The Honors Program in Art History, taken senior year, is encouraged for Art History majors who are considering attending graduate school. The program entails a sequence of three courses, 12 units total, in addition to the sixty units required for the major:
- A course in theory and methods of art historical research, either AHI 100 or 190A–L (or with permission AHI 200A), completed by the end of Fall Quarter of senior year.
- A 4-unit independent study, AHI 194HA (letter-graded) under direction of the faculty member supervising the Honors thesis, allowing background study and research for the proposed topic and production of a preliminary draft of the thesis.
- In AHI 194HB (also 4 units and letter-graded), the student completes the thesis paper, normally 20–25 pages in length. No later than week seven, a full draft is read by the faculty supervisor and a second faculty reader.
- The Honors thesis must be undertaken during the senior year, and AHI 194HA must precede AHI 194HB and be taken no later than winter quarter. The completed thesis must be submitted to the faculty supervisor on or before the last day of the quarter.
Interested students who have at least a 3.7 GPA in the major and a 3.8 GPA overall are encouraged to consult with the Undergraduate Advisor and a prospective Faculty Advisor during their junior year. Students participating in this Program are candidates for departmental recommendation for graduation with High or Highest Honors.