http://arthistory.uoregon.edu
Kate Mondloch, Department Head
541-346-3675
237D Lawrence Hall
5229 University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-5229
The Department of the History of Art and Architecture offers study in the principal art and architectural traditions of Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Courses are appropriate for students interested in history, art, and the larger cultural context of society. They are also suitable for students intending to concentrate on the practice of art or environmental design. The undergraduate program prepares students for graduate studies in art history; it also leads to opportunities in the business world, art museums, and galleries. The graduate program emphasizes both breadth and depth, and it is characterized by close working relationships between students and the faculty.
Students explore global history, culture, and society through art and architecture from antiquity to the present day. Trained to celebrate the broad spectrum of human creativity and expression, art history students are natural ambassadors of pluralism and tolerance, developing skills in appreciating visual and material culture to make them true global citizens—ideally equipped to correlate historical events and concerns with important contemporary and international phenomena.
The history of art and architecture program at Oregon is comprehensive in scope. Students learn at least one ancient or modern language associated with their main area of interest, and courses examine cultural production from around the globe. The department trains students to become guardians and advocates for culture and the arts within Oregon, the United States, and the world.
Because of this rigorous training in critical thinking and communication, art history is not merely a preprofessional major for future art historians. An art history degree prepares students to embark on an array of professional careers, including those in business, education, law, private and nonprofit organizations, professional writing, and publishing. More specialized careers include art-based professions in museums, galleries, archives, and cultural institutes.
Financial Assistance
The department offers a number of awards and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students in art history:
- Amy and Ross Kari Scholarship in Art History
- Mr. and Mrs. Eric G. Clarke Scholarship in Oriental Art
- Gloria T. Lee Graduate Scholarship in Art History
- Gloria T. Lee Scholarship in Art History
- Ina McClung Art Scholarship Award
- Sponenburgh Endowment for the History of Aesthetics of Sculpture
- Marian C. Donnelly Award in Art History (Book Award)
- Marion Dean Ross Award in Architectural History (Book Award)
- Ellen Johnston-Laing Award in Asian Art (Book Award)
Support for travel is available through the Marian C. Donnelly Student Award, the Graduate Travel Award, the Alice Wingwall Award, and the Amy and Ross Kari Travel Grant. Students may also seek scholarship aid through the College of Design and the university’s financial aid office.
Faculty
Nina Amstutz, assistant professor (18th- and 19th-century art). BA, 2004, MA 2008, PhD, 2013, Toronto. (2014)
Derek Burdette, assistant professor (Latin American art). BA, 2004, Northern Arizona; MA, 2007, PhD, 2012, Tulane. (2016)
Joyce Cheng, associate professor (modern art). BA, 2001, Northwestern; MA, 2003, PhD, 2009, Chicago. (2009)
Keith Eggener, Marion Dean Ross Distinguished Professor in Architectural History (architectural history). BA, 1985, Portland State; MA, 1989, Washington (Seattle); MA, 1993, Stanford; PhD, 1995, Stanford. (2013)
James Harper, associate professor (Renaissance and baroque art). BA, 1987, Trinity; PhD, 1998, Pennsylvania. (2000)
Ocean Howell, associate professor (history and architectural history). See Robert Donald Clark Honors College.
