Fine Arts, Art History Concentration, Major

Professors Cetlin, Krehbiel, Neuman de Vegvar, Nilan
Associate Professors Bogdanov, Hobbs
Continuing Part-time Associate Professor Quick

The fine arts department at Ohio Wesleyan, created in 1864, was one of America’s first college art departments. The department offers general experience through a broad B.A. program and/or professional preparation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Majors in fine arts may concentrate in studio art, art history, or fine arts education. Non-art majors may satisfy the Group IV distribution requirement by taking ART 110 , ART 111 , ART 112 , ART 113 , or any other course for which the student qualifies or to which the student can gain admission by permission of the instructor, excluding art education courses (ART 301 , ART 302 , ART 307 ).

Qualified students seeking either the B.F.A. or the B.A. degree in fine arts are encouraged to participate in one or more of the University honors programs. Students should refer to the Honors chapter of this Catalog and consult with their academic advisors as to how best to include these opportunities in their programs.

The department faculty recommends that students in the department consider participation in the New York Arts Program (see Off-Campus Study Programs ).

Learning Objectives

1. Visual literacy in observing art

2. Oral and written fluency in the language of visual art

3. A foundational knowledge of a global history of art

4. Ability to read for content, applying critical thinking to the analysis and interpretation of the literature of art history, including the skills to undertake independent research

5. Capability in finding, accessing, and making use of primary and secondary sources including facility with bibliographic tools

6. Competence in organization and rhetoric in the expression of art historical concepts, both oral and written

Major Requirements

11 to 13 courses. These shall include ART 110 , ART 111 , ART 112 , ART 113 , and ART 345 or ART 347 ; at least three additional art history courses from among: ART 300 3 , ART 341 , ART 342 , ART 343 , ART 344 , ART 345 , ART 346 , ART 347 , ART 348 and ART 349 ; at least two additional studio art courses, and a senior capstone course in art history. Candidates for the B.A. degree in fine arts with concentration in art history must complete all competency requirements as stated under REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL DEGREES and the DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS. The exception for Fine Arts students listed under Distribution Requirements does not apply to those concentrating in art history. Courses taken credit/no entry may not be applied toward the major. Credits awarded for internships or apprenticeships, including ART 495 , cannot be counted among the 11 basic units for the major.