Degree Requirements

Art History Studies

Requirements for the Major in Art History. The Bachelor of Arts in art history requires 48 semester hours in art history and studio art with grades of C- or better.

semester hours

Reading knowledge of a second language is helpful for undertaking research in non-English scholarship.

Art Studies

Requirements for the Major in Studio Art. The Bachelor in Arts in studio art requires 46 semester hours of art department courses with grades of C- or better.

semester hours

Painting and Drawing Concentration: 20 hours

Photography Concentration: 20 hours

Graphic Design Studies

Requirements for the Major in Graphic Design. The major in graphic design requires 58 semester hours in graphic design, studio art and art history courses with grades of C- or better.

semester hours

Art History, Studio Art and Graphic Design Internships. The department encourages art history, studio art and graphic design students to apply for special internships in their fields. These opportunities provide an introduction to professional art experiences. State and regional museums offer positions that sometimes pay a small stipend. Several local companies support internships in advertising design and photography services. The university’s Lore Degenstein Gallery also offers an intern program in gallery operations with projects tailored to students’ individual interests.

Off-Campus Study. Juniors and seniors have the opportunity to spend a semester or a year studying art off campus. Susquehanna art and art history majors have access to art centers all over Europe, particularly in London, Florence, the south of France and Paris. A liberal arts program at Regent’s College in London is one of the special programs available to art majors. Others may choose extended off-campus study in this country in New York or Washington. New centers are added to this list each year. This experience enriches the artistic spirit and opens up avenues for future careers. Students with foreign language interests can combine language and art studies abroad.

Honors Courses. The department periodically offers courses for honors credit. These typically address specific critical issues in art history. Students participate in lively discussions through weekly presentations of current problems in the art world.

The Department of Art awards honors status for graduation for students receiving a 3.7 or higher GPA in the studio art, graphic design or art history major. Only four internship hours may be considered in this calculation.

Art Minors

Minor in Art History. A minor in art history links well with many majors. It also provides additional cultural balance to a student’s program. Particularly well-suited combinations include art and modern language, philosophy, business, communications, theatre, music, history or English.

The minor requires 18 semester hours of art history courses with a grade of C- or above. Required courses include ARTH:101, ARTH:102, two additional art history courses and either ARTH:401 or a two-semester-hour internship.

Minor in Photography. The minor in photography requires five courses, totaling 20 semester hours, with a grade of C- or above. Required courses are ARTS:241 Black and White Photography; ARTS:243 Digital Photography; ARTS:244 Advanced Photography; one elective course chosen from ARTS:113 Drawing, ARTG:251 Computer Applications in Graphic Design and ARTS:341 Topics in Photography; and one art history course chosen from ARTH:300 History of Photography, ARTH:308 American Art History, ARTH:310 Modernism and the Avante-Garde, ARTH:412 Contemporary Art and ARTH:313 Women in Art.

Minor in Studio Art. The studio art minor requires 20 semester hours in Art Department courses with grades of C- or above. Required courses are ARTH:101 Introduction to Art History I or ARTH:102 Introduction to Art History II; ARTS:111 Foundations of Art I; ARTS:113 Drawing; and eight additional semester hours of Art Department electives.