Undergraduate Programs

The history of art is the study of form and meaning in the visual arts from their beginnings to the present. The wide range of courses offered by the department aims to familiarize students with the significant traditions and themes in world art and visual culture. As a humanistic discipline, the history of art emphasizes scholarly investigation and critical analysis over technical training. However, majors are encouraged to take studio courses as part of their program and to take advantage of Tufts' affiliation with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Beyond courses at Tufts, art history majors have access to the rich artistic resources of the Boston area, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the art museums at Harvard, Wellesley, Brandeis, etc. Internship opportunities at these and other sites are available. Art history majors who do not choose to pursue careers in the field (in museums, teaching, publishing, and commercial galleries) find that the program provides an excellent foundation for a general liberal arts education. The Department has recently revised the Art History major to make it more accessible to those wishing to double major. Many of our students combine Art History with other subjects, including English, Engineering, languages, International Relations, Psychology, Economics. A Major's Handbook with further information is available upon request.

For the bachelor of arts degree in art history, ten courses are required for the major: Art History 1,2 and 100; two courses pre-1700; two courses post-1700; and three electives, one of which may be an approved course in a related field (e.g. history, literature, studio art). At least one of the courses in the major must be taken as an upper-level seminar (Art History 200-299).

• Art History 1
• Art History 2
• Art History 100
• Two courses pre 1700
• Two courses post 1700
• Three electives (one may be an approved related course)

We believe in the value of exposure to the full breadth of artistic achievement across time and cultures and therefore require all majors to take the two introductory courses, 1 & 2, offered in the fall and spring of each year. We strongly recommend that students take these courses early in their course of study as they allow students to acquaint themselves with different fields and periods and with different faculty. The two surveys are designed as springboard to the more specialized upper level (two and three digit) courses. Students often choose a major advisor based on their experience in the survey. As with all humanistic disciplines, art history is underpinned by certain theories and methods; these are at work in each and every course, but they are also the focus of FAH 100, Theories and Methods of Art History, also a required class for majors, normally taken in the senior year.

For inquiries about the Art History Major, please contact the Undergraduate Advisor, Assistant Professor Monica McTighe.

Learning Objectives for Art History Majors

1. The ability to analyze, interpret, and write on visual works of art
2. Ability to contextualize cultural and historical significance of artworks
3. Knowledge of the history of art from pre-history to 1700
4. Knowledge of the history of art from 1700 to present
5. Ability to conduct art historical research
6. Oral presentation skills
7. Critical thinking ability in response to scholarly literature
8. Understanding of disciplinary history, theories, and methods

Senior Honor's Thesis
Qualified seniors (those who have made the Dean's list at least once) may spend their final year writing an honors thesis. Working closely with a faculty advisor, the student must submit a thesis proposal on an approved topic, to include a bibliography, by the end of their junior year. Students studying abroad their junior year are advised to plan ahead to meet the honors submittal deadline. During the senior year the student pursues a course of independent research and writing under the supervision of the faculty advisor. Senior theses, due at the end of the spring semester, count for two art history credits and are eligible for separate honors. Senior theses are demanding but rewarding for both student and faculty. They require a good deal of discipline and focus on the student's part, but in return they can take you well beyond the classroom and can develop useful research, writing and organizational skills. Seniors theses are taken into consideration when awarding academic honors or department prizes.

Tisch Library offers an 8 week, 1/2 credit class designed for students who are planning to write a senior thesis. The course is Research 4 Success: Using the Library for Thesis and Capstone Projects (EXP 19).

Joint B.A. or B.Sc. and B.F.A.
This five-year program may be entered in the freshman or sophomore year. Students have to meet the normal admission standards of the Museum School, and all requirements for both degrees.

Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to spend a semester or more in Europe, for example, in the Tufts programs in London, Madrid, Paris, or Tubingen; art history is offered in each of these programs. Credit can also be arranged in advance, and advice given, on courses in other programs (Florence or Rome, etc.)

For the minor in Art History, five courses are required with at least one course taken at the 100 level. Three of the five courses should be taken on the Tufts campus including the 100 level.

• FAH 1: Art History to 1700
  Two courses pre 1700
  Two electives
  
  OR
  
  
• FAH 2: Art History from 1700 to the Present
  Two courses post 1700
  Two electives

Studio Art Minor

A Studio Art Minor requires the equivalent of 5 Tufts courses (10 studio art periods=3 hour blocks), including Art as Process (required introduction to the creative process and to a range of media), one period of drawing (0.5 Tufts course), and 3.5 courses in closely related media.

Students should work with a studio faculty advisor to develop their own individual program. For further information, see Patrick Carter, Coordinator of Tufts studio courses, at 617-627-2014 or by email.

Architectural Studies

The Department of Art and Art History offers an interdisciplinary major and minor in architectural studies for students interested in the study of architecture's history, theory and practice. The program provides a broad-based liberal arts education in architecture incorporating architectural history, studio design, engineering, the humanities and social sciences. The program can also help students prepare for graduate study and careers in architecture and other allied disciplines, such as landscape architecture, urban planning, and historic preservation.
 Program information >

The faculty adviser for architectural studies is Associate Professor Daniel Abramson.

For the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering's related architectural studies program please visit the CEE website.

Internships

The department does not offer academic credit for internships. Nor does it provide formal services for undergraduates seeking internships. (One exception: FAH 98 for senior architectural studies majors only). However, many art history students have found for themselves interesting, challenging internships in arts organizations nationwide, from Boston museums to New York auction houses, and beyond. To aid students in their internship searches the department maintains an Internship Resource Binder; see Rosalie Bruno in the department office. Students may also seek guidance from their art history academic advisors and from Tufts Career Services office.