Bachelor of Arts students major in Art or Art History. Both majors require specific coursework including two foreign language courses; three College of the Arts courses in 3 different fields outside the major, core and laguage requirement; and completion of one of the following: an approved minor, a second major, a second bachelor's or a Senior Honor's Thesis. Advanced course requirements vary based on the major. Academic maps for each are available on the UH in Four web page. Degree plans and requirements are available in the undergraduate catalog.

This degree program is designed for those students who want to combine a broad-based liberal arts education with an expanded study of contemporary studio art practices or an in-depth study of art history. Students will experience the visual arts through a variety of disciplines, approaches, and tools, gaining the skills and languages to extend the possibilities of visual expression. The study of art history, criticism and theory will complement studio work by providing the contexts for historical and contemporary art production. Because it is a BA degree, students study foreign language and take a variety of courses from departments through the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Fulfilling a minor program is a popular option and gives the student the opportunity to pursue a field of individual interest.

Students have many minor programs from which to choose.  Some students pursue the minor in Education through the College of Education, which includes courses that are part of the teaching certification program.  Certification requirements include broad-based content examinations.  Therefore, students choosing the Education minor should refer to the supplemental information sheet available through the School of Art to help them select courses in preparation for these exams and future teaching.

Other students may select minors in fields of personal interest, including foreign languages or the humanities. Building on courses in the major program, some students may be interested in the minors in Interdisciplinary Arts (IART), or the 18-hour Art History minor. Another option is to explore minor programs in other colleges, such the College of Technology’s offerings in Computer Graphics Technology and Graphic Communications Technology.

This degree program prepares students for entry level positions with museums, galleries and non-profit arts organizations, and other careers which require research and analytical skills achieved through a liberal arts education. A student who wishes to pursue eventual graduate work in studio practice or in art history may need to take additional courses as a post baccalaureate student to fulfill admission requirements. A student who is interested in pre-K through high school teaching should contact the Teaching Certification office of the College of Education. College-level teaching requires a graduate degree in the specific field.