Art History (ARTH) < Virginia Commonwealth University

This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

ARTH 103. Survey of Art I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online and face-to-face). 3 credits. Introductory survey of art from the prehistoric era through the 13th century, including examples from selected regions of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Illustrated lectures demonstrate visual analysis and other art historical methods while also identifying key monuments and artists’ work in relationship to historical contexts.

ARTH 104. Survey of Art II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online and face-to-face). 3 credits. Introductory survey of art from the 14th century through 21st century, including examples from selected regions of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Illustrated lectures demonstrate visual analysis and other art historical methods while also identifying key monuments and artists’ work in relationship to historical contexts.

ARTH 201. Banned! Art and Controversy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. What could make a work of art so controversial that it divides public opinion, is banned from public view or even gets destroyed? This course examines the reasons why visual art can be such a provocative and polarizing creative endeavor. By examining case studies from various historical and geographical contexts, students will explore the ways in which artistic controversy intersects key humanistic concerns, including questions of aesthetics and economic value; politics and cultural heritage; sacredness and religion; and gender and sexuality. This course will promote critical looking and thinking by introducing students to a variety of criteria used to evaluate art and by challenging them to consider diverse, often contradictory, interpretations of art.

ARTH 207. Global Art History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. Art will be presented as an integral aspect of each culture from the areas of China, Japan, Africa, Oceania, Native America, and pre-Columbian Central and South America. Aesthetic appreciation will be enhanced through a presentation of various philosophies, customs and values. Illustrated lectures and analytical practices will be supported by the student visiting local museums and galleries to examine selected works of art.

ARTH 245. Survey of Asian Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Introductory survey of South Asian, Himalayan, Southeast Asian and East Asian art. Illustrated lectures provide a survey of Asian art and architecture.

ARTH 260. Islamic Art Survey. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 103, ARTF 105 or ARTF 115; and ARTH 104, ARTF 106 or ARTF 116. Provides a survey of Islamic art and architecture from the seventh century to the present.

ARTH 261. Islamic Art Survey. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3, 3 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 103 or ARTF 105 or 115 and ARTH 104 or ARTF 106 or 116. First semester: seventh century to 13th century. Second semester: 14th century to the present. Illustrated lectures provide a survey of Islamic art and architecture. Students will visit local museums and galleries to examine selected works of art.

ARTH 270. History of the Motion Picture I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. The history of development of the motion picture from the early 1800s to the mid-20th century, with both technical and aesthetic consideration. Students engage in analysis and discussion after viewing selected films.

ARTH 271. History of the Motion Picture II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 3 credits. The history of development of the motion picture from post-WWII to the present, with both technical and aesthetic consideration. Students engage in analysis and discussion after viewing selected films.

ARTH 291. Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 9 credits. An in-depth study of a selected topic in art history not included in the curriculum. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 292. Writing for Art History. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 2 research hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 200 or HONR 200 with a minimum grade of C. Enrollment is restricted to art history majors. Students hone their writing skills in a variety of contexts relevant to the field of art history through writing assignments that emphasize argumentation, creativity and research, writing for a specific audience, responsible use of sources, paragraph and sentence mechanics, and developing an individual voice as an author. Students will produce an extended research project that culminates in a formal presentation and research paper.

ARTH 293. Professional Practices for Art History. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Prerequisite: UNIV 200 with a minimum grade of C. Enrollment is restricted to art history majors. This course introduces students to a variety of career pathways within art history and includes practical advice about career preparation in the field. Through a combination of lecture and guest-speaker workshops, students learn about careers in academia, museums, libraries, publishing, arts administration and art conservation, among others. By the end of the course, students will create a portfolio of professional documents and give a short presentation about their future career goals.

ARTH 300. Prehistoric and Ancient Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A survey of the artistic expressions of the major prehistoric and ancient cultures of Europe, the Near East, Egypt and the Aegean.

