# Major and Minor

**Source**: https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/undergraduate/major-and-minor/
**Parent**: https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/undergraduate/

Major and Minor[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2025-08-22T09:24:20+00:00

# **Programme Requirements**

We teach the history and theory of art, including painting, calligraphy, sculpture, architecture, photography, conceptual art, and related visual media. Courses examine European, American, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian artistic traditions in depth. Some courses focus on specialized skills related to museum studies. Students may major or minor in Art History and will discover many fruitful combinations between art history and other disciplines inside and outside the Arts Faculty.

## Major in Art History (72 credits)

Students wishing to major in Art History must normally complete the following requirements:

- Complete one 6-credit [Art History course at the 1000-level](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#1000levelcourses)
- Complete 12 credits of introductory courses from any Arts programme(s) (which may include additional credits in 1000-level Art History courses)
- Complete 54 credits of Art History courses from among those offered at the 2000, 3000, and 4000 levels, of which:

  - 6 credits must be the course [ARTH2081](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/undergraduate/courses/arth2081/) Art History and Its Methods
  - 6 credits must be in [Western art](https://arthistory.hku.hk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Western-asian-list-2025-07.pdf)
  - 6 credits must be in [Asian art](https://arthistory.hku.hk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Western-asian-list-2025-07.pdf)
  - 6 credits must be in [3000-level courses](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#3000levelcourses)
  - 6 credits must be in a [4000-level course](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#4000levelcourses) to fulfill the capstone requirement

## Minor in Art History (36 credits)

Students wishing to minor in Art History must normally complete the following requirements:

- Complete one 6-credit [Art History course at the 1000 level](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#1000levelcourses)
- Complete 30 credits of Art History courses from among those offered at the [2000](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#2000levelcourses) and [3000](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/academic-programmes/all-courses/#3000levelcourses) levels

## **Statistics (24-25)**

| **Year 4 Students** | Declared no. |
| --- | --- |
| Majors | 25 |
| Minors | 12 |

| **Year 3 Students** | Declared no. |
| --- | --- |
| Majors | 41 |
| Minors | 24 |

| **Year 2 Students** | Declared no. |
| --- | --- |
| Majors | 34 |
| Minors | 26 |

## Course Selection

Prospective students should note that individual upper-level courses in the Art History programme may require prerequisites which are listed in the relevant sections below. In exceptional cases, these requirements may be waived. Most courses impose caps on enrollment to ensure standards of teaching quality. All major, minor, and other course selections are subject to the approval of the Head of the School of Humanities on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Coordinator of the Programme.

## Cross-listed Courses

To fulfill the requirements of the 2000-level credits in the major/minor in Art History, students may also take:

- [**AFRI2018**](https://african.hku.hk/course/AFRI2018.html) African Art(s)
- [**AFRI3008**](https://african.hku.hk/course/AFRI3008.html) African arts in museum: Collecting and exhibiting “Africa”
- [**AMER2058**](https://amstudy.hku.hk/course/AMER2058.html) Art and law in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries
- [**AMER2064**](https://smlc.hku.hk/programmes/type.php?lang=3) Art, Time, and New Media
- [**AMER2065**](https://smlc.hku.hk/programmes/type.php?lang=3) Radical Artistic Practice in the Shadow of Hollywood
- [**AMER2066**](https://www.web.smlc.hku.hk/courses/amer2066) Art and crime
- [**AMER2067**](https://www.web.smlc.hku.hk/courses/amer2067) Making money: Art, culture, and economics
- **[GLAS2101](https://www.globalba.hku.hk/_files/ugd/ff8f03_c761b4e543a34cfa859d457591c63d79.pdf)** Art, time, and new media
- **[GLAS2102](https://www.globalba.hku.hk/_files/ugd/ff8f03_c761b4e543a34cfa859d457591c63d79.pdf)** Art and law
- [**GLAS2134**](https://www.globalba.hku.hk/_files/ugd/ff8f03_c761b4e543a34cfa859d457591c63d79.pdf) Art and crime
- **[GLAS2135](https://www.globalba.hku.hk/_files/ugd/ff8f03_c761b4e543a34cfa859d457591c63d79.pdf)** Radical artistic practice in the shadow of Hollywood
- **[GLAS2136](https://www.globalba.hku.hk/_files/ugd/ff8f03_c761b4e543a34cfa859d457591c63d79.pdf)** Art and money

Please refer to the relevant Programmes for the course details and availability.

