The curriculum in art history acquaints students with the visual and built culture of humankind through the ages: with works of art and architecture as individual organizations of shape, space, surface and color, and as cultural artifacts with a history and function within their societies linked to other forms of cultural production. The curriculum shares with the department of art and design a concern with understanding the making of art and architecture, and the concern of other humanities departments with the variety of ways in which art and architecture have become a focus for discourse in the past and in the present. Students may enroll in one or more of the introductions to art history and architecture or to the broader field of visual culture. They may also take more specialized historical courses in the art and architecture of a particular era, or of a particular geographical area, or topical courses on particular problems in the field.
The curriculum places the study of art and architecture within the broadest possible context, and in order to be well prepared, students are encouraged to take courses linked to their work and majors in other disciplines. The department encourages and advises students toward interdisciplinary studies and sponsors conferences and symposia to strengthen such links to other fields.
Binghamton's programs in the history of art and architecture prepare students not only for advanced graduate work in art and architectural history, but also for a broad range of professions and vocations in a variety of related fields. In the past, students completing degrees in the program have enrolled in history of art and architecture graduate programs in most major universities across the country (including, of course, Binghamton's own very distinctive graduate program) and around the world. But many others have chosen to enter fields closely related to art history, such as curatorial practice, museum administration, museum education, art conservation or visual resources management, or to work in commercial galleries, auction houses, archives and libraries. Students with a concentration in architectural and urban studies have pursued graduate degrees and careers in architecture, urban planning, historic preservation and other related fields.
The department offers a major (with two possible tracks) and a minor in Art History.
Harpur College Requirements
Harpur College students must complete the following requirements in addition to those listed for the major:
- 126 credits
- 94 liberal arts and sciences credits
- Minimum of 46 upper-level credits
- Completion of the Harpur College writing requirement (four to five courses as described in the All-College Writing section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin. Maximum of one C/J course and two W courses may be transferred).
- Minimum of 44 credits in residence in Harpur College
- 2.0 or higher GPA
Harpur College requirements are described in detail in the Requirements for Graduation section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin.
Art History Major
The undergraduate major in the Art History Department offers two tracks: art history and architecture and urban studies (AUS).
The art history track prepares undergraduate majors for scholarly and professional work and study in the art world, including advanced graduate study, professional museum and gallery work and careers in arts administration.
The architecture and urban studies track prepares departmental majors for advanced study in the field, for careers in teaching, for professional work in such areas as architectural design, urban planning, interior design, historic preservation and for civic administrative work in related areas.
Departmental honors are offered in both tracks. Departmental honors offers students an opportunity to pursue advanced independent work in a carefully designed project supervised by a member of the art history faculty. Honors candidates must have a GPA of 3.5 in the major and must obtain the agreement of a member of the faculty to serve as advisor.
At least 24 credits of the required coursework for the major must be advanced (300-level and above). No more than four credit hours, equivalent to one of the required advanced-level courses, may be an independent study (ARTH 397).
Majors in art history may elect the Pass/Fail grade option in only two ARTH courses (or a total of eight credits). These courses may not include ARTH 498-499, Honors Thesis. Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the major.
Transfer credits toward the art history major must be reviewed by the department. A maximum of 16 credits at the 100- or 200-levels may be accepted. All 300- and 400-level courses must be completed in residence.
All art history majors are advised to take at least two courses in other departments that relate specifically to their art historical work. Such courses might include the history, politics and/or literature of a temporal period or geographical region, or courses in philosophy, sociology or anthropology. In addition, the department strongly advises majors to acquire a reading knowledge of French, German or another research language appropriate to their field of interest. Courses should be selected with the advice of the student's departmental advisor. The department also encourages the pursuit of study-abroad opportunities related to research interests, when feasible.
Art History Track
| Required Courses | Credits |
| Two introductory courses (ARTH 102, ARTH 103, ARTH 110 or ARTH 111) | 8 |
|
Five ARTH courses at the 200 level or above, which must include:
|
20 |
| One fine arts course (ARTS, CINE, MUS or THEA) | 4 |
|
Two additional ARTH seminars at the 400 level or above OR Two senior honors thesis courses (ARTH 498 and ARTH 499) |
8 |
| Total | 40 |
*Note: 2-credit courses may count toward total required credits.
Architecture and Urban Studies Track
| Required Courses | Credits |
| One introductory architecture course (ARTH 103) | 4 |
| One additional introductory course (ARTH 102, ARTH 110 or ARTH 111) | 4 |
|
Five ARTH courses at the 200 level or above, which must include:
|
20 |
|
Two additional 400-level architecture and urban studies seminars OR
|
4-8 |
| Total | 52 |
*Note: 2-credit courses may count toward total required credits.
Departmental Honors
The honors program in art history is an opportunity for qualified undergraduate students to pursue advanced work with an individual faculty member for two semesters during the senior year. Based upon the successful completion of the senior honors thesis and a demonstration of overall excellence in art history courses, the department will award the BA degree with honors in art history. Requirements for admission to the honors program are a 3.5 GPA in art history through the sixth semester and the approval of a faculty advisor, who will also supervise the two-semester project.
Students entering the honors program should contact a potential advisor in their area of interest several months before the start of the senior-year fall semester to ensure the feasibility of the project and availability of the individual advisor. In the first semester, a topic is chosen and a formal proposal written under the supervision of the advisor, in accordance with departmental standards. This proposal is then approved and formally recorded in the minutes of the department faculty meetings. A copy of the proposal is normally sent to the chosen second reader of the thesis. In place of a 400-level seminar in ARTH, Departmental Honors in Art History requires a two-semester sequence (ARTH 498-499). The first semester is dedicated to research and analysis, while the second is dedicated to the writing of the thesis.
Finished theses are bound and must meet the formatting requirements laid down by the department. At least two copies of the thesis must be provided, one for the library and one for the department. Students who wish to obtain a personal bound copy may do so for a fee. Physical copies of all honors theses are held by the library and the departmental office.
Minor in Art History
The minor in art history consists of 24 credit hours, distributed as follows:
| Required Courses | Credits |
| Two introductory courses (ARTH 102, ARTH 103, ARTH 110 or ARTH 111) | 8 |
Three ARTH courses at the 200 level or above, which must include:
|
12 |
| One 400-level seminar in ARTH | 4 |
| Total | 24 |
*Note: 2-credit courses may count toward total required credits.
Two advanced (300-level) ARTH courses along with the 400-level seminar in ARTH must be taken in residence. A Pass/Fail grade option may be elected for only one art history course (or 4 credits), but not the 400-level seminar. Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the minor.