Art

Major in Art History

The department offers four levels of art history courses. Courses with 100 numbers provide a broad introduction to the field and are open without prerequisite. Courses with 200, 300 and 400 numbers comprise the core of the major in Art History, and are available only to students who have completed the prerequisites or have received the instructor’s consent to enroll. At the 300- and 400-levels, students pursue advanced topics that provide training in art-historical research and writing. Some majors complete their work in the department in the year-long Honors (500-numbered) Program. 

• 100-numbered courses provide entry into the Art History curriculum by introducing students to the methods and concepts of the discipline. Broad in geographic and temporal scope, they place particular emphasis on acquiring the   visual skills necessary for the close, analytical scrutiny of works of art. The 100- and 200-numbered courses give access to 300-level courses.

• 200-numbered courses are designed primarily for majors and are intended to be taken early in the major.  200-level courses deepen the students’ understanding of the discipline and prepare them for advanced work at the seminar level.

• 300-numbered courses focus on the major periods and styles in the art-historical fields taught in the Department.

• 400-numbered courses include seminars that focus on selected problems in art history in a discussion-oriented format with emphasis on individual presentations and research.

• 500-numbered course is the Honors sequence, available by departmental invitation or student petition to seniors (see “Honors”).

An art history major consists of a total of at least 11 full courses and language competency.

Major requirements within the department (9 full courses):

•     one – two 100-level courses
•     Methods course (200-level) must be taken in the sophomore or junior year
•     three 300-level courses
•     two 400-level seminars
•     one course in Studio Art
  

Stipulations:

•     No more than 2 courses at the 100-level may count toward the major (unless prior approval is received from the chair).
•     The Methods course must be taken in sophomore or junior year and is a prerequisite to any seminar.
•     At least one art history course must focus on non-western art.
•     A course must be taken in at least 4 of the 7 areas offered by the art history faculty (Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance-Baroque, Modern-Contemporary, Architectural History, East Asian, African).
•     Honors does not count toward the 9-course requirement
•     Private readings will be HC and do not count towards the 9-course requirement
  

Major requirements outside the department (2  Full Courses plus language competency):

• Two courses outside of the Art Department (these should be chosen in consultation with your advisor to reflect your special geographic or chronological area of interest or a thematic focus in art history).
•  A demonstrated ability to read a foreign language at the level of competence equal to two semesters of introductory language study at Oberlin. Students may meet this requirement in a number of ways, including but not limited to: (1) completing a two-semester introductory language course at Oberlin; (2) placing above the first-year level on a placement test administered by one of the language departments; or (3) transferring the equivalent of an Oberlin introductory language course taken elsewhere. 

For students who are considering graduate work in Art History, the department strongly recommends advanced language courses. In general, within the first year of graduate study in any field of Western art, students are expected to demonstrate reading competency in French and German; for East Asian Art students will need a working knowledge of Japanese and/or Chinese. Depending on the area of specialization, other languages may also be necessary, e.g. Greek, Latin, or Italian.

Courses in which a student earned a letter grade below a C-or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.

Minor in Art History

Students with 5 full courses in Art History may graduate with a minor in Art History entered on their transcripts. No more than 1 full coursemay be transferred for the minor in Art History; departmental approval is required for such transfers (see section on Major or Minor Credit for off-campus study).

Note: Students are responsible for notifying the Office of the Registrar if they wish to have the minor in Art History entered on their transcripts.

Major in Studio Art

​The Studio Art major requires no fewer than 11 full courses in the manner listed below and keeping in mind the following: A Studio Art major must have taken courses with at least two different studio instructors before enrolling in the senior capstone seminar. The capstone course, Senior Studio and Thesis is a year long course and must be taken in succession during the final year. Introductory courses in Studio Art are open to students regardless of prior experience.

For those students considering a major in Studio Art, it is recommended that you make every effort to enroll in four studio courses by the end of your sophomore year.

