Jul 27, 2025  
2025-2026 Catalog 
  
2025-2026 Catalog

Bachelor of Arts in Art History


Department Chair:

Prof. Maria Korol (Assistant Professor)

Program overview:

The art major enables students to become makers, visual thinkers and storytellers deeply engaged in the social, political, and cultural implications of creating. Artists are introduced to interdisciplinary art making strategies that highlight the malleability and synergy of digital processes, ceramics, fiber arts, printmaking, papermaking, installation, performance and wood shop modes and methods. Artists are grounded in historical and contemporary art practices that reach beyond the constraints of the Western canon and center Black, POC, transnational, and queer, artists, scholars and curators. Through a rigorous foundation year program, process-based program concentrations, working knowledge of the Spelman College Innovation Lab, and an intensive investment in writing and reading this program equips students to be confident and capable studio artists, artist apprentices, and MFA candidates upon graduation. The majority of the required core courses are offered at Spelman. Though Morehouse students will complete most of their coursework at Spelman, they are advised by the visual arts program Department Chair at Morehouse.

Student learning outcomes:

The goal of the department is to serve students by providing technical, historical, and philosophical instruction in the visual arts. Our program supports Morehouse’s liberal arts tradition. It promotes excellence in the arts through a broad-based curricular framework rooted in the theory and practice of art as it relates to visual language systems and the principals of design.

Majors demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary visual art practices, major artist’s works, and historical movements through the ability to articulate concepts and present oral and written arguments.
Demonstrate an ability to apply design thinking in problem solving when developing and producing visual art.
Acquire and demonstrate technical and craft skills across a wide range of materials, including electronic and digital technologies and computer programming, along with practical knowledge of maintaining equipment and a well-functioning studio space.
Produce visual artwork that addresses the intersection of art, liberal arts (social, political, religious, racial, aesthetic and economic issues), and technology.
Prepare and produce a professional portfolio that represents problem solving, self-expression, craftsmanship, intellectual rigor in research and the skills to conduct significant inquiry and continued research in post graduate environments.

Department policies and General Education modifications:

A minimum grade of C is required for all Art courses that apply towards the major or minor.
Comprehensive Senior Exhibition The studio concentration requires a comprehensive senior exhibition. Successful Completion of Review I and II

Major Course of study = 49 credits


Foundational Courses 17 credits:


  • SAVC 141 - Art History I: Pyramids to Cathedrals
  • SAVC 142 - Art History II: Medieval to Modern Art
  • SAVC 230 - Global Foundations of Modern Art
  • SAVC 243 - African American Art
  • SAVC 387 - The Art Market

Theory and Writing Courses 10 credits:


  • SAVC 255 - Writing in Art History
  • SAVC 238 - Art as Social Justice
  • SAVC 320 - Art History Methods, Theory and Practice

Elective Courses 14 credits:


  • Curatorial Studies Elective
  • Art & Visual Culture Elective
  • Art History Elective
  • Art History Elective (writing intensive)

Personal Practice and Career Building Courses 8 credits:


  • SAVC 375 - Entering the Art World: Culture and Context (Rules of Engagement)
  • SAVC 480 - Art History Thesis
  • SAVC (various) Division of the Arts Seminar

Global Experience, Internships, Directed/Independent Studies


Study Abroad [Global Experience], Internships & Directed/Independent Studies are strongly encouraged.