Maile Hutterer, assistant professor (medieval art and architecture). BA, 2004, California, Santa Barbara; PhD, 2011, New York University. (2014)
Charles H. Lachman, associate professor (Asian art). AB, 1971, Temple; MA, 1974, McMaster; PhD, 1985, Toronto. (1992)
Jenny Lin, assistant professor (contemporary Asian art). BA, 2003, MA, 2007, Brown; PhD, 2012, California, Los Angeles. (2012)
Kate Mondloch, professor (contemporary art). BS, 1994, Georgetown; MA, 2000, PhD, 2005, California, Los Angeles. (2005)
Emily Scott, assistant professor (history of art and architecture and environmental studies); BA, Bryn Mawr; PhD, 2010, California, Los Angeles. (2018)
Kristen Seaman, assistant professor. MA, 2009, PhD, 2009, California, Berkeley. (2015)
Akiko Walley, Maude I. Kerns Professor of Asian Art; associate professor (Japanese art). BA, 1998, MA, 2001, Aoyama Gakuin; AM, 2004, PhD, 2009, Harvard. (2009)
Emeriti
Jeffrey M. Hurwit, professor emeritus. AB, MA, 1971, Brown; MPhil, 1972, PhD, 1975, Yale. (1980)
Esther Jacobson-Tepfer, professor emerita. BA, 1962, MA, 1964, PhD, 1970, Chicago. (1966)
Andrew Morrogh, associate professor emeritus. BA, 1966, Jesus College, Oxford; MA, 1973, PhD, 1983, Courtauld Institute, University of London. (1993)
Kathleen D. Nicholson, professor emerita. BA, 1969, Connecticut; MA, 1971, PhD, 1977, Pennsylvania. (1995)
Leland M. Roth, professor emeritus. BArch, 1966, Illinois; MPhil, 1970, PhD, 1973, Yale. (1978)
W. Sherwin Simmons, professor emeritus. BA, 1967, Yale; MA, 1975, PhD, 1979, Johns Hopkins. (1973)
Richard A. Sundt, associate professor emeritus. BA, 1967, Indiana; MA, 1973, PhD, 1981, Wisconsin, Madison. (1982)
The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.
The major combines the study of art and architectural history, leading to the bachelor of arts (BA) degree. The department regularly offers courses on art, architecture, and visual culture from the following time periods and regions:
- Ancient
- Medieval
- Early Modern
- Modern and Contemporary
- East Asian (Chinese and Japanese)
- European
- North American and Latin American
- Mediterranean (Greek, Roman, Near East) and Middle Eastern
- Recent courses in other areas of focus including Indian, Korean, African, and Islamic traditions
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Students wanting to major in art history must file an application form with the department in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. Once admitted, students should remain in regular contact with the director of undergraduate studies for advising on departmental requirements. Students should consult the academic advisor at the College of Design Student Services office for guidance on other university-wide requirements. Majors must take art history courses for letter grades and pass them with grades of C– or better.
Foreign Language Guidelines
Majors are required to complete the language requirement as described under the university’s bachelor of arts requirements.
French, German, and Italian are the most commonly used languages in Western art history research; Chinese and Japanese are essential for most areas of East Asian art history. Because these languages are required for advanced research and graduate study in art history as well as other humanistic disciplines, majors are urged to choose one of them to satisfy the BA requirement. Substitution of other languages may be appropriate to a field of interest. Students are urged to consult with their advisors when selecting a language for study.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| 4 |
| 27 |
| ARH 300 | Critical Approaches to Art-Historical Study | 4 |
| 16 |
| History of Western Art I | |
| History of Western Art II | |
| History of Western Art III | |
| History of Chinese Art | |
| History of Japanese Art | |
| Contemporary Asian Art and Architecture | |
| Survey of Latin American Arts | |
| History of World Architecture I | |
| History of World Architecture II | |
| 1 | 32 |
Minor Requirements
Students who plan to earn a minor in art history must file an application form with the department in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. Once admitted, students should remain in contact with the director of undergraduate studies for personalized advising.
Requirements
Three lower-division and four upper-division art history courses (totaling 26 credits minimum) are required to complete the minor. At least 20 credits must be completed in residence at the University of Oregon (nontransfer courses), and all art and architectural history courses (subject code ARH) required for the minor must be passed with the equivalent of a C– or better.
Lower-division courses include any 100- or 200-level ARH courses as well as History of World Architecture I (ARH 314) and History of World Architecture II (ARH 315). Upper-division courses include any 300- or 400-level ARH courses (with the exception of ARH 314 and 315).
Honors Program
Majors in the history of art and architecture department may apply to the department’s honors essay program if they have
- completed four lower-division art history courses and at least 12 credits in upper-division courses
- completed Critical Approaches to Art-Historical Study (ARH 300) with a grade of A– or better
- an average GPA of 3.50 or higher in art history courses
- submitted the departmental honors application form (available online) to the director of undergraduate studies, indicating the support of a faculty advisor
Students are urged to present a first draft of the essay to the faculty advisor six weeks before the end of the term, and a final draft must be submitted two weeks before the end of the same term.