Required courses are:

1. Two “Visual Concepts and Process: [Discipline]” courses in Studio Art or the equivalent*.
2. Two “Problems in [(Discipline):(Title)]” courses in Studio Art or the equivalent* (These courses may be repeated for credit only one time and with prior consent of the instructor).
3. Two courses in Art History, one of which must be in 19th- and/or 20th-century art, and one in an earlier field or “Approaches to Western Art.”  Students may also take a course in Art History, and one pre-approved course in other related histories or theories (Film, Theater.) from another department with approval from their advisor.  It is recommended that students interested in majoring in Studio Art take the 19th and 20th century course in Art History as early in their program as they can.
4. One Advanced Individual Projects to be taken prior to senior year.
5. Four “Advanced Level” courses, composed of the capstone Senior Studio and Thesis seminar (year-long course, involving both fall and spring semesters).
6. ***Equivalent production/performance courses in departments such as Cinema Studies, TIMARA, Dance, Theater, Creative Writing, and African American Studies may be counted towards Studio majors and minors. Please consult with advisors and department chair regarding specific courses that may be counted toward a major in Studio Art.  

* Courses in which a student earned a letter grade below a C- or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.

***The equivalent production courses in other departments such as Cinema Studies, Timara, Creative Writing and African American Studies may be counted towards Studio majors and minors. Please consult with advisors or department chair regarding courses that may be counted toward a major in Visual Art. 

Minor in Studio Art

Students with 5 or more full courses or the equivalent in Studio Art may graduate with a minor in Studio Art entered on their transcripts. These Studio Art courses must be taken in at least two fields with two instructors. No credit may be transferred to the minor in Studio Art.

Note: Students are responsible for notifying the Office of the Registrar if they wish to have the minor either in Art History or Studio Art entered on their transcripts.

Major in Visual Art

This major is offered within the Studio Division of the Art Department. It allows individual students greater flexibility for pursuing an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the visual arts. Concentrations in this major permit students to study art within a particular social or historical context: urban studies, environmental studies, critical theory, museum studies, or art conservation. In addition this major can serve students wishing to pursue projects in the creative arts that may incorporate creative writing, theater, dance, music, performance art, or architectural design. The major may also be designed to accommodate students who wish to study more wide-ranging topics such as environmental aspects of art and/or architecture, art in the context of another discipline such as psychology, sociology, philosophy, critical or cultural studies, art and the law, arts management, multi-media work in computer science, music, or geology.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE VISUAL ART MAJOR

The Visual Arts major consists of 13 full courses or the equivalent. Students should be aware that 3 of the required 13 courses make up the Concentration for the Visual Arts Major and are taken outside of the Art Department.  Students should therefore consult with an advisor in the appropriate department or program offering the coursework for this concentration. Students interested in this major must consult with members of the Studio Art division in the Art Department for further information.

A Visual Arts major must be grounded in Studio Art coursework or the equivalent. Eight courses must be within the Studio division of the Art Department or the equivalent, with a course in Art History.  Of those 10 courses, students are required to take the following:

a.  Two “Visual Concepts and Process: [Discipline]” Studio Art courses or the equivalents.

b.  Two “Problems in [(Discipline):(Title)]” courses in Studio Art or the equivalent.

c. One course in 19th-and/or 20th-century Art History.  It is recommended that students interested in majoring in Visual Art take the 19th and 20th century course in Art History as early in their program as they can.

d. One Advanced Individual Projects Seminar prior to their senior year.

e.  Four “Advanced Level” courses, composed of the capstone Senior Studio and Thesis seminar (year-long course, involving both fall and spring semesters).

f. Three courses in the area of concentration outside the Art Department. 

* Courses in which a student earned a letter grade below a C- or P cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the major.

Advanced Placement

A grade of 5 on the AP exam in Art History may be transferred as one full course to the Oberlin transcript. However, the department offers no major credit, and no exemption from major requirements, for AP work in Art History.  The Department offers no credit and no exemption for AP work in Studio Art.

