School of Art and Design at Alfred University

At the sophomore level, students are required to take Issues and Debates in Contemporary Art, a course built around presentations of and discussions around issues relevant to the contemporary art world. The minimum art history requirement for the BFA degree can be fulfilled with the successful completion of two additional courses at the junior and senior levels. Students in upper division classes study the history of art in a more focused manner by examining works organized according to a specific culture (African, Pre-Columbian), time period (Eighteenth-Century, Renaissance), movement (Modernism, Impressionism), topic (Women in Art) or medium (Ceramics, Photography).

The BS in Art History and Theory is a professional degree based on a curriculum historically developed in conjunction with studio BFA and MFA programs. It is designed to instill an understanding of artistic developments in the Western and global historical contexts, to provide students with the critical and theoretical tools necessary for functioning as art professionals, and to prepare them for the pursuit of graduate studies in the field. In accordance with this mission, the program intends to educate art historians and theorists whose knowledge of the visual arts is grounded in substantial studio experience as well as extensive academic learning and research. Therefore, the BS in Art History and Theory relies on a combination of fundamental theoretical and applied research in art. The faculty of the School and the Division of Art History believe in the necessity of anchoring historical and theoretical knowledge with material practice. Consequently, admission to the program requires the submission and review of a portfolio that will assure the candidates’ ability to withstand the rigors of both academic and studio education.

Coursework in art history for the BS degree includes requirements in addition to those listed above. Majors are to complete an additional four upper-division courses at least one of which should be at the 400-level. The completion of one upper-division course in each of the three course categories listed above is required. Majors are also expected to conclude their studies with a course in Art Historiography and Methodology before presenting a BS Thesis prepared under the guidance of a thesis advisor. For a complete list of requirements please consult the link below.