2024-2025 Edition

Academic Catalog

Art History Minor

Minor Description

The Art History Minor enables students to incorporate the study of artworks and architecture into their courses of study in other disciplines. The minor maintains the geographical breadth, historical depth, and academic rigor of the major but comprises fewer courses and does not require the study of a foreign language. Art History minors may not write honors theses. 

Admission to the Minor

A prospective student must have taken a minimum of three Art History courses (including one 100-level and two 200-level courses), have a B average in Art History, and a B average overall. 
 
To apply for the minor, students need to complete the minor declaration form found in WesPortal. Students are assigned a minor advisor and are encouraged to take part in program events. 

Minor Requirements

To complete the Art History Minor, students take six credits, including one introductory course (100-level) and five intermediate (200-level) and advanced courses, one of which must be a seminar (300-level). The intermediate and advanced courses must encompass study in the following geographical areas and historical periods: 

 

Geographic Areas (1 course in 3 of the 5 different geographic areas)  

  • The Americas  

  • Europe  

  • East Asia  

  • South and Southwest Asia  

  • Africa  
 

​Historical Periods (1 course in 2 of the 3 historical periods)

  • Historical Period 1 (up to ca. 1400) 

  • Historical Period 2 (ca. 1400 to ca. 1800) 

  • Historical Period 3 (ca. 1800 to the present)

 

  • All courses originating in the Art History program are eligible for the minor. 

  • No courses numbered 401 or higher may count toward the minor. 

  • One course in art history taken elsewhere may count toward the minor, subject to approval of the Program Director . This course may count as a 200-level course. The 100- and 300-level courses must be taken in Wesleyan’s Art History program. 

  • All courses for the minor must be taken on a graded basis. Exceptions will be made for COL and CSS majors. 

Additional Information

For the purposes of planning, students should click here for our Course Planning Documents and review the following : 

  • ARHA Program Course Projections , which estimate when specific courses will be offered during a three-year period. 

  •  Comprehensive List of ARHA Courses, organized by the categories they may fulfill.

  • Planning Worksheet for Minors , to help students map out a course of study.