# Art History Major/Minor

**Source**: https://art.stanford.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/art-history-majorminor
**Parent**: https://art.stanford.edu

## Art History Major

### Suggested Preparation

Students considering a major in art history should take [ARTHIST 5: Art and Power](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2236901) or any of the survey classes:

- [ARTHIST 1A: Experiencing Global Art and Architecture](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2156641)
- [ARTHIST 1B: How to Look at Art and Why: An Introduction to the History of Western Painting](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/1106021)
- [ARTHIST 2: Asian Arts & Cultures](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/1106031)
- [ARTHIST 2B: Introduction to Islamic Art](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2258551)

### Fields of Study and Degree Options

Students who wish to major in Art History must meet with the Student Services Specialist. At that time, the student selects a faculty advisor and declares the major on Axess. Concentrations within the major are approved by the faculty advisor and are not declared on Axess. Students must submit their Concentration Declaration Form to the Student Services Specialist by the end of Winter Quarter of their Junior Year.

Sample concentrations include:

- **Historical period concentrations**: ancient and medieval; Renaissance and early modern; modern and contemporary
- **Geographical concentrations**: the Americas; Africa; Asia; Europe and the Mediterranean
- **Topical concentrations**: art and gender; art, politics, race, and ethnicity; sacred space; art, science, and technology; urban studies; environmental art history
- **Genre concentrations**: architecture; painting; sculpture; film studies; prints and media; decorative arts and material culture
- **Interdisciplinary concentrations**: art and literature; art and history; art and religion; art and economics; art and music; art and medicine

### Degree Requirements

Students must complete at least 65 units, 15 courses distributed among geographic areas and time periods. For the most up-to-date information about the Art History major requirements, please visit the [Stanford Bulletin](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/ARTHS-BA).

All majors are required to attend an orientation session presented by the professional staff of the Art and Architecture Library, which introduces the tools of research and reference available on campus and through the internet. Contact Katie Keller (kkeller [at] stanford.edu (kkeller[at]stanford[dot]edu)) to schedule an orientation session.

Core Courses

Students must complete all of the following courses:

- [ARTHIST 5: Art and Power](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2236901)
- [ARTHIST 294: Writing and the Visual: The Art of Art Writing](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2142381)
- [ARTHIST 296: Junior Seminar: Methods & Historiography of Art History](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2046751)
- Art Practice Course (any 4-unit, introductory ARTSTUDI course)

ARTHIST 294 serves as the Art History Writing in the Major (WIM) course.

Survey Courses

Students must complete at least **three** of the following courses:

- [ARTHIST 1A: Experiencing Early Global Art and Architecture](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2156641)
- [ARTHIST 1B: How to Look at Art and Why: An Introduction to the History of Western Painting](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/1106021)
- [ARTHIST 2: Asian Arts and Cultures](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/1106031)
- [ARTHIST 2B: Introduction to Islamic Art](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2258551)
- [FILMEDIA 4: Introduction to Film Study](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/1107111) OR [FILMEDIA 6: Media and Mediums](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2101161)

Area of Concentration

The area of concentration provides students with an in-depth understanding of a coherent topic in Art History and consists of **three** Art History courses (at least **one** must be a seminar).

Students must submit an area of concentration form, signed and approved by their faculty advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies, by Winter Quarter of their junior year. Both the advisor and Director can help the student identify a concentration. Concentrations are not declared on Axess and do not appear on the transcript or diploma.

Temporal and Geographic Electives

Students must take **two** courses in each of the six distribution categories. Any individual course satisfies one temporal and one geographic category. A single course may not be used to satisfy multiple temporal or geographic requirements. Survey courses and courses taking in the Area of Concentration may apply towards electives.

Temporal Distribution Categories:

- Before 1350
- 1350-1850
- 1850 to the Present

Geographic Distribution Categories:

- Asia, Africa, Islam
- Europe
- The Americas

See the [Art History BA Bulletin](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/ARTHS-BA) for a list of approved elective courses.

Honors (optional)

Students interested in honors must submit a thesis proposal and study plan in the Winter Quarter of their junior year.