Transfer of Credit/Major Credit for Off-Campus Study

The Art Department’s preliminary approval must be obtained before beginning work away from Oberlin if this work is to be counted as credit for the major. Students must receive tentative prior approval from the Chairperson of the Art Department before leaving campus. On return, students must supply both an official transcript and evidence of the nature of the work done. Such requests, as well as those of transfer students, will be handled on an individual basis. The department is not obliged to give credit for work that fails to fit the general patterns of the Oberlin curriculum or that fails to come up to Oberlin’s standards, no matter how valuable a student feels the experience has been, or how much time and effort has been expended.

Art History: No more than 3 full courses or the equivalent may be transferred to an Art History major, unless the courses were taken in an Oberlin-affiliated program. Students should submit transcripts, syllabi, class notes, term papers, and examinations in order to obtain final approval for credit.

Studio Art: No more than 3 full courses or the equivalent may be transferred to a Studio Art major. Students should submit transcripts and Syllabi to their advisors to obtain major credit for work completed at other accredited institutions.

Visual Arts: No more than 3 full courses or the equivalent of studio art may transfer towards this major.

Honors Program

Admission to the Honors Program is at the discretion of the department. There are two paths to honors in the Art Department, dependent on one’s major, Art History, Studio Art.  The Visual Art major is a component of the Studio Art Program.

Art History

The Honors Program is intended to recognize the outstanding achievement of Art History majors. Students are afforded the opportunity to formulate a serious art-historical research agenda and learn the craft of carrying out independent and original work.  While the result is generally a substantial Honors Thesis of 30-60 double-spaced pages plus the accompanying scholarly apparatus (including footnotes and bibliography), other formats may be acceptable (subject to faculty approval).

Enrollment in the Honors Program requires a two-semester senior-year commitment (two full courses) and sustained work during Winter Term in the area of study.  Students should thus seriously consider the gains of Honors work against the losses inevitable from omitting two full credit courses from their final year of study.

Application for Honors occurs during Spring semester of Junior year.   We encourage students who are interested in pursuing Honors to discuss the details of the program and potential topics at the beginning of the spring semester with any member of the Art History faculty.  Faculty members are likewise urged to encourage qualified students to consider applying for Honors.

Students seeking admission to the Honors Program in Art History must meet the following criteria:

1)    A minimum overall GPA of 3.25.  In exceptional cases, students may petition to waive this requirement.

2)    A minimum GPA of 3.5 in Art History courses taken at Oberlin (by beginning of Spring semester of Junior year).

3)    Completion of Arts 299: Methods.

4)    At least two 300- and one 400-numbered Art History courses completed at Oberlin.

5)    Two of the three courses listed in 3) above must have been in different areas of Art History.

6)    Completion of the Art History major’s language requirement.

7)    Writing Proficiency Qualification.

Students who meet the above qualifications should identify a faculty member who is willing to advise a year-long project (the “Honors Advisor”). Together they will devise a plan of study, and the student will submit a 5-page prospectus and a preliminary bibliography to the general Honors Supervisor (a designated faculty member) by the last Friday of Spring semester classes.  After the prospectus and bibliography are submitted, the Honors Supervisor distributes them to the Art History faculty. By the last Friday before Fall classes start, the Art History faculty meets to review, discuss, and comment on the research prospectus for the Private Readings.  The student then enrolls in ARTS 599 ‘Honors in Art History’ for the Fall Semester.  

NOTE: Students who are away from campus in the second semester will submit a prospectus and bibliography no later than the Friday before Fall semester orientation begins.

Studio Art

Honors in Studio Art takes place within the capstone course for all Studio Art majors. This course, Senior Studio and Thesis, is a year-long, team taught course. Each student will receive a private studio. At the end of the fall semester faculty will invite students to do Honors who they feel are ready to handle the additional work. All students who are enrolled in Senior Studio and Thesis will continue in the course for the entire year.  Honors, while not guaranteed, is conferred at the end of the spring as a result of outstanding work in this course. 

