The concentration introduces students to the history of art, architecture, and visual culture as a humanistic discipline. Students will receive essential training in perceptual, historical, and critical analysis that will allow them to pursue career opportunities in art and architectural history as well as a range of other professions. Career choices for students concentrating in History of Art are as diversified as any within the University. In addition to the post-graduate fields with which the discipline naturally is linked - college and university teaching, architecture, gallery and museum curating - graduates pursue careers in education, law, historic preservation, urban planning, and publishing, to cite a few possibilities.
The concentration allows students to explore a variety of courses in Western and non-Western art and architecture ranging over a wide time period. Students additionally are encouraged to pursue in-depth studies of a particular area or issue through seminar courses. These more advanced courses are designed to give concentrators an awareness of the critical strategies available for interpretation of historical and cultural phenomena, and to foster research skills.
The concentration requires eight courses. There are no prerequisites, but a general survey in history of art and architecture such as HIAA 0010, 0020, 0030, or 0040 is an excellent foundation for the concentration. Students may receive concentration credit for two of these courses. Two years of foreign language study are required for concentrators because foreign language skills are essential for pursuing art historical studies in a professional environment or in graduate school.
Because the history of art and architecture addresses issues of practice within specific historical contexts, concentrators are strongly encouraged to augment their concentration with studio art courses as well as courses in history that pertain to their area of emphasis.
Study abroad can be a valuable enrichment of the academic work available on campus. It offers opportunities for first-hand knowledge of works of art and monuments as well as providing exposure to foreign languages and cultures. Study abroad should be planned in consultation with the concentration advisor in order to make certain that foreign course work will relate meaningfully to the concentrator's program of study.
Only two courses taken outside the department may count for concentration credit (including courses taken abroad and at other institutions in the U.S.). These credits will be counted as lecture courses, not seminars. The only exception to the two-course limitation pertains to transfer students admitted to Brown before the junior year, who are permitted to transfer four credits toward the concentration.
Courses are taught on three levels. HIAA 0010 through 0040 are survey courses meeting for three hours a week of lectures and one of discussion. HIAA 0110 through 0990 are general lecture courses meeting a minimum of three hours per week, including lectures and discussion. HIAA 1000 through 1890 are seminars addressing specific problems or issues in art, architecture, and theory and are designed for concentrators or otherwise well-prepared students. Enrollment in seminar courses requires permission of the instructor.
The concentration consists of eight courses (nine for honors):
Four general lecture courses (HIAA 0010 through HIAA 0990), distributed among three of the seven available areas of the discipline (see list below)
Students should take lecture courses in three of the following seven areas:
Two seminar courses (numbered between HIAA 1000 and 1890)
Two additional courses (either seminars or lectures), preferably in the student's chosen area of focus.
Students who have done outstanding work in concentration courses and who wish to integrate their studies in a special two-semester project may apply to the honors program. One course of the two-course sequence may be counted as one of the two required seminars. Course requirements remain the same as in the standard concentration pattern. Thus, honors candidates will complete nine courses in the concentration. Students who wish to write an honors thesis must apply to the honors program in the late spring of their junior year. They must have an "A" average in the concentration, and should have already spoken with a faculty member who would be an appropriate advisor for the thesis. Students will be notified of the success of their applications before the end of the spring semester. Students who are graduating in December will not be eligible to take part in the honors program, but are encouraged to speak with the concentration advisor about an alternative writing project if they wish.
Page last updated in February, 2008.