January 31, 2005
TO: Robert Mrtek, Chair
Senate Committee on Educational Policy
FROM: Roger Nelson
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
I am forwarding for information only the attached Minor Revision of the Bachelor of Arts in Art History.
The revisions carry the endorsement of the College of Architecture and the Arts.
Cc: L. Kaufman
J. Kirshner
V. Paglione
M. Crespo
R. Bruegmann
R. Munman
M. Johnson
Title: Minor Revision of the Bachelor of Arts in Art History
Sponsor: Department of Art History
College of Architecture and the Arts
Description: The Department proposes to modify language in the catalog to better reflect actual departmental practices and to clarify specific major requirements.
1. Under “FOUNDATION COURSES”
Current language:
Six semester hours in the Schools of Architecture and of Art and Design, chosen with the approval of an adviser.
THIS REQUIREMENT SHOULD READ:
Six hours of studio courses selected from among the offerings of the School of Architecture and the School of Art and Design, chosen with the approval of an adviser.
2. Under “COURSES FOR THE MAJOR”
Current language:
At least three semester hours must be selected from among the following courses: AH 404, 422, 430, 432, 434, 435, 441, 450, 460, 463, 470, 471 (3 hrs)
THIS REQUIREMENT SHOULD READ:
At least six hours at the 400-level, of which at least three hours must be selected from among the following courses: AH 404, 422, 430, 432, 434, 435, 441, 450, 460, 463, 470, 471 (6 hours)
3. Under “COURSES FOR THE MAJOR”
Six semester hours in courses covering material primarily before 1700. (6 hrs) THIS REQUIREMENT SHOULD READ:
Six semester hours in courses in Western art covering material primarily before 1700. (6 hrs)"
4. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT:
Current language:
A reading knowledge of a foreign language is required, normally French, German, Italian, or Spanish, and should be attained by the end of the junior year. The requirement may be met by taking two years of college language courses, or passing a proficiency examination.
THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR THE BA SHOULD READ:
"...... The requirement may be met by four years of high school language courses, or two years of college language courses, or passing a proficiency examination."
Justification:
1. At present the foundation requirement implies that six hours must be taken in both schools to meet this requirement, when hours taken in either will suffice. The proposed wording emphasizes that students must enroll in studio courses, which is not currently explicitly stated.
2. At present the catalog wording implies a three hour requirement at the 400-level instead of the six hours that are required. The fact that students must take 6 hours of 400-level coursework is repeated on this line. A footnote explains that 400-level courses in Non-Western art and architecture and 400-level courses in Western art and architecture covering material primarily before 1700 can count towards fulfilling both the 400-level requirement and the non-western and pre-1700 requirements.
3. The intention of this requirement was always that it apply to Western art, so as not to overlap with the non-Western requirement (in which the material is commonly before ca.1700), to be sure that students do not concentrate their course in later Western material, usual 19th and 20th century. (As our department is particularly rich in offerings in modern art and architecture, it would be possible for students to avoid any earlier material entirely if allowed to do so; our requirements in this case, as well as in non-Western, are designed to be the departmental equivalent of General Education Course Distribution requirements by the University). In short, it was a mere typographical error that "Western" was not previously part of this statement (and the requirement has always been enforced as if it had been.)
4. It has always been the policy of the AH department to accept four years of high school language as the equivalent of two years of University/College foreign language (and this has been indicated to students upon inquiry), and the absence of this reference in the present catalog wording is due to an oversight. Students who have not had a full four years of a foreign language in high school must, if they wish to use that language for this purpose, take a placement test to determine how much further language instruction they need at UIC to complete this requirement.
Catalog Statement: See attached.
Minority Impact Statement: None
Budgetary and Staff Implications: None
Library Resource Implications: None
Space Implications: None
Unit Approval Date: October 15, 2004
College Approval Dates: Educational Policy Committee – November 8, 2004
Faculty Approval Date: November 15, 2004
Proposed Effective Date: Fall 2005
PRESENT CATALOG STATEMENT PROPOSED CATALOG STATEMENT
Foundation Courses Foundation Courses
AH 110–Art History I (4 hrs) SAME.
AH 111–Art History II (4 hrs)
Six semester hours in the School of Six semester hours of studio courses
Architecture and of Art and Design, chosen with from among the offerings of
the approval of an advisor (6 hrs) the School of Architecture and the School of Art and Design, chosen with the approval of an advisor.
Total: (14 hrs)
Courses for the Major
A minimum of 36 semester hours in art history SAME.
courses at the 200, 300, and 400 levels, of
which at least two courses (6 semester hours)
must be at the 400 level. The major includes the
following specific requirements:
AH 200–Theories and Methods in Art History (3 hrs) SAME.
At least three semester hours must be selected from At least six semester hours at the
among the following courses: AH 404, 422, 430, 400 level, of which at least three
432, 434, 435, 441, 450, 460, 463, 470, 471 (3 hrs) hours must be selected from among
the following courses:
AH 404, 422, 430, 432, 434, 435,
441, 450, 460, 463, 470, 471 (6 hrs)1
Six semester hours in courses covering material Six semester hours in courses in
primarily before 1700. (6 hrs) Western art covering material
primarily before1700. (6 hrs)
Six semester hours in courses covering nonwestern SAME.
architecture and art. (6 hrs)
Language Requirement
A reading knowledge of a foreign language A reading knowledge of a foreign
is required, normally French, German, Italian, language is required, normally
or Spanish, and should be attained by the end French, German, Italian, or Spanish,
of the junior year. The requirement may be met and should be attained by the end of
by taking two years of college language courses, the junior year. The requirement
or passing a proficiency examination. may be met by four years of high
school language courses, or two
years of college language courses, or
passing a proficiency examination.
1 400-level courses in Non-Western art and architecture and 400-level courses in Western art and architecture covering material primarily before 1700 can count towards fulfilling both the 400-level requirement and the non-western and pre-1700 requirements.