Art History, Theory, and Criticism Major, B.A.

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Department of Art

College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Available Program Format(s): In-Person

About the Program

Students examine art and visual culture from a broad variety of cultures and time periods while also learning critical and theoretical frameworks through which to study them. As a liberal arts degree, this major provides students with opportunities to gain research and critical thinking skills as well as learn to do close visual analysis, which are all useful in a variety of career applications, creative industries, and graduate studies. The Department of Art and MSU Denver are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Student Outcomes

Locate and synthesize a range of scholarly sources of sufficient breadth and depth to thoroughly investigate an art historical problem.
Apply appropriate art historical methods and theoretical frameworks to analyze an art historical problem.
Develop and support a clear, logical thesis derived from an art historical study that is eloquently articulated in both oral and written formats.

General Degree Requirements

To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the four areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.

Program Requirements

A total of 120 semester hours are required for graduation.
A grade of C- or better is required for each course in this program to count toward the bachelor’s degree. Students should note that programs differ in the minimum grade required.
Art History, Theory, and Criticism majors who elect to take a minor may not minor in Art History.
Art History, Theory and Criticism is a distinct academic discipline from Art, Art Education, or Communication Design, although all reside within the Department of Art and share common foundational requirements.
A minimum of 27 upper-division art history credits required.
Title and course numbers for variable topics courses will be distinct for each offering, for example: ARTH 354E Art and Culture of the Spanish Golden Age. A student may take up to three distinct offerings under each variable topics designation, for example, ARTH 350A Art of China, ARTH 350B Islamic Art, and ARTH 350D Ancient Maya Art and Culture may all be applied to the requirements.

General Studies Requirements: 33 credits

Students should consult the General Studies Requirements for a list of courses that fulfill the General Studies Requirements for degree completion.

Written Communication (6 credits)
Oral Communication (3 credits)
Quantitative Literacy (3 credits)
Arts and Humanities (6 credits)
Historical (3 credits)
Natural and Physical Sciences (6 credits)
Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 credits)
Global Diversity (0 or 3 credits**)

** Students will fulfill the global diversity requirement by taking an approved course within one of the following categories: arts and humanities; historical; natural and physical sciences; or social and behavioral sciences.

Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Requirement: 0 or 3 credits

Students should consult the Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Graduation Requirement for a list of courses that fulfill the ESSJ Requirement for degree completion.
Many programs include courses that meet this requirement. Students should consult with their advisor to determine what program courses may fulfill this requirement.

Required Ancillary Courses: 6-10 credits

Two semesters of the same foreign language are required and may fulfill General Studies requirements.

Students who entered college with fluency in a language other than English are encouraged to study a language with which they are unfamiliar. Students with a good high school background in a foreign language may take intermediate or advanced courses in that language or study a new language. Four semesters of French or German are often required for entrance into most graduate programs in Art History, Theory and Criticism. Both French and German are often required for entrance into Ph.D. programs in Art History, Theory and Criticism and doctoral research often requires research in at least one additional language.

Art Foundation Requirements: 18 credits

Foundation courses are prerequisites for 2000-level and upper-division courses in the program.

ART 1101 - Studio Foundations: 2D Credits: 3
ART 1501 - Studio Foundations: 3D Credits: 3
ART 1531 - Studio Foundations: 4D Credits: 3
ARTH 1600 - Art of the Ancient World Credits: 3
ARTH 1700 - Art of the Medieval and Early Modern World Credits: 3
ARTH 1800 - Art of the Modern and Contemporary World Credits: 3

Required Post-foundation Course Work: 7 credits

ARTH 2600 - Reading and Writing Visual Culture Credits: 3
ARTH 4480 - Art Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ARTH 4720 - Directed Research in Art History, Theory and Criticism Credits: 1

