Antique illustrated map showing a circular fortified island city with surrounding waterways.

Major Checklist

Students majoring in Art History may choose from the general Art History major, the optional Emphasis in Architectural History, or the optional Emphasis in Museum Studies. Courses marked “(Architectural History)” below may be applied toward the optional Emphasis in Architectural History.

Art History Major, General (60–61 Units)

Lower-Division Courses (20–21 Units)

Four Lower-Division Courses in Art History (16 Units)
  • AHI 1A, Ancient Mediterranean (4)
  • AHI 1B, Medieval and Renaissance (4)
  • AHI 1C, Baroque to Modern (4)
  • AHI 1D, Arts of Asia (4)
  • AHI 1E, Islamic Art and Architecture (4)
  • AHI 5, Understanding Visual Culture (4)
  • AHI 25, Understanding Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • CLA 1A, Ancient Near East and Early Greece (4) – Similar area as AHI 1A; students may take both
One Art Studio Course (4–5 Units)

Choose one Art Studio course; ART 10 and ART 30 are excluded.

  • ART _____________________________________ (4–5)

Upper-Division Courses (40 Units)

Six Courses from at Least Five Distribution Areas (24 Units)
Distribution Area 1: The Ancient World
  • AHI 151, Arts of the Ancient New World (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 172A, Early Greek Art and Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 172B, Later Greek Art and Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 173, Roman Art and Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 175, Architecture and Urbanism in Mediterranean Antiquity (4) – Architectural History
Distribution Area 2: Asia
  • AHI 154, The Hindu Temple (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 157, Buddhist Art (4)
  • AHI 163A, Early Chinese Art (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 163B, Chinese Painting (4)
  • AHI 163C, Early Modern Chinese Painting (4)
  • AHI 163D, Art from China 1900 to the Present (4)
  • AHI 164, Arts of Japan (4)
Distribution Area 3: The Middle Ages to 1700
  • AHI 155, The Islamic City (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 156, Arts of the Islamic Book (4)
  • AHI 176A, Early Christian and Byzantine Art (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 176D, Art and Architecture in the Medieval Mediterranean (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 178B, Italian (Early) Renaissance (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 178C, Italian (High) Renaissance (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 179B, Baroque Art (4)
Distribution Area 4: Western Art 1700 to 1900
  • AHI 130, Landscape, Nature, and Art (4)
  • AHI 168, Great Cities (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 180, Arts of the Rococo (4)
  • AHI 182, British Art and Culture 1750–1900 (4)
  • AHI 183A, Art in the Age of Revolution 1750–1850 (4)
  • AHI 183B, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism (4)
  • AHI 188C, American Art to 1910 (4)
Distribution Area 5: World Art, 20th Century to the Present
  • AHI 122, Sex and Space (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 163D, Art from China 1900 to the Present (4)
  • AHI 183C, Modernism in France (4)
  • AHI 184, Twentieth-Century Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 185, Avant-Gardism and its Aftermath, 1917–1960 (4)
  • AHI 186, Contemporary Art 1960 to Present (4)
  • AHI 189, Photography in History (4)
Distribution Area 6: Art and Issues across Chronologies
  • AHI 110, Cultural History of Museums (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 120A, Art, Architecture and Human Rights (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 121, Politics of Public Art (4)
  • AHI 123, Museums in the Age of Spectacle (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 181, Latin American Art and Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 188A, The American Home (4) – Architectural History
Three Upper-Division Electives (12 Units)

Any Art History course numbered 100–199. If pursuing the Museum Studies emphasis, refer to that section below instead.

  • AHI _____, _____________________________________ (4)
  • AHI _____, _____________________________________ (4)
  • AHI _____, _____________________________________ (4)
One Art History Seminar, AHI 190 (A–L) (4 Units)
  • AHI 190_____, _____________________________________ (4)
Additional Upper-Division Courses Applicable to the Major
  • AHI 101, Understanding Museum Practices (4)
  • AHI 150, Arts of Sub-Saharan Africa (4)
  • AHI 176B, Romanesque Art (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 176C, Gothic Art (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 177, Northern Renaissance Art (4)
  • AHI 187, Contemporary Architecture (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 188B, Architecture in the United States (4) – Architectural History
  • AHI 198, Directed Group Study (4)
  • AHI 199, Individual Study (4)
  • Additional seminar, AHI 190 (A–L) (4)
  • CLA 101D, Topics in Classical Receptions (4)
  • CLA 104, Death and Dying in the Ancient Mediterranean (4)
  • CLA 111, Forms of Knowledge in the Ancient World (4)

Honors Program (12 Units in Addition to the Major, for a Total of 72–73 Units)

Students must meet the GPA threshold for Dean’s Honors List and graduation honors and must have permission from the Faculty Major Advisor. The individual thesis advisor must be Art History faculty. Students qualify by completing, in their senior year, either AHI 100 or a second undergraduate seminar (AHI 190, A–L), and 4 units each of thesis research (AHI 194HA) and thesis writing (AHI 194HB). The thesis is read and graded by two Art History faculty. Consult the Art History Faculty Advisor for more information.

Art History Major with Emphasis in Architectural History (60–61 Units)

This emphasis is optional. It follows the same requirements as the general Art History major above, applying at least six of the courses marked “Architectural History” above to their respective required areas or as electives.

Art History Major with Emphasis in Museum Studies (72–73 Units)

This emphasis is optional. With this emphasis, the total number of units is 72–73. The requirements are mostly the same as the general Art History major above, but instead of three general AHI electives, students take one general AHI elective plus AHI 101 and AHI 110. Students also take three additional Museum Studies electives.

Lower-Division Courses (20–21 Units)

  • Four lower-division courses in Art History (same as the general major above) (16)
  • One Art Studio course; ART 10 and ART 30 excluded (same as the general major above) (4–5)

Upper-Division Courses (52 Units)

  • Six courses from at least five Distribution Areas (same as the general major above) (24)
  • One upper-division Art History elective; any upper-division Art History course (4)
  • One Art History Seminar, AHI 190 (A–L) (same as the general major above) (4)
Complete Both of the Following Courses
  • AHI 101, Understanding Museum Practices (4)
  • AHI 110, Cultural History of Museums (4)
Three Upper-Division Electives in Museum Studies (12 Units)
  • AHI 102, Exhibition Practicum (4)
  • AHI 120A, Art and Human Rights (4)
  • AHI 123, Museums in the Age of Spectacle (4)
  • AHI 190L, Architecture and Heritage (4)
  • ARE 113, Fundamentals of Marketing Management (4)
  • CMN 131, Strategic Communication Public Relations (4)
  • DES 185, Exhibition Design (4)
  • DES 187, Narrative Environments (4)
  • DRA 124A, Principles of Theatrical Design: Scenery (4)
  • DRA 124B, Principles of Theatrical Design: Scenery (4)
  • DRA 124C, Principles of Theatrical Design: Lighting (4)
  • DRA 124D, Principles of Theatrical Design: Costume (4)
  • UWP 102J, Writing in the Fine Arts (4) – Can overlap with the University Writing Requirement
  • UWP 112A, Introduction to Professional Editing (4)

One or more internships through AHI 192 are highly recommended. Students can inquire about potential course substitutions for AHI 101 and AHI 110 if needed.