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Bachelor of Arts in Art History

Welcome from the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Martha Pollak. As DUS it is my pleasure to invite you to learn about our department’s BA program by way of this web site. As the paragraphs below – and the words of our Chair – indicate, the Department of Art History’s undergraduate program and the city of Chicago offer our students exceptional scholarly and cultural choices. That, of course, is of primary importance to our academic mission, but I'd like to add here that there is, in fact, more to the AH department than those important opportunities. For we are fortunate in having a faculty that is committed not only to research, publication and quality teaching, but is equally involved in the present and future welfare of our students. We all share advising duties and make it our business to mentor our students throughout their entire enrollment at UIC, striving (successfully, I believe) to overcome the unavoidable complexities of a large bureaucracy. In short, one of our main jobs is to help our students through their academic as well as scholarly requirements, and we take pride in their graduation and progress to the next stages in their careers.

The program in the Department of Art History introduces the student to the study of both the built environment and the various forms of art: painting, sculpture, graphics, decorative arts, and design. A large selection of courses covers all periods of history and most of the world's cultures. Various subjects and approaches are introduced: visual and stylistic analysis, criticism, iconography, historiography, and methodology. The architecture of Chicago and its suburbs and the many local museums and galleries are a living part of the general curriculum and are specific components in specialized courses.

While many art history graduates pursue graduate education toward scholarly careers in teaching and museum work, others are attracted to positions with foundations, architectural and art periodicals, freelance research, commercial art galleries and auction houses. Many students combine study in this discipline with graduate work in other fields, such as business administration, history, library sciences, and urban planning; and still others find themselves in a variety of related professions such as editorial work and arts management.

Curriculum in Art History

For the Bachelor of Arts, 120 semester hours in required courses in the department and the college, in general education courses, and in electives.

Foundation Courses:
  • AH 110--Art History I (4 hrs)
  • AH 111--Art History II (4 hrs)
  • Six semester hours in the Schools of Architecture and of Art and Design, chosen with the approval of an adviser (6 hrs)

Total: (14 hrs)

Courses for the Major:

A minimum of 36 semester hours in art history courses at the 200, 300, and 400 levels. The major includes the following specific requirements:

  • AH 200--Theories and Methods in Art History (3 hrs), to be taken as soon as possible following the year survey (AH110/111) or it equivalent.
  • Six semester hours at the 400 level, of which at least three semester hours must be selected from among the following courses: AH 404, 422, 430, 432, 434, 435, 441, 450, 460, 463, 470, 471 (3 hrs)
  • Six semester hours in courses covering material primarily before 1700. (6 hrs)
  • Six semester hours in courses covering Non-Western architecture and art. (6 hrs)
Language Requirement:

A reading knowledge of a foreign language is required, normally French, German, Italian, or Spanish, and should be attained by the end of the junior year. The requirement may be met by four years of foreign language in high school, two years of college language courses, or passing a proficiency examination at the latter level.

General Education Requirement:

The College general education requirement is 24 semester hours with a minimum of 6 semester hours of humanities, 6 hours of social sciences, 6 hours of natural sciences, and an additional 6 hours in one or more of these three areas (note: at least two departments must be represented in each area). The humanities general education requirement cannot be fulfilled by the completion of AH 110 and 111. The University requirement of one course in Cultural Diversity can be fulfilled by any course listed for such credit but is commonly attained through Non-Western courses in Art History. The University requirement of two semesters of writing will be fulfilled with the courses English 160 and 161 (English Composition I and II) each 3 semester hours.

Departmental Distinction

To be eligible for Departmental Distinction, a student must have:

  • Attended UIC for at least three semesters.
  • Attained a university cumulative GPA of 3.50/4.00.
  • Completed 21 semester hours at UIC in courses required for the
    major.
  • Attained a GPA of 3.75/4.00 in courses in Art History.
  • Written a thesis that either expands work represented in a seminar or which grows out of an AH 492—Readings in Art and Architecture History course.
Thesis Requirements:
  • Applicants for graduation with Distinction must take AH 490—Honors Thesis for three hours of credit.
  • Students must enroll in AH 490 in their penultimate semester of course work.
  • The completed thesis must be acceptable to a committee of two faculty members from the Department of Art History.
  • The grading of the thesis and the grade in the course is either Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. Students must receive a grade of Satisfactory in order to graduate with Distinction.
  • Completion of AH 490 must be in addition to the 36 semester hours
    required for the major.

Minor in Art History

A minimum of 20 semester hours in art history courses distributed as follows:

  • AH 110--Art History I (4 hrs)
  • AH 111--Art History II (4 hrs)
  • AH courses at the 200, 300, or 400 levels (12 hrs)

Total: (20 hrs)

Except for AH 110 and 111, courses taken to fulfill the requirements in the student's major may not be counted towards the minor.

A minimum grade point average of 2.25/4.0 is required for the minor.

How to Apply

Those interested in the Department of Art History are encouraged to attend preview days which are sponsored by the UIC Admissions Dept. Staff from Art History will be present. Dates and arrangements at http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/visit/.

To request an application or apply online, visit the UIC Admissions Website or call (312) 996-4350.

UIC Department of Art History (M/C 201)
935 W. Harrison
Chicago IL 60607

General Information
Susanne Uslenghi, Program Services Aide
(312) 996-3303 | email icon susl@uic.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies 
Professor Martha Pollak | email icon mpollak@uic.edu

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