Application Prerequisites:

- Meet the GPA requirement of 3.5 cumulative and 3.5 in Art History coursework.
- Complete at least 5 Art History courses at Stanford by the end of their junior year.
- Choose a thesis advisor and develop a research project in coordination with advisor.

Honors Program Requirements:

- Enroll in 10 units of [ARTHIST 297: Honors Thesis Writing](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2058081) during their senior year.
- Submit bibliography, chapters, and finals thesis to their advisor, the second faculty reader, and department administration.
- (optional) Apply for a research grant to help finance trips or expenses related to thesis research.

Visit the [Honors in Art History and Film & Media Studies](https://art.stanford.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/honors-programs/honors-art-history-film-and-media-studies) page for more details.

## Art History Minor

### Minor Requirements

Students must complete at least 25 units, 6 courses in total. For the most up-to-date information about the Art History minor requirements, please visit the [Stanford](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/ART-MIN) [Bulletin](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/programs/ARTHS-BA).

All minors are required to attend an orientation session presented by the professional staff of the Art and Architecture Library, which introduces the tools of research and reference available on campus and through the internet. Contact Katie Keller (kkeller [at] stanford.edu (kkeller[at]stanford[dot]edu)) to schedule an orientation session.

Gateway Course

Students must complete the following course:

- [ARTHIST 5: Art and Power](https://bulletin.stanford.edu/courses/2236901)

Electives

Students must complete **five** additional Art History lectures or seminars in any field.

One Film & Media Studies (FILMEDIA) course may count towards the completion of the minor.

## Art History Course Offerings

Please visit [Navigate Classes](https://navigator.stanford.edu/classes) for the most up-to-date information on this year's course offerings, which are published each year in mid-to-late August.

### 2025-2026 Course Across Periods

#### Ancient - 1350

Professors who teach in the field: Patricia Blessing, Jody Maxmin, Bissera Pentcheva, Richard Vinograd

- ARTHIST 1A: Experiencing Global Art and Architecture
- ARTHIST 2: Asian Arts and Culture
- ARTHIST 2B: Introduction to Islamic Art
- ARTHIST 101: Introduction to Greek Art 1: The Archaic Period
- ARTHIST 102: Introduction to Greek Art 2: The Classical Period from the Parthenon to Scopas
- ARTHIST 134: Introduction to Early Andean Visual Culture: Interspecies Value and More-than-Human Presence
- ARTHIST 182B: Cultures in Competition: Arts of Song-era China, 960-1279 CE
- ARTHIST 208B: The Art of Medieval Spain: Muslim, Christians, and Jews
- ARTHIST 209C: Material Imagination and Affect: Image Theory in Byzantium

#### 1350 - 1850

Professors who teach in the field: Patricia Blessing, Jody Maxmin, Bissera Pentcheva, Richard Vinograd

- ARTHIST 1B: How to Look at Art: An Introduction to the History of Western Painting
- ARTHIST 2B: Introduction to Islamic Art
- ARTHIST 185: Arts of China in the Early Modern World, 1500-1800
- ARTHIST 2: Asian Arts & Cultures
- ARTHIST 134: Introduction to Early Andean Visual Culture: Interspecies Value and More-than-Human Presence
- ARTHIST 185: Arts of China in the Early Modern World, 1500-1800
- ARTHIST 211A: Andean Textile Logic: Weaving as Practice and Process in the Precontact Andes

#### 1850 - Present

Professors who teach in the field: Joshua Cohen, Marci Kwon, Richard Meyer, Alexander Nemerov, Rose Salseda, Richard Vinograd

- ARTHIST 2B: Introduction to Islamic Art
- ARTHIST 128: Modern Africa
- ARTHIST 129: Fashion
- ARTHIST 130N: The Age of Romanticism: Painting, Literature, Politics (IntroSem)
- ARTHIST 133: Introduction to Global Modern Art
- ARTHIST 160: Censorship in American Art
- ARTHIST 163A: Queer America: Art, Photography, and Politics
- ARTHIST 165: Vincent van Gogh and His World
- ARTHIST 201A: Søren Kierkegaard and the Visual Arts
- ARTHIST 213A: From the Ruins: Art, Literature, and Thought ca. 1945 and Beyond
- ARTHIST 215A: Visualizing Race in California: An Art History
- ARTHIST 228: Curating Contemporary Chinese Art