Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Arts
Nature of the Program
Built for the curious and knowledge seekers, the technical art history major emphasizes the scientific study of structures of art and objects, within art historical contexts, and values hands-on experience in preventative art conservation, conservation and restoration of artifacts, and reconstruction techniques. Students will conduct research on the physical nature of art and its making through interdisciplinary studies in art history, art, science, anthropology, and more depending on their areas of interest.
Technical art history majors will graduate well-equipped for a multi-faceted career of collaboration with conservators, scientists and museum professionals. They will enhance the world’s ability to care for its art and material culture. Graduates will excel in high-demand careers and be prepared for elite graduate programs including: art and object conservation, ethnographic and archaeological materials conservation, historic preservation, art history, museum studies, art handler, museum technician, library and archival studies, and more.
In the classroom, technical art history majors will: assess the construction and condition of art and artifacts, conduct risk assessments for museum collections, employ preventive care for collections; conduct digital documentation with stereomicroscopy, ultraviolet illumination, and digital photography; examine objects using infrared reflectography, microscopy, and x-rays; participate in disaster recovery exercises, and study with world-renown conservation professionals. They will visually analyze objects, conduct comparative analyses, engage in archival research, and develop broad cultural historical and aesthetic knowledge.
The San Gemini Preservation Studies Global Positioning Studies program is the ideal hands-on study abroad program for a technical art history major. This program is a series of professional place-based field courses in conservation, preservation, and restoration of cultural heritage in San Gemini, Umbria, Italy. The program offers students both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills on field projects and workshops.
Admissions
Besides meeting the requirements for general University admission, there are no additional entrance requirements (e.g., portfolio review) to the Bachelor of Arts programs in Art History, Art Therapy, Game Design and Interactive Media, or Technical Art History.
A portfolio review or a research paper is recommended for applicants seeking scholarship consideration into the Technical Art History program.
For further information, please consult the College's website or call the College's Recruitment Office at (304) 293-4339. Applicants can also visit the School of Art and Design's website: http://artanddesign.wvu.edu/academics or phone the School office at (304) 293-2552.
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 2520
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations | ||
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
Total Hours | 31-37 |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
University Requirements | 35 | |
School of Art and Design Requirements | 49 | |
Technical Art History Major Requirements | 36 | |
Total Hours | 120 |
University Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 3, 4, and 5 | 15 | |
ART 191 | First-Year Seminar | 2 |
General Electives * | 18 | |
Total Hours | 35 |
- *
Recommended GEF Depth/Minor Areas include: Forensic and Investigative Science (FIS), Archaeology/Anthropology (ANTH); Art History electives; Study Abroad/Professional Field Experience; Studio Art
School of Art and Design Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A grade of C- or higher required in all ART and ARHS courses in the program requirements. | ||
Chemistry Coursework | ||
CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) ** | 4 |
CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
Foreign Language (GEF 7) *** | 12 | |
Art History Core | ||
ARHS 120 | Survey of Art History 1 (may fulfill GEF 6) | 3 |
ARHS 160 | Survey of Art History 2 (may fulfill GEF 8) | 3 |
Studio Coursework | ||
ART 111S | Drawing 1 | 3 |
ART 112S | Drawing 2 | 3 |
ART 122S | Visual Foundations 2 | 3 |
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Painting 1 | ||
Introduction to Sculpture | ||
Printmaking - Intaglio and Relief | ||
Ceramics | ||
Ceramics | ||
Studio Art for Art Historians | ||
Global Positioning Studies (GPS) Requirement **** | ||
Total Hours | 49 |
- **
MATH prerequisites or CHEM 110 may be required for entry into CHEM 115 and 115L which are determined by placement.
- ***
All students must complete six credit hours of Latin (CLAS) or 12 credit hours of another foreign language. Students who elect to complete Latin (CLAS) courses will fulfill GEF 5, but will still need to fulfill GEF 7.
- ****
Global Positioning Studies (GPS) Requirement - At least one ART or ARHS course must fulfill the GPS requirement.
Technical Art History Major Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A grade of C- or higher required in all ART and ARHS courses in the major requirements. | ||
Art History Core | ||
Prehistory to 1300: Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Greek and Roman | ||
Ancient Roman Art and Architecture | ||
Medieval | ||
Medieval Architecture | ||
1300-1750: Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Northern Renaissance | ||
Italian Renaissance | ||
Baroque | ||
ARHS Semester in Italy | ||
1750-Present: Select one from the following: | 3 | |
American | ||
Nineteenth Century | ||
Modern | ||
Modern Architecture | ||
Contemporary | ||
Art History Major Coursework | ||
ARHS 240 | Research, Writing, & Methods in Art History **** | 3 |
ARHS 345 | Modern Art Theory | 3 |
ARHS 401 | Senior Project-Capstone (fulfills the Writing and Communication Skills Requirement) | 3 |
ARHS 491 | Professional Field Experience | 3 |
ARHS 494 | Seminar | 3 |
Technical Art History Coursework | ||
ARHS 411 | Conservation Practices: Digital Documentation, Treatment, Condition Assessment | 3 |
ARHS 412 | Collections Care and Preservation of Material Objects | 3 |
ARHS 413 | Material Objects Investigations 1 (2-D) | 3 |
ARHS 414 | Material Objects Investigation 2 (3-D) | 3 |
Total Hours | 36 |
- *****
ARHS 240 fulfills writing requirement.
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | CHEM 115 & 115L (GEF 2) | 4 |
ARHS 120 (GEF 6) | 3 | ARHS 160 (GEF 8) | 3 |
ART 280 | 3 | ARHS 411 | 3 |
ART 191 | 2 | ART 111S | 3 |
Foreign Language (GEF 7) | 3 | Foreign Language (GEF 8) | 3 |
GEF 3 | 3 | ||
17 | 16 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | ARHS 240 | 3 |
CHEM 116 & 116L (GEF 8) | 4 | ARHS 412 | 3 |
ART 112S | 3 | GEF 4 | 3 |
Art History Core Course | 3 | Art History Core Course | 3 |
Foreign Language | 3 | Foreign Language | 3 |
16 | 15 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
CHEM 233 | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
CHEM 233L | 1 | ARHS 413 | 3 |
ARHS 345 | 3 | Art History Core Course | 3 |
ART 122S | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
General Elective | 2 | ||
15 | 15 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
CHEM 234 | 3 | ARHS 401 | 3 |
CHEM 234L | 1 | ARHS 491 | 3 |
ARHS 414 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
ARHS 494 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
ART 213S, 226S, 230S, 240S, or 241S | 3 | General Elective | 1 |
13 | 13 | ||
Total credit hours: 120 |
Major Learning Outcomes
Technical Art History
Upon graduation all Bachelor of Arts students in Technical Art History will be able to:
- communicate effectively in both written and oral forms;
- interpret the documentation of the treatment history of an artwork and put it into context;
- link an analysis of material to the date of inception and other topics relating to its history and artistic production;
- apply digital documentation processes and selected non-destructive analytical/imaging techniques to a material object or work of art;
- demonstrate proper handling of artworks including during storage and transportation and create condition assessment surveys;
- synthesize knowledge and skills from across the fields of art history, chemistry, and studio art and apply them to a material object or art work through reconstruction.