The honors essay must demonstrate the student's ability to formulate a significant research problem. The essay should have approximately 20 pages of text, not including notes, bibliography, and illustrations. A copy of the honors essay is deposited in departmental files.
Honors candidates who maintain a 3.50 GPA in all courses required for the art history major are awarded departmental honors upon the approval of their essay by the faculty advisor.
Four-Year Degree Plan
The degree plan shown is only a sample of how students may complete their degrees in four years. There are alternative ways. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best path for them.
Bachelor of Arts in Art History
Degree Map
| First Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| WR 121 |
College Composition I |
| 4 |
| First term of first-year second-language sequence |
| 4 |
| Lower-division art history course (subject code ARH) |
May be "double-dipped" as a general-education course in arts and letters | 4 |
| General-education course in social science (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required | 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
WR 122
|
College Composition II
or College Composition III |
WR 123 recommended for art history majors | 4 |
| Second term of first-year second-language sequence |
| 4 |
| General-education course in social science (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required | 4 |
| General-education course in science (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required | 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Third term of first-year second-language sequence |
| 4 |
| Lower-division ARH course |
May also satisfy international cultures multicultural course requirement | 4 |
| General-education course in social science (second subject) |
At least one course on a different subject is required | 4 |
| General-education course in science (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required | 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| | Total Credits | | 48 |
Degree Map
| Second Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| First term of second-year second-language sequence |
| 4 |
| Lower-division ARH course |
| 4 |
| General-education course in social science (on any subject) |
| 4 |
| General-education course in science (second subject) |
At least one course on a different subject is required | 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Second term of second-year second-language sequence |
| 4 |
| Lower-division ARH course |
| 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required; cannot have ARH subject code | 4 |
| General-education course in science (on any subject) |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Third term of second-year second-language sequence |
Complete language requirement | 4 |
| 300-level ARH course (except ARH 314 or 315) |
Apply for art history major at beginning of term; begin taking upper-division ARH courses; consider applying for Gloria Tovar Lee Scholarship | 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters (first subject) |
At least two courses on the same subject are required; cannot have ARH subject code | 4 |
| General-education course in arts and letters (on any subject) |
Cannot have ARH subject code | 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| | Total Credits | | 48 |
Degree Map
| Third Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| Art studio course |
Complete art history studio requirement | 4 |
| ARH 300 |
Critical Approaches to Art-Historical Study |
Offered fall term only; consider applying for travel-research grants | 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
| 400-level ARH course |
Some 300- and 400-level ARH courses may satisfy identity, pluralism, and tolerance multicultural course requirements | 4 |
| Upper-division elective courses |
| 8 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| 400-level ARH course |
This term, consider applying for book prizes and/or Gloria Tovar Lee Scholarship; consider applying to honors program | 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| | Total Credits | | 48 |
Degree Map
| Fourth Year |
|---|
| Fall |
|---|
| 300- or 400-level ARH course |
| 4 |
| 400-level ARH course |
This term, consider applying for travel-research awards; also consider applying for book prizes (spring deadline) | 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Winter |
|---|
| Upper-division ARH course |
Complete upper-division requirement | 4 |
| 400-level ARH course |
Complete 400-level requirement; students working on honors essays may consider taking a 400-level reading credit with their honors essay advisor | 4 |
| Upper-division elective course |
| 4 |
| Elective course |
| 4 |
| | Credits | | 16 |
| Spring |
|---|
| Upper-division elective course |
Complete 180 minimum credits and 62 upper-division credits; complete honors essay (if relevant) | 4 |
| | Credits | | 4 |
| | Total Credits | | 36 |
The Department of the History of Art and Architecture offers programs leading to the master of arts (MA) and the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees in art history. Applications to the graduate program are considered once a year (beginning on January 15) for the following fall term. Applications and supporting documents, including Graduate Record Examinations scores, must be received by January 15.