GLCA Arts Program in New York

The New York Arts Program is an accredited and GLCA*approved program for undergraduates and post-baccalaureates who have demonstrated ability in the arts, creative industries and culture and who wish to pursue their education while exploring professional career options. The semester long program is an immersive experience designed to advance students’ creative and critical skills, and introduce them to diverse ecology of concepts and practices. Successful completion earns 15 hours of credit towards graduation; these credits cannot count as major credit but are applied to general credit.

Winter Term

The purpose of winter term is to enable students to pursue academic interests outside of Oberlin’s regular course offerings. During the month of January, students complete individual or group projects of their choice, either on or off campus. Projects may be proposed by faculty, students, and occasionally by members of the administrative and professional staff and alumni.

Projects in the arts may include off-campus projects such as gallery or museum internships or studio assistantships with a specific artist or artist collaborative. On-campus study may take the form of a supervised individual or group projects. Projects in the arts are typically sponsored by members of the Art Department.

Preparation for Further Professional Study

Students interested in preparing for graduate studies in Studio Art, Museum Studies, and Art Conservation should consider the following programs of study:

1. Studio Art. Students interested in preparing for graduate studies in Studio Art, Museum Studies, and Art Conservation should consider the following programs of study. It is suggested that studio art majors who wish to prepare for graduate study leading to the MFA degree take as many studio courses as possible.
   Museum Studies. Students wishing to pursue a museum career are advised to consult with the curatorial staff of the Allen Memorial Art Museum at their earliest convenience. There are both research and teaching opportunities as curatorial interns and docents available to interested and qualified students. Either an Art History or a Visual Arts major would provide suitable pre-graduate school preparation for this field. Knowledge of a relevant foreign language (French, German, Chinese, Japanese) is essential for museum curatorial work and helpful preparation for other areas of the museum profession, such as administration or education.
2. Conservation of Art. It is suggested that students who wish to prepare for graduate study in Art Conservation fulfill the requirements for the BA with a major in either Art History, Visual Arts, or Studio Art. Most schools of conservation require between 18 to 21 hours of art history, between 8 and 15 hours of studio, and a portfolio. Additionally, most schools require: a reading knowledge of German, French or Italian, two classes in organic chemistry with labs, and an additional one or two science courses with labs. The following may also be useful: Physical Chemistry 309; GEOL 201 Mineralogy, PHYS 103-104 or PHYS 110, 111. For further information, consult with Mr. Inglis.
3. Classical Archeology. Students interested in classical archeology as a profession should note the availability of a concentration in classical archeology within the Archeological Studies Major. For further information, see the separate listing under Archeological Studies above, or consult Ms. Kane in the Art Department.

Art History - Introductory Courses for a General Audience

Art History - 100-Level Courses

• ARTS 100 - Themes in Western Art
• ARTS 150 - Approaches to Western Art
• ARTS 151 - Approaches to Western Architectural History
• ARTS 152 - Approaches to Chinese and Japanese Art
• ARTS 154 - Approaches to African Art

Art History - 200-Level Courses

• ARTS 299 - Methods of Art History

Art History - 300-Level Lecture Courses

Courses require one 200-level course or an equivalent as a prerequisite.

