School of Arts and Humanities
Visual and Performing Arts with Art History Concentration (BA)
Students who complete the major in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) pursue an interdisciplinary study of the arts by completing a major core that includes courses in writing, interdisciplinary studies, professional development, historical context, theory, and practice. The VPA major culminates in a Senior Capstone. Students who are majoring in VPA can focus their studies by choosing from nine possible concentrations.
The Art History concentration allows students to gain depth in the global arts, ranging across geography, chronology, and medium. Students in the concentration learn how to critically look and evaluate visual images and our built environment, assessing complex objects and their historical, social, and aesthetic meaning. Communications skills are developed through in-depth reading, writing, and presentation. The program makes use of the area's many terrific museums as well as the resources of UT-Dallas's Edith O'Donnell Institute for Art History. The degree allows for the study of complementary disciplines within the Visual and Performing Arts.
Since the following catalog course descriptions are very general, students are urged to consult the detailed course descriptions available on the web site for the School of Arts and Humanities. At least one-half of the semester credit hours for a major must be taken at UT Dallas.
Unless otherwise noted, courses in Visual and Performing Arts are open to all students in the University.
Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts with Art History Concentration
Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)1
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Faculty
Professor: Richard Brettell
Associate Professors: Mark Rosen, Charissa N. Terranova
Senior Lecturer: Dianne Goode
I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours2
Communication: 6 semester credit hours
RHET 1302 Rhetoric
And choose one course from the following:
COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication
COMM 1315 Public Speaking
Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses
Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses
Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses
Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours
AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval3
AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern3
Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses
American History: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses
Government / Political Science: 6 semester credit hours
GOVT 2305 American National Government
GOVT 2306 State and Local Government
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours
Select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses
Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours
Select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses
II. Major Requirements, Lower-Division: 0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum
Lower-division preparatory courses (0 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum)
AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval3
AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern3
III. Major Requirements, Upper-Division: 42 semester credit hours
Major Core Courses: 18 semester credit hours
ARHM 3342 Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies in the Arts and Humanities
VPAS 3300 Elements of Art and Performance
or Related Upper-Level Course from the School of Arts and Humanities4
VPAS 3340 Writing in the Arts
VPAS 4389 Theory and Practice of the Visual and Performing Arts
VPAS 4390 Senior Capstone
Select 3 semester credit hours of Professional Development Courses from the following:
ARTS 3311 Contemporary Art Practices
ARTS 4310 Studies in Contemporary Exhibitions
COMM 4370 Communication and Leadership
COMM 4371 Communication and Professionalism
ISAH 4V50 Internship
VPAS 4310 Entertainment Law
Art History Concentration Requirements: 24 semester credit hours
15 semester credit hours of upper-division Historical Context courses
9 semester credit hours of upper-division Visual and Performing Arts electives
IV. Elective Requirements: 36 semester credit hours
Free Electives: 36 semester credit hours
Both upper- and lower-division courses may be used as electives, but students must complete at least 51 semester credit hours of upper-division courses to qualify for graduation.
Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of ARHM 1100.1
1. Incoming freshmen must enroll and complete requirements of UNIV 1010 and the corresponding school-related freshman seminar course. Students, including transfer students, who complete their core curriculum at UT Dallas must take UNIV 2020.
2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
3. A required Preparatory course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours may be counted in Core Curriculum.
4. Course cannot come from the AHST prefix.