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Concentration in Architectural Studies

The Architectural Studies concentration within the Department of History of Art and Architecture blends a variety of disciplines toward the study of buildings and the built environment. The concentration prepares students for the continued study of architecture and the history of architecture in graduate school as well as careers in related areas such as urban studies. The concentration requires four lecture courses and two seminars in the history of architecture and urbanism that are offered by the Department of History of Art and Architecture. One of the seminars is a project seminar, taken in junior or senior year, and is designed as a capstone experience for the Architectural Studies concentrator. Courses that may be counted toward the concentration are listed with an "A" at the end of their descriptions in the Course Announcement Bulletin.

Because the architectural studies program was especially designed for students wishing to gain greater experience in the practical skills necessary for a career in architecture or a related field, concentrators are required to take a course in design from the Visual Arts Department. Students are encouraged to take pertinent courses from such departments or programs as American Civilization, Center for Old World Archaeology and Art, Engineering, Mathematics, History, Modern Culture and Media, Urban Studies, and Visual Art, and Engineering, in addition to those offered by the Department. They can receive concentration credit for one of these courses. Study abroad can be a valuable enrichment of the academic work available on campus, in that it offers opportunities for first-hand knowledge of architecture and the built environment 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 sure 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 United States). 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.

Requirements

The concentration consists of 8 courses ( 9 for honors):

• Four lecture courses distributed over three areas in architectural history (numbered between HIAA 0020 and 0040, and HA 0110 and 0940):
  1. Ancient
  2. Medieval
  3. Islamic
  4. East Asian
  5. Latin American
  6. Early Modern (ca. 1400-1800)
  7. Modern/Contemporary
• One seminar in architectural history (numbered between HA 1100 and 01890).
• The project seminar (HA 1910 or acceptable substitute to be chosen in discussion with the concentration advisor) is required of all concentrators and is taken in junior or senior year. Priority is given to architectural studies concentrators. Students are advised to complete their seminar and architectural drawing requirement before taking the project seminar.
• One studio art course in design.
• One additional course. This can be a course in art or architectural history offered by the Department of History of Art and Architecture, or a course in an outside department, which is pertinent to architectural studies. Possibilities include (but are not limited to) MA 9 and 10, PH 3 and 4, EN 3, urban studies courses, and scenic design and technical production (Department of Theater, Speech and Dance).

It is expected that concentrators will wish to focus on a particular period (e.g. ancient, modern architecture), a particular branch of the field (e.g. urbanism), or a methodology (e.g. semiotics, critical interpretation, archaeology), but students are encouraged to formulate their own coherent program of study.

While knowledge of foreign languages is not required for the concentration, concentrators who mean to continue their studies in architectural history beyond the BA should be aware that language skills are a necessary part of all graduate work.

Honors

The Honors program in History of Art & Architecture and Architectural Studies will be administered as follows: accepted students will sign up for HA 0199 in the Fall and in the Spring. In the Fall, students will meet regularly with the whole Honors group and HAA faculty to discuss methodology and general research and writing questions. In the Spring, students will continue to meet to present their research in progress to each other for comment and feedback. They will also be meeting regularly with their advisors and second readers throughout the year. Finished drafts of the thesis (which will be no more than 30-35 pages in length, not counting bibliography and visual materials) will be due to the advisor and second reader on April 1 of the Spring semester. Comments will be returned to the students for final corrections at that point. There will be a public presentation of the Honors work at the end of the Spring semester.

Students wishing to write an honors thesis should have an A average in the concentration. It is advisable for them to have taken at least one seminar in the department and written a research paper before choosing to undertake a thesis. While acceptance into the Honors program depends on the persuasiveness of the thesis topic as well as the number of students applying, students may refine their proposals by speaking in advance with potential advisors. No honors student may take more than 4 classes either semester of their senior year--HA 0199 being considered one of your four classes. Students who are expecting to graduate in the middle of the year are encouraged to discuss a different capstone project with individual advisors or the concentration advisor.

Honors Application Process

Towards the end of the Spring semester all concentrators will be notified via the DUG Listserve that the application process is open. In order to apply to the Honors program each student should write up a proposal of no more than 2 double-spaced pages stating the topic (subject and argument) of the research to be undertaken as clearly as possible, along with a one-page bibliography of the most relevant books and major articles to be consulted for the project. This 3 page application should be submitted, along with a resumé and a printout of the student's most recent available transcript and submitted to the department with a short cover letter stating who you feel the most appropriate advisor and second readers are for the thesis and why, and what your preparation is for this project. Clarity and brevity are considered persuasive virtues in this process. Applicants will be notified about the success of their applications at the end of the Spring semester.