• ARTS 304 - History of Modern Sculpture
• ARTS 306 - Art from 1960
• ARTS 326 - Synagogues, Churches, Mosques
• ARTS 328 - Politics and Protest: Modern Chinese Art
• ARTS 338 - Topics in Architecture, Modern and Postmodern
• ARTS 339 - Contemporary Approaches to Architectural Design
• ARTS 344 - From Emperor to Pope: Art, Architecture, and Urbanism in Ancient and Medieval Rome
• ARTS 346 - Baroque Art
• ARTS 348 - Art of the Italian Renaissance
• ARTS 355 - The Art of Japanese Prints
• ARTS 357 - Looking for Africa in Brazil
• ARTS 374 - Art in France and Britain of the Long 19th Century
• ARTS 399 - Art and Science of Paint

Art History - 400 Level Seminars

• ARTS 449 - Matisse’s Modernism
• ARTS 462 - Wood, Flesh, Metal, Blood
• ARTS 466 - Cultural Property? Art, Heritage, Ownership
• ARTS 427 - Polis/Metropole/Metropolis

Art History - 400 Level Advanced

• ARTS 599 - Honors in Art History

Studio

The aim of all studio courses is to enhance students’ awareness of, and sensitivity to, the visual arts through engaging in intellectual and technical processes by which a works of art comes into being. Students learn to perceive the world in visual terms and to conceptualize their perceptions through their work. They also become familiar with selected techniques of artmaking and with examples of those techniques by significant artists through the study of the history of art both past and present.

Students planning to complete their studies with the Bachelor’s degree in art should recognize that the fine arts curriculum at Oberlin is designed primarily as an integral part of the liberal arts program of the College, and not as specialized technical training. Studying art at Oberlin does provide a solid foundation for students who wish to proceed into formal professional training at the graduate level or to continue their development as artists on their own. Many Studio Art majors go on to the best graduates schools in the country.  

It is necessary for each student to purchase expendable supplies as required for each course and/or to pay a fee for expendable materials supplied by the department. Students should realize that studio art practices can often be quite expensive. The purchase of textbooks is sometimes required for studio courses.

Students absent from the first studio session in any course will be dropped from the enrollment list.

Introductory Gateway Courses for the Studio Art Major

Visual Concepts and Process Courses

Read the following course descriptions carefully.  Visual Concepts and Processes courses are designed to offer students an introduction to art making in the 21st century through a diverse range of concepts, techniques. The focus of each course is described in the course title suffix, but will not be limited to conventional assumptions about these disciplines. Courses may be repeated for credit if taken with a different instructor and with the consent of the advisor.

• ARTS 011 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Screenprinting
• ARTS 012 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Expression, Process, and Meaning
• ARTS 013 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Dichotomy and Lithography
• ARTS 040 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Drawing
• ARTS 045 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Introduction to Digital Photography
• ARTS 052 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Introduction to Black and White Photography
• ARTS 057 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Drawing and Space
• ARTS 058 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Color Theory
• ARTS 063 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Materials and Practice of Painting
• ARTS 098 - Visual Concepts and Processes: Integrated Media Arts Practices

“Problems in: (Discipline/Title)” Courses

Material covered in Problems In: courses are at the intermediate level and correspond with the discipline specified in the course title.  Courses in this sequence may be elected more than once. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor

• ARTS 014 - Problems in Reproducible Media
• ARTS 032 - Individual Photography Project Seminar
• ARTS 060 - Problems in Drawing
• ARTS 065 - Problems in Painting, An Introduction to Figure Painting
• ARTS 069 - Problems in: Re-imagining the Book
• ARTS 078 - Problems in Photography: Color

Advanced Individual Projects

Advanced Individual Projects must be taken by the end of junior year, and is designed as a predecessor to Senior Studio and Thesis. The goal of this course is for students to delve into their specific conceptual and technical interests, while developing individual creative practices.  This interdisciplinary seminar is taught by various members of the Studio Art faculty, and is offered once each semester.  

• ARTS 089 - Advanced Individual Projects
• ARTS 096 - Problems in Advanced Integrated Media Projects
• ARTS 090 - Advanced Book Arts

Senior Studio and Thesis

Senior Studio and Thesis is a year-long, team taught course and required of all students majoring in Studio Art. Each student will receive a private studio. At the end of the fall semester students who’ve excelled will be invited to pursue Honors for the remainder of the course. Honors is conferred at the end of the spring as a result of outstanding work.