ARTH 302. Introduction to Museums. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A survey of contemporary theories, issues and practices in the museum environment. Topics include museum identity and function, administration, museum ethics, collections maintenance and management, curatorial and exhibition issues, and education and public interaction.

ARTH 303. History of Art Museums. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Course surveys the history of museums, from their origins in early modern Europe to the present day. This course explores the development of museums not just as preservers of culture, but also as active agents in shaping the perception of and access to cultural objects.

ARTH 304. Art of Ancient African Cultures and Kingdoms. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An in-depth examination of the visual arts of ancient African cultures and kingdoms from prehistoric times to the 18th century and analysis of the historical, cultural and economic forces that shaped them.

ARTH 305. Classical Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A survey of the development of Greek, Etruscan and Roman art and architecture from their beginnings to the early 4th century CE.

ARTH 309. Introduction to Islamic Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 103 or ARTH 104. The course introduces the social, political and cultural developments and changes of art, material culture and the built environment of the early centuries of Islam, starting with its founding in the 7th century until the early modern period (ca. 1700s). The regions covered in this course span West, Central and South Asia, North Africa and southern Spain. The course foregrounds a number of important monuments, artworks and urban structures in these regions and considers major visual trends, varying patterns of use, urban transformations, intersections of belief systems, cross-cultural encounters and changing societal values attributed to visual culture and architecture by members of the region’s diverse social, political and cultural milieus. Although focused on the history of Islamic art before the 19th century, the course includes a consideration of relevant modern and contemporary examples of visual culture and architecture that engage with historical traditions.

ARTH 310. Medieval Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Survey of European medieval art and architecture between approximately 300 and 1400 CE.

ARTH 311. Early Islamic Art in a Global Context. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 260. Explores the early evolution of Islamic visual culture. Emphasizes artistic contact and exchange with non-Islamic civilizations in Europe, Asia and Africa up through the Crusader period.

ARTH 312. Islamic Art in a Global Context 1200 to 1600 CE. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 260. Explores the artistic dynamics of the Islamic world beginning with the Mongol expansion and the Spanish Reconquista through the flourishing of the Safavid, Mughal and Ottoman empires.

ARTH 315. Renaissance Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of the Renaissance in Italy and Northern Europe. Painting, sculpture and architecture of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries.

ARTH 320. Baroque and Rococo Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The art and architecture of Italy and northern Europe between 1600 and 1750.

ARTH 321. Islamic Art in a Global Context 1600 to 1800 CE. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 260. Explores Islamic and global artistic developments as facets of geopolitical shifts, cross-cultural interactions and changing aesthetic tastes.

ARTH 324. 18th-century Art in Europe. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Study of European art between 1688-1789.

ARTH 325. 19th-century Art in Europe. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Study of European art between 1770 and 1900.

ARTH 333. Modern Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Thematic survey of 19th- and 20th-century architecture. Provides a foundational introduction to the sequence of styles and design principles as well as key materials and techniques. Considers the relationship between form and function and the expression of cultural meaning through architecture.

ARTH 335. Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of the major artistic traditions of ancient America (i.e., Maya, Aztec and Inca). The course concentrates on Meso-America and the Andean Region.

ARTH 338. Colonial Art and Architecture of Latin America. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of the major artistic traditions in Latin America from the 16th to the end of the 18th century.

ARTH 339. Modern and Contemporary Art and Architecture of Latin America. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of 19th- and 20th-century art in Latin America focusing on the major movements and artists of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

ARTH 342. African-American Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of the art forms produced by Americans of African origin from the 17th century to the present with an emphasis on contemporary trends in black art. Crosslisted as: AFAM 342.

ARTH 344. American Art History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Survey of American art from early encounters between Native Americans and Europeans to discourses of multiculturalism in recent decades. Course explores themes of nationhood, race, gender, sexuality, class and ethnicity in art of the United States.

