3 |
| HART 430 / ENGL 438 | THE GROTESQUE | 3 |
| HART 431 / MDEM 431 | ARCHITECTURE OF THE GOTHIC CATHEDRAL FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY | 3 |
| HART 433 | THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY AND THE ANGLO-NORMAN WORLD | 3 |
| HART 435 / HIST 443 / MDEM 435 | MULTICULTURAL EUROPE, 1400-1700 | 3 |
| HART 451 | MODELS OF ABSTRACTION | 3 |
| HART 452 | MANET(S) AND MODERNISM(S) | 3 |
| HART 457 / FILM 455 | VIDEO AND EXPANDED CINEMA | 3 |
| HART 460 | CHINESE BUDDHIST WOODCUTS 850-1450 | 3 |
| HART 461 | ART OF THE 60s AND 70s | 3 |
| HART 463 / ARCH 452 | PRACTICING UTOPIA: ARCHITECTURE, EUGENICS AND THE MODERN LATIN CITY | 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 493 | WALTER BENJAMIN, MEDIA & MODERNITY | 3 |
| HART 495 | READINGS IN MEDIA HISTORY AND THEORY | 3 |
Outside European and American Traditions Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 221 | INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC ART AND ARCHITECTURE | 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 / SPPO 375 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 310 / ARCH 315 | BRAZIL BUILT: THE CLINIC, THE TROPICAL, AND THE AESTHETIC | 3 |
| HART 314 | POLITICS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST, 1800 TO THE PRESENT | 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 / ARCH 331 | IMPERIAL CITY: ISTANBUL 1453-1922 | 3 |
| HART 322 / ARCH 332 | JERUSALEM TO ISFAHAN | 3 |
| HART 323 / ASIA 323 / MDEM 323 | BUDDHIST AND DAOIST ART IN CHINA | 3 |
| HART 324 | PERSIANATE ARTS OF THE BOOK | 3 |
| HART 348 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 1 |
| HART 352 | BLACK CONTEMPORARY ART | 3 |
| HART 359 / ARCH 359 / FILM 359 | CINEMAS OF URBAN ALIENATION | 4 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 371 / ASIA 371 | CHINESE PAINTING | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND VISUAL CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 375 / ARCH 375 | LATIN-EUROPE/LATIN-AMERICA: THE AESTHETICS AND POLITICS OF MODERN CITIES | 3 |
| HART 376 / ASIA 376 / MDEM 376 | EAST & WEST: MEDIEVAL VISUAL CULTURE IN CHINA AND NORTHERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 383 / FILM 383 | GLOBAL CINEMA | 4 |
| HART 385 | ARCHITECTURE AND LITERATURE IN ISLAMIC CULTURES | 3 |
| HART 460 | CHINESE BUDDHIST WOODCUTS 850-1450 | 3 |
| HART 463 / ARCH 452 | PRACTICING UTOPIA: ARCHITECTURE, EUGENICS AND THE MODERN LATIN CITY | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
History of Architecture Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HART 101 / CLAS 102 / MDEM 111 | INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF WESTERN ART I: ANTIQUITY TO GOTHIC | 3 |
| HART 201 | ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 220 | INTRODUCTION TO MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF WESTERN EUROPE | 3 |
| HART 225 / ARCH 225 | INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURAL THINKING | 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 / SPPO 375 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 3 |
| HART 310 / ARCH 315 | BRAZIL BUILT: THE CLINIC, THE TROPICAL, AND THE AESTHETIC | 3 |
| HART 311 / ANTH 331 | ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST | 3 |
| HART 316 / ANTH 346 / ARCH 310 / COMP 316 | VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF HISTORICAL CITIES | 3 |
| HART 318 / CLAS 321 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANCIENT ART | 3 |
| HART 319 | ARCHITECTURE, TRADE, AND POWER IN EARLY MODERN ISLAMIC EMPIRES | 3 |
| HART 322 / ARCH 332 | JERUSALEM TO ISFAHAN | 3 |
| HART 326 / ARCH 326 / CLAS 326 | MATERIAL, FORM, SPACE, TIME: CONCRETE AND THE REVOLUTION OF SPACE IN ANCIENT ROME | 3 |
| HART 330 / MDEM 330 | EARLY MEDIEVAL ART | 3 |
| HART 331 / MDEM 331 | GOTHIC 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 348 | A REVOLUTION FROM WITHIN: TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY CUBAN CULTURE | 1 |
| HART 367 | ARCHITECTURES OF POWER, RESISTANCE, AND COEXISTENCE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | 3 |
| HART 372 / ASIA 372 / MDEM 373 | CHINESE ART AND VISUAL CULTURE | 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 395 | ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY: FIELD SCHOOL | 3 |
| HART 412 / ARCH 412 | ADVANCED SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTURE | 3 |
| HART 431 / MDEM 431 | ARCHITECTURE OF THE GOTHIC CATHEDRAL FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY | 3 |
| HART 463 / ARCH 452 | PRACTICING UTOPIA: ARCHITECTURE, EUGENICS AND THE MODERN LATIN CITY | 3 |
| HART 465 | LATIN AMERICAN BODIES: ON MODERNISM | 3 |
| HART 473 | EVOLUTION CUSTOM BUILT: ARCHITECTURE, GENETICS, AND THE ANTHROPOCENE | 3 |
| HART 482 / CLAS 482 | CAESAR'S PALACE: AUTHOR(ITY) AND MEANING IN THE ROMAN IMPERIAL RESIDENCE | 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 advanced placement (AP) credit (HART 100), 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 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.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient-Medieval (Pre-Modern) | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses at the 200-level or above (see Requirements tab for course list) | 6 | |
| Renaissance-18th century (Early Modern) | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses at the 200-level or above (see Requirements tab for course list) | 6 | |
| 19th century-Present (Modern through Contemporary) | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses at the 200-level or above (see Requirements tab for course list) | 6 | |
| Outside European and American Traditions | ||
| Select a minimum of 2 courses at the 200-level or above (see Requirements tab for course list) | 6 | |
| 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 | Courses listed in the Seminar Courses list can also satisfy a requirement in the Outside European and American Traditions or the three chronological categories 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 statement, well support 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 discussions. 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.