• Art History
  • School: SAS
  • Program Code: 082
  • Degree Type: BA
  • Program Type: Minor, Major
  • Program Summary: Imagine traveling to Milan, Italy to research early Christian and Renaissance art and architecture. Or landing an internship at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City and learning how to develop and sustain exhibition content. These are experiences of art history majors at Rutgers! Studying art history offers a fascinating look at the world through visual arts, and enables you to interpret the work of many cultures and eras through architecture, paintings, and sculpture. Courses taught by internationally recognized faculty cover both European and American historical periods, and wider global traditions including Islamic, Latin American, African and Asian art. You will gain excellent preparation for graduate study, after which you can consider becoming a curator for a major museum or director of an art gallery. Some graduates move on to law school to apply their skills in the growing field of litigation involving works of art. Many employers in businesses ranging from internet start-ups to advertising seek people who know how to look carefully and think visually, which is the core of what our program teaches.
  • Department Approval
  • None
  • Art History (082) may not be combined with the Architectural Studies (076) as a major/minor, double minor combination.

  • We recommend that students register for approximately 15 credits each semester and no more than 16 credits in their first semester. Your schedule should be well-balanced and include coursework from a variety of subjects. A diverse schedule will help you begin your studies in potential majors and minors; explore a breadth of new knowledge across departments at Rutgers to meet SAS Core Curriculum learning goals; and survey broader academic interests through elective courses as you work to attain the required 120 degree credits for graduation.

    Your schedule will look something like this:

    College Writing or English course per placement results (3 credits)

    Major Exploration course (3-4 credits)

    Major or Minor Exploration course (3-4 credits)

    Course beyond main academic interest, such as SAS Core or elective course (3 credits)

    Course beyond main academic interest, such as SAS Core or elective course (3 credits)

     Byrne or First-Year Interest Group Seminar (FIGS) (1 credit) 

     Total Credits: 15-16

  • Your first year of college is an opportunity for you to explore fields of interest to enhance your understanding of yourself, the world around you, and your main academic and career goals. Think of your schedule as including courses you must take (English, courses to explore potential majors, etc.) and courses you can take (everything else!) All courses are part of your degree - if necessary, review the components of the SAS degree on this page.

    Through these degree components, you will curate your own unique educational experience - but we understand that this level of flexibility and freedom can feel overwhelming for new students. Like a recommendation based on a book or TV show you enjoyed, the information below can help you identify related courses to consider in your first semester.

    Course Title Course Number Credits

    Subject on University Schedule of Classes

    Chemistry of Art 01:160:126 3 Chemistry (160)
    General Psychology 01:830:101 3 Psychology (830)
    Greek and Roman Mythology 01:190:207 3 Classics (190)
    Intro to Philosophy 01:730:103 3 Philosophy (730)
    Any World Language Course   3-4 See Course Planning Worksheet for offered Languages 
  • Introductory courses recommended by faculty. Include at least one of these in your schedule: 

    Course Title

    Course Number

    Credits

    Department

    Introduction to Art History, Prehistory to 1400

    01:082:105

    3

    Art History

    Introduction to Art History, 1400 to present

    01:082:106

    3

    Art History

    Art of India

    1:082:206 3 Art History
  • The Schedule of Classes provides information about the courses being offered in a particular semester. There are literally thousands of courses offered each semester at Rutgers, and you may find it helpful to narrow down your options by looking for courses in subjects related to your potential major or minor. Use the recommendations below to find possible introductory courses in other subjects.

    To find potential courses in other subjects related to this one:

    1. On the Schedule of Classes, select the current term, location "New Brunswick" and level "undergraduate". Click continue.
    2. In the Search By box, click the "search multiple subjects" link. Select the following departments:
      • African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures (013)
      • American Studies (050)
      • History (510, 508, 512, 506)
      Students considering this discipline are strongly encouraged to also incorporate the study of a world language into their Rutgers degree. This can be starting a new language, or continuing a language per your World Language placement test results!
    3. In Section Status, deselect Closed
    4. In Level of Study, deselect 300 and 400. In general, 100 and 200 are appropriate for first-year students, 300 and 400 are often more appropriate for students with more familiarity with the subject. If you are interested in registering for a 300 or 400 level course, consult with an advisor before registering.

    Review these courses for possible inclusion in your first-semester schedule, or to consider for future semesters.

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