ARTH 347. Studies in Asian Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of nine credits. Explores the development of Asian artistic traditions in a particular geographic region or specified period. Topics may be an art form or medium, a geographical area, a theme, a function, or a context. May focus on artistic contact and cultural interconnection within a global context. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 348. Art of the African Diaspora. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Course uses visual culture as means to explore the history and impact of the global spread of African peoples from slavery until the present day. Course examines a range of artistic practices from the visual culture of street festivals and Afro-Caribbean religions to the work of studio-trained artists of international repute.

ARTH 349. Body Adornment, Masks and Masking in Africa. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An in-depth examination of the body in Africa with regard to its ontological, biological and cultural significance; its embellishment for aesthetic and other purposes; and its partial or total concealment (through masking) to mediate between the spiritual and physical world.

ARTH 351. Oceanic Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Study of the indigenous arts of Oceania from prehistoric times to the present.

ARTH 357. Women, Art and Society. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A re-examination of a variety of issues concerning women, art and society: the position assigned women within the history of art as it relates to historical place and the aesthetic values of the canon, the gendering of style, patronage, audience, and gaze. Through a survey of images of and by women, as well as through an analysis of art historical and critical texts, this course addresses the question: "How are the processes of sexual differentiation played out across the representations of art and art history?" Crosslisted as: GSWS 457.

ARTH 358. African Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A study of African art and architecture from prehistoric times to the present. Special emphasis is placed on form, content, function and meaning, as well as the impact of African art on modern and African-American art. Crosslisted as: AFAM 358.

ARTH 359. Studies in Aesthetics, Theory and Criticism of Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of nine credits. An in-depth examination of selected topics. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 361. The Human Condition: An Arts Perspective. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Considers both the commonality of the human condition and differentiation among sociological and cultural experiences represented in selected artworks in the permanent collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

ARTH 365. Modern Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An in-depth examination of art, theory and criticism from 1900-50.

ARTH 366. Contemporary Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An in-depth examination of art, theory and criticism from 1950 to the present.

ARTH 367. German Expressionism. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Course examines “expressionism” as a generative concept that produced -- and continues to produce -- ways of organizing and understanding the words and pictures that circulated in the rapidly changing, socially and culturally turbulent Germany of the early 20th century.

ARTH 368. Pop Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Course examines pop art from its beginnings in 1950s England through its heyday in 1960s New York and Los Angeles. Course explores the movement’s wider effects in a variety of international contexts through analysis of early critical reception as well as contemporary theories of mass media, consumption and representation.

ARTH 369. Studies in Museum Methods. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of six credits. An in-depth examination of selected topics. Topics include museum administration, museum ethics, collections maintenance and management, curatorial and exhibition issues, and education. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 370. History of Animated Film. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. The history of animation as an art form, from early experimental to popular culture to independent animation. Design, structure and technique are considered.

ARTH 372. History of Photography. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Examines the history of photography from its invention in the early 19th century to the present. Provides a foundational introduction to processes and materials from analog to digital. Surveys principal artists and movements and examines the nature and cultural meanings of photographic representation through lecture and discussion.

ARTH 374. Studies in Film. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of six credits. An in-depth examination of selected topics in film. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 390. Art Historical Methods. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 2 research hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 292 with a minimum grade of C. Enrollment is restricted to art history majors. Course provides students with an overview of the history of art history through a chronological survey of key methods of analysis that have defined the discipline from its beginnings to the present. Students develop critical thinking and writing skills specific to art history through written assignments and discussion of readings. Students will produce an extended research project that culminates in a formal presentation and research paper.

ARTH 391. Special Topics. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of nine credits. An in-depth study of a selected topic in art history not included in the curriculum. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 439. Studies in 20th-century Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of six credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 292 with a minimum grade of C or permission of instructor. An in-depth examination of selected art and issues of the period. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 440. Modern and Contemporary Art and Architecture of Africa. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 292 with a minimum grade of C or permission of instructor. A study of the impact on African art and architecture of Colonialism, urbanization and modernization. Special emphasis is placed on the search for a new identity by contemporary African artists. Crosslisted as: AFAM 440.