###### For detailed regulations, please consult the Arts Faculty’s [B.A. syllabus](https://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BA/regulations-syllabuses).

## **FAQ**

When do I declare my major(s)/minor(s)?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-03-09T07:20:50+00:00

#### [When do I declare my major(s)/minor(s)?](#collapse-1-2519)

You will have to declare at least one major at the beginning of the second year of study.

Can I change my major after declaring it?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-03-09T07:23:37+00:00

#### [Can I change my major after declaring it?](#collapse-1-2521)

Yes, you may change your declared major(s)/minor(s) during the course selection period from the third to seventh semester.

Can I take 4000-level courses if I am not an Art History major?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-06-16T06:19:54+00:00

#### [Can I take 4000-level courses if I am not an Art History major?](#collapse-1-2526)

Yes, you can, as long as you meet the prerequisite requirements and that the course is not full, you are eligible to enroll. Nevertheless, 4000- level courses are mainly seminar classes and in order to optimize the discussion environment for students, the class size is usually kept smaller than lower level courses.

For minors to meet the requirement of completing 30 credits of 2000- and 3000-levels Art History courses, does it mean one of these 5 courses has to be of the 3000- level?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-06-16T06:17:28+00:00

#### [For minors to meet the requirement of completing 30 credits of 2000- and 3000-levels Art History courses, does it mean one of these 5 courses has to be of the 3000- level?](#collapse-1-2528)

No. As long as the 30 credits are from the “2000- and 3000- level” category, you meet the requirement. In other words, all five courses could be 2000-level courses.

[BA Syllabus](http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BA/regulations-syllabuses)

# **Credit Transfer**

This Faculty Cap Policy on Credit Transfer is applicable to:

- All HKU students admitted to the 4-year curriculum, who take any Arts major/ minor
- Those who go on outgoing academic exchange

Up to 50% of the transferred credits to HKU can be counted towards each of the Arts major/ minor requirements. In other words, students should complete at least 50% of each of the Arts major/ minor requirements at HKU.

|  | **Max. no. of exchange credits**  **allowed to be transferred to HKU** | **Min. no. of credits**  **completed at HKU** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arts major | 36 | 36 or 42 |
| Arts minor | 18 | 18 |

Transferred credits in excess of the cap as approved by the major/ minor offering Programme(s) will be counted as free elective(s) for the undergraduate degree only. It should be noted that the above policy does not affect BA students who take non-Arts major/minors. Students concerned are required to comply with regulations or policies of respective faculties.

For more details, please refer to the new [application form for credit transfer](http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/forms) available at the faculty website; or visit the faculty [FAQ section](http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BA/faq#Advanced%20standing,%20credit%20transfer%20and%20exchange%20studies) online.

## **FAQ**

When I have more questions concerning credit transfer, who should I contact?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-03-09T09:18:56+00:00

#### [When I have more questions concerning credit transfer, who should I contact?](#collapse-2-2537)

Your first contact should be the [Faculty of Arts](http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/forms). Your question may be redirected to either the School or to the Undergraduate Coordinator.

What information should I provide the Undergraduate Coordinator to ask for a preliminary approval?[fa2admin](https://arthistory.hku.hk/index.php/author/fa2admin/ "Posts by fa2admin")2020-03-09T09:19:59+00:00

#### [What information should I provide the Undergraduate Coordinator to ask for a preliminary approval?](#collapse-2-2555)

In the email that you write to the Undergraduate Coordinator, you should attach the course syllabus(es)/ detailed course outline(s), which should state the total number of contact hours (in lectures, tutorials, etc.), weekly schedule, reference list, assessment methods and credit/ unit weighting of course(s) at the host institution, etc.