Master of Arts Requirements
Candidates for the MA degree must complete 45 credits in courses approved by the student's advisor, as well as satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate School for residence. Of the 45 credits, a minimum of 36 must be graduate credits in research-based courses, taken for a letter grade.
- Thesis (ARH 503) or a terminal project, 9 credits
- Graduate Seminar Requirements and First-Year Seminar Series. Of the 36 graduate credits required, 16 must be in graduate seminars, including 4 credits in Graduate Studies in Art History (ARH 611), 8 credits in Seminar: [Topic] (ARH 607), and at least 4 credits (excluding ARH 611) in a course or courses led by your primary advisor
- Electives. A minimum of 12 credits of elective courses; a maximum of 8 credits may be taken outside of the department with an advisor's permission
- Distribution Requirement. Students must undertake course work in three of four historic areas: prehistoric-ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern-contemporary. Students may petition to apply a thematic or non-period-specific course toward the distribution requirement by demonstrating substantial work in the appropriate area. While it is not a requirement, students are strongly recommended to pursue both Western and non-Western courses to fulfill their distribution and elective requirements
- Foreign Language Requirement. The department requires that MA degree candidates demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language. The chosen language must be approved by the student’s advisor and should be relevant to the student’s scholarly interests. Language proficiency is typically demonstrated in one of several ways:
- by passing a written language exam given by the department;
- by providing an official transcript from the University of Oregon or elsewhere that shows satisfactory completion of the second or third year of the language, as determined by the student's primary advisor;
- by presenting evidence of having achieved equivalent results on a standardized foreign-language placement test.
The foreign language requirement may be waived for a student who has completed a high school or higher degree that employed the target language as the primary language of instruction. Students who expect to pursue a PhD should also acquire a research capability in additional languages, as appropriate to the student’s area of study, as soon as possible in their academic program.
Additional information regarding the MA is available from the Department of the History of Art and Architecture office or on the website.
Doctor of Philosophy Requirements
To fulfill the requirements for the PhD, students are expected to take a total of 72 credits, selected in consultation with the student’s advisor. Of the 72 credits, at least 36 credits must be in ARH courses and taken for a letter grade. Of the 36 graduate credits required, a minimum of 12 must be in graduate seminars (600 level), including Graduate Studies in Art History (ARH 611). Students are required to complete all required course work before taking their field exams. Credits earned in Reading and Conference: [Topic] (ARH 605) or Dissertation (ARH 603) cannot count toward the 36 credits required.
Students are expected to declare a major field of study by spring term of their first year. Students are required to take a minimum of 12 credits in their major field and at least 8 credits in their minor field at the graduate level (500 or 600 level) prior to taking their field exams.
Students entering the PhD program with an MA in hand may petition to waive some course work requirements to more quickly progress through the program. University policy specifies that at least one full-time academic year—the residency year—must be completed following admission into the doctoral program. During this year of residency, the student is expected to make progress toward the degree by completing course credits and satisfying doctoral degree requirements. The residency year consists of three consecutive terms of full-time UO course work toward the degree, with a minimum of 9 completed graduate credits a term. Courses in Research: [Topic] (ARH 601), Reading and Conference: [Topic] (ARH 605), and other individualized study options may be a part of the 9 credits, but the majority of the year of residency is expected to consist of regular graduate course work.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students should acquire a research capability in two foreign languages appropriate to the student’s area of study as soon as possible in their academic program, unless otherwise approved by the student's advisor.
Advancement to Candidacy
Students are required to complete all required course work before taking their field exams. Students are officially advanced to candidacy in the PhD program upon completion of two written field exams: one in a major field in art and architectural history and one in a minor field in art and architectural history or another discipline with departmental approval. The department offers field examinations in the following categories:
- Greek
- Roman
- Latin American
- North American
- Medieval
- Renaissance and Baroque
- Modern
- Contemporary
- Chinese
- Japanese
Additional information regarding the PhD is available from the Department of the History of Art and Architecture office or on the website.