ARTH 444. Studies in the Art of the United States. 3 Hours.

ARTH 449. Studies in Asian Art. 3 Hours.

ARTH 452. Studies in Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture. 3 Hours.

ARTH 454. Studies in African Art. 3 Hours.

ARTH 465. Islamic Art in a Global Context 1800 to 1900 CE. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 260 and ARTH 292, both with a minimum grade of C, or permission of instructor. Examines the art and architecture of the Islamic world during the age of European colonialism.

ARTH 466. Modern and Contemporary Art in the Middle East. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 260 and ARTH 292, both with a minimum grade of C, or permission of instructor. Focuses on art and architecture in the Middle East in the 20th and 21st centuries. Issues considered include the lives and work of selected artists, architects and designers; artistic media and themes; collecting; and the art market.

ARTH 489. Topics in Advanced Art History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of nine credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 292 with a minimum grade of C or permission of instructor. An in-depth study of a selected topic in art history not included in the curriculum. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 490. Senior Seminar in Art History. 4 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 2 research hours. 4 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 390 with a minimum grade of C. Enrollment is restricted to art history majors. Course provides an in-depth study of a specific art historical topic, movement or theme in a seminar format. Students will produce an extended research project that culminates in a formal presentation and research paper. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each year.

ARTH 493. Museum Internship. 3-6 Hours.

Semester course; 9 to 18 studio hours. 3 to 6 credits. May be repeated with different topics for a maximum of 12 credits. Prerequisites: ARTH 302 and 390, both with a minimum grade of C. Restricted to art history majors only. Fieldwork in a local or regional museum. Topics inlcude museum administration, museum ethics, collections maintenance and management, curatorial and exhibition issues, and education.

ARTH 497. Directed Research Project. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 390 with a minimum grade of C. Advanced individual work on a subject to be formulated in writing by the student and the instructor.

ARTH 591. Special Topics in Art History. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An in-depth study of a particular aspect of art history or art made in a particular time or place, or by a specific artist or group of artists. Course may include extended off-campus trips to sites and collections throughout the United States or abroad. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 598. German for Art Historical Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course. 3 practicum hours. 3 credits. A sustained and progressively complex sequence of exercises in reading and translating art historical research that is written and published in German. Graded P/F.

ARTH 621. Historical Preservation and Architectural History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An introduction to the methods or research, record keeping and reporting used in architectural history, and to the evolution of the discipline, especially in relation to historic preservation.

ARTH 622. Studies in Architectural History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of a selected period of architectural history in Europe and/or America. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 681. Museums and Communities. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. An examination of relationships between museums and communities, focusing on critical/theoretical analyses of how museums have constructed community identities, histories of place and cross-cultural relations. Also provides understanding of organizational structures and the roles and responsibilities of museum administrators.

ARTH 682. The Museum as Educational Institution. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. An overview of the history, theory and practice of museums as educational institutions, focusing on education philosophies and teaching methods as well as criteria for evaluating the educational merit of exhibits and programs. Also provides an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of museum educators and the structural organization of museum departments of education.

ARTH 683. Museum Collections. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. An examination of the history, motivations and procedures of museums collecting. Considers the ethical and logistical issues involved in acquiring objects (through bequests and purchase), in releasing objects (through restitution and deaccessioning) and in stewardship of objects (through conservation and registration). Also provides understanding of the roles and responsibilities of curators, collections managers, registrars and conservators, as well as an understanding of the structural organization of curatorial/collections staff.

ARTH 684. Curating Museum Exhibitions. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 681, ARTH 682, ARTH 683 or ARTH 691. Students work collaboratively to develop an exhibit script that reflects a contemporary museological issue through the display of artworks and/or artifacts.

ARTH 690. Historiography and Methodology of Art History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. Historiographic overview of art history since the mid-18th century that provides a foundational understanding of the changing methodological and theoretical bases for its disciplinary practices in academia and museums. Critical reading and writing skills and research methods will be developed through class discussion, small assignments and an independent research project in the student's primary area of interest.