Art History Electives: 24 credits

ARTH 3210 - Variable Topics: Site Specific Studies in Art History Credits: 3
ARTH 3310 - Arts of Africa Credits: 3
ARTH 3330 - Egyptian Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3340 - Asian Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3360 - Contemporary Chicana/o Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3385 - Feminist Art Since 1960 Credits: 3
ARTH 3401 - Art of Mesoamerica: from Olmec to Aztec Credits: 3
ARTH 3402 - Art of the Inca and their Ancestors Credits: 3
ARTH 3405 - Native American Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3412 - Art of Ancient Greece Credits: 3
ARTH 3414 - Ancient Roman Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3421 - Icons, Mosques, and Cathedrals: Art around the Medieval Mediterranean Credits: 3
ARTH 3433 - Bosch, Dürer, and the Art of the Northern Renaissance Credits: 3
ARTH 3434 - Michelangelo, Leonardo, and the Art of Renaissance Italy Credits: 3
ARTH 3441 - Caravaggio, Bernini, Velázquez: Baroque Art in Italy and Spain Credits: 3
ARTH 3443 - Rubens, Rembrandt, and Versailles: Baroque Art in Northern Europe Credits: 3
ARTH 3445 - Colonial Latin American Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3481 - Latin American Moderns: from Rivera to Botero Credits: 3
ARTH 3500 - Variable Topics: Art of the Americas Credits: 3
ARTH 3510 - Variable Topics in Ancient Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3520 - Medieval Art: Variable Topics Credits: 3
ARTH 3530 - Renaissance Art: Variable Topics Credits: 3
ARTH 3540 - Baroque Art: Variable Topics Credits: 3
ARTH 3560 - 19th Century Art: Variable Topics Credits: 3
ARTH 3580 - 20th and 21st Century Art: Variable Topics Credits: 3
ARTH 3670 - History of Art Between World Wars Credits: 3
ARTH 3680 - Global Contemporary Art Since 1970 Credits: 3
ARTH 3690 - History of Communication Design Credits: 3
ARTH 3780 - Cinema as Visual Art Credits: 3
ARTH 3790 - Photography and Modernism Credits: 3
ARTH 4410 - Art History and Its Methods Credits: 3
ARTH 4500 - Variable Topics Seminar in Art History, Theory and Criticism Credits: 3
ARTH 4510 - Exhibiting the Art Object Credits: 3
Subtotal: 24 credits

Studio Art Electives: 6 credits

Choose two of the following studio art electives (6 credits). Prerequisities apply - see the catalog for more information.

ART 2611 - Beginning Ceramics: Handbuilding Credits: 3
ART 2613 - Beginning Ceramics: Wheelthrowing Credits: 3
ART 2631 - Beginning Digital and Emerging Art Practices Credits: 3
ART 2641 - Color Drawing: Wet and Dry Credits: 3
ART 2643 - Figure Drawing: Wet and Dry Credits: 3
ART 2651 - Beginning Jewelry and Metalsmithing Credits: 3
ART 2661 - Beginning Painting: Acrylic and Oil Credits: 3
ART 2666 - Beginning Painting: Watermedia Credits: 3
ART 2671 - Beginning Photography Credits: 3
ART 2682 - Beginning Printmaking Credits: 3
CDES 2222 - Fundamentals of Communication Design Credits: 3
Subtotal: 6 credits

Senior Experience: 3 credits

ARTH 4710 - Art History, Theory and Criticism Senior Experience Credits: 3

Summary of Requirements

General Studies Requirements	33 credits
ESSJ Requirement	0-3 credits
Required Ancillary Courses	6-10 credits
Art Foundation Requirements	18 credits
Required Post-Foundation Courses	7 credits
Major Electives	24 credits
Studio Art Electives	6 credits
Senior Experience	3 credits
Unrestricted Electives	16-32 credits
Total for the Art History, Theory and Criticism Major, B.A.	120 credits

Required courses for the major may also count for General Studies and ESSJ requirements, so the total credits listed may be greater than the number required to complete the degree. Therefore, it is important that you work with your advisor to make sure you are meeting requirements for your degree.

Program modified on June 26, 2024.