Credits: 122

Overview:
The Art History and Curatorial Studies major provides a thorough exploration of art from historical and contemporary perspectives, combined with specialized training in curatorial practice. This program is ideal for students interested in the historical, cultural, and managerial aspects of art.

Art History:
Students delve into the evolution of art across different cultures and periods, analyzing artistic movements, styles, and techniques. The curriculum includes in-depth studies of major works, artists, and historical contexts, fostering a deep understanding of the role of art in society.

Curatorial Studies:
The Curatorial Studies component equips students with the skills necessary for managing and curating art collections. Coursework covers exhibition design, collection management, and museum studies, providing practical experience in organizing and presenting art. Students gain hands-on experience through internships and collaborative projects with galleries and museums, preparing them for careers as curators, museum educators, and art administrators.

Program Description

The AUC Collective BA in Art History degree is primarily housed and administered by Spelman College’s Department of Art and Visual Culture and the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. This is a writing intensive, research based, liberal arts degree designed to prepare students to enter graduate studies, pursue careers in museum studies, grant writing for private or public research projects, and consulting on architectural restoration or historical film projects. Art historians most valued tool is writing. With this in mind, candidates to the program should have an average GPA from high school of a 3.74, an average SAT (CR+M) of 1140 or an ACT score of 25.

Student Learning Outcomes

The major has six student learning outcomes including:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of works of art and architecture produced in different cultures and at different times, including major artists, scholars, and curators.
2. Demonstrate informed and critical reading, writing, and speaking skills that emphasize critical looking. They will be able to analyze the visual and physical qualities of images, objects and buildings.
3. Demonstrate expertise in self-directed research and ability to articulate a range of methodologies and theories across the discipline.
4. Formulate interdisciplinary questions about the roles of art, the built and the virtual environment based on experiences in cross-departmental courses.
5. Apply an understanding of the broader contexts of art and architecture through museum and site study experience(s) of exhibitions and collections on AUC campuses and in Atlanta area cultural institutions and beyond.
6. Demonstrate a conceptual and historical grasp of contemporary issues in the intersecting worlds of art, science, technology, and new media.

Degree Requirements

The BA in Art History requires 16 courses. Four foundational courses introduce students to art historical movements, two courses focus on writing and research skills used in the practice of art history, seven elective courses allow students an emersion into various themes and three courses end the sequence with a focus on personal practice and career building. The degree requires a final thesis.

The Art History major requires 16 courses (51-55 credit hours) including the following:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
SAVC 141	History of Art I	3-4
SAVC 142	History of Art II	4
SAVC 230	Global Found of Modern Art	3
SAVC 243	African American Art	4
SAVC 255	Writing & Crit in Art History	3
SAVC 320	Art History Meth, Theo,& Prac	3
One Art History Elective		4
One Art History Elective (writing intensive)		4
Art and Visual Culture Studio Elective		3-4
Thematic Elective I		3-4
Thematic Elective II		3-4
Thematic Elective III		3-4
Curatorial Studies Elective		4
SAVC 375	Entering the Art World:Cult&C	2
SAVC 480	Art History Thesis	6
Total Hours		52-57