ARTH 691. Special Topics in Museum Studies. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of museum histories, theories or practices in a particular time period, region or culture.

ARTH 693. Graduate Museum Internship. 3-6 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 3-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor, chair of the graduate committee and/or chair of the Department of Art History. Professionally supervised work in a local, regional, national or international museum.

ARTH 694. Art History and Pedagogy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. An examination of teaching philosophies and methods that have been enacted in the development of art history curricula, course design, classroom activities and gallery programs within higher education and museum contexts.

ARTH 695. Writing Seminar. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. An investigation and practical application of rhetorical styles of writing for various audiences and purposes in academic, museum and/or online contexts, with particular focus on scholarly writing.

ARTH 721. Seminar in Early Modern Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of a selected aspect of Renaissance or Baroque art in Europe. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 722. Seminar in 19th-century Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of a selected aspect of 19th-century art in Europe and/or America, including though not limited to movements, artists, new techniques, technologies or display venues. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 723. Seminar in 20th-century Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of a selected aspect of 20th-century art in Europe and/or America, including though not limited to movements, artists, new techniques, technologies or display venues. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 726. Seminar in African Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. A study of the culture and traditional art forms, which may include architecture; sculptural works in wood, stone, ivory and metal; royal attire; jewelry and/or weaponry of a specific African region. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 728. Seminar in Asian Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. An advanced, in-depth study of a selected aspect of Asian art. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics to be offered each semester.

ARTH 741. Seminar in Art and Theory. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An advanced, detailed investigation of critical, aesthetic or social theories as they relate to the history of art. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 742. Seminar in Trans-millennial Art and Ideas. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An advanced, detailed investigation of an issue, idea or topic that transcends millennia in the history of art. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 743. Seminar in Art and Representation. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An advanced, detailed investigation of an issue, idea or topic that considers artworks as representations of people, places, ideas, cultural values, etc. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 749. Seminar in Diasporic Art. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. An examination of African-inspired cultural and artistic traditions in North and South America and the Caribbean. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 771. Qualifying Paper. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 seminar hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of four credits. Prerequisite: ARTH 695. Provides Master of Arts students with a structure in which to complete a qualifying paper that fulfills degree requirements. Students meet periodically as a group while also working independently with a faculty adviser to articulate a paper topic, conduct research and refine a paper of publishable quality.

ARTH 772. Major Field Exam. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 research hours. 3 credits. Enrollment requires permission of director of graduate studies. Provides doctoral students with opportunities to investigate research areas related to their major field of study. Students work with a faculty adviser to establish a bibliography for independent reading and study in preparation for the major field exam. Graded as Pass/Fail.

ARTH 773. Minor Field Exam. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 research hours. 3 credits. Enrollment requires permission of director of graduate studies. Provides doctoral students with opportunities to investigate research areas related to their minor field of study. Students work with a faculty adviser to establish a bibliography for independent reading and study in preparation for the minor field exam. Graded as Pass/Fail.

ARTH 774. Dissertation Proposal. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 research hours. 3 credits. Enrollment requires permission of director of graduate studies. Students prepare a dissertation proposal under the direction of the dissertation adviser. Graded as S/U/F.

ARTH 791. Special Topics in Art History. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours. 3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. An in-depth investigation of a topic or issue in art history. See the Schedule of Classes for specific topics offered each semester.

ARTH 797. Directed Research Project. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. 1-3 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor, director of graduate studies and chair of the Department of Art History. Advanced individual work on a subject to be formulated by the student in collaboration with and/or approved by the instructor.

ARTH 899. Dissertation Research. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. Variable credit. A minimum of 6 semester hours required; may be repeated for a maximum of 15 credits. Enrollment restricted to students who have achieved Ph.D. candidacy. Preparation of a dissertation based on independent research and in consultation with a faculty dissertation director. Graded S/U/F.