historical and contemporary currents
Art history is the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, including genre, design, format and style. This includes the major arts of painting, sculpture and architecture as well as ceramics, furniture and other decorative objects.
Students will understand historical and contemporary currents in visual literacy in terms of art production and its analysis, including knowledge of studio practices, methodologies, theories and history. Graduates are prepared to enrich their communities by engaging in the visual arts on personal and professional levels.
Two tracks are offered in the Art History major.
- Students interested in careers in museums or in the objectoriented approach to art history used by curators are encouraged to enroll in the Art History and Museum Studies major.
- Students interested in careers focused on writing about art, such as producing art criticism, working in academia or working in publishing, are encouraged to enroll in the Art History and Cultural Criticism major.
There also is a minor in Art History.
faculty
Total Credits:
36 credits
Prerequisites:
ART 171 World Art and Design History I: From Cave Art to the Medieval Era or 172 World Art and Design History II: From the Renaissance to Today
Core Courses:
Twelve additional credits of art history credits, chosen from: ART 115, 171 World Art and Design History I: From Cave Art to the Medieval Era, 172 World Art and Design History II: From the Renaissance to Today, 215 Controversies and Contexts of Art, 245 Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Art; From Painting to Performance Art, 270 Department Studies- Art History, 274 Modern Art:Modern Impressionism, Photography, Pop Art and More, 276 Arts of Asia, 277 The History and Theory of Design and Decoration, 278 Indigenous Art of the Americas, 279 Art Now: Aesthetics. Ethics, and Innovations, 370 Advanced Departmental Studies -Art History, 376 Visual Studies, 377 Arts Management, 379 Art Fakes, Frauds and Heists, or 383 Mapping the World.
Elective Courses:
Eight elective credits involving cultural or social-scientific interpretation, theorizing or criticism, offered outside the art department, chosen in consultation with the advisor; coursework related to anthropology, classical studies, communication, history, literature, museum studies, music, philosophy, psychology, religion, sociology, theatre or interdisciplinary studies may be particularly appropriate. Four credits of ART 570: Senior Seminar in Art.
Four elective credits of 2D Studio Art:
ART 120 Drawing I, 130 Painting I: Introduction to Oil Paint, 153 Digital Art I, or 160 Intro to Design: Fundamentals and Function.
Four elective credits of 3D Studio Art:
ART 180 Ceramics I, 190 Sculpture I or 194 Three- Dimensional Design.
Total Credits:
40 credits
Core Courses:
Four credits of MST 115: Museums, Artifacts and Cultural Heritage. Sixteen elective credits of art history coursework, chosen from ART 171 World Art and Design History II: From Cave Art to the Medieval Era, 172 World Art and Design History II: From the Renaissance to Today, 245 Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Art: From Paintings to Performance Art, 270 Department Studies- Art History, 274 Modern Art: Impressionism, Photography, Pop Art, and More, 276 Arts of Asia, 277 The History and Theory of Design and Decoration, 278 Indigenous Art of the Americas, 279 Art Now: Aesthetics, Ethics, and Innovations, 370 Advanced Departmental Studies- Art History, 376 Visual Studies, 377 Arts Management, 379 Art Fakes, Frauds and Heists, or 383 Mapping the World.
Museum Studies:
ART 377: Arts Management; BSA 110: Introduction to Management; BSA 208: Introduction to Marketing; BSA 223: Business and Society; BSA 310: Nonprofit Management; CMM 248: Media and Society; EDU 190: School and Society; EDU 250: Psychological Foundations of Education; EDU 260: Diversity in American Education; ENG 251: Foundations of English Literature; HIS 214: Greek and Roman Society; HIS 340: Public History; HIS 383: Mapping the World; MST 215: Controversies in Museum Studies; PHL 202: Business Ethics; PHL 245: Professional Ethics; POL 212: Introduction to Law; POL 246: Morality and Public Policy.
Introductory-Level Studio Art:
ART 120 Drawing I, 130 Painting I: Introduction to Oil Paint, 153 Digital Art I, 160 Intro to Design: Fundamentals and Function, 180 Ceramics I, 190 Sculpture I, or 194 Three-Dimensional Design
Studio Art:
ART 222 Drawing II, 240 Painting II, 254 Digital Art II, 282 Ceramics II, 292 Sculpture II, 322 Drawing III, 340 Painting III, 382 Ceramics III, 392 Sculpture III, or 400 Departmental Studies-Studio Art
Additional Criteria:
Internships also may be counted as elective credits, at the discretion of the academic advisor. Four credits of ART 570: Senior Seminar in Art.
Total Credits:
20 credits
Prerequisites:
Four credits of introductory art history, ART 171 World Art and Design History I: From Cave Art to Medieval Era or 172 World Art and design History II:From the Renaissance to Today
Core Courses:
Four credits of studio art chosen from ART 120 Drawing I, 130 Painting I: Introduction to Oil Paint, 153 Digital Art I, 160 Intro to Design: Fundamentals and Functions, 180 Ceramics I, 190 Sculpture I or 194 Three-Dimensional Design. Four credits of ART 215 Controversies and Contexts of Art.
Elective Courses:
Eight elective credits, chosen from ART 171 World Art and Design History I: From Cave Art to Medieval Era, 172 World Art and Design History II: From the Renaissance to Today, 245 Digital Art II, 270 Department Studies-Art History, 274 Modern Art: Impressionism, Photography, Pop Art and More, 276 Arts of Asia, 277 The History and Theory of Design and decoration , 278 Indigenous Art of the Americans, 279 Art Now: Aesthetics, Ethics, and Innovations, 370 Advanced Departmental Studies-Art History, 376 Visual Studies, 379 Art Fakes, Frauds and Heists, or 383 Mapping the World
Career Tracks
Students with a degree in art history can assume a critical standpoint and interact with the art world, whether producing visual art; preparing for further education, writing and research; working in arts institutions, art therapy or art education; or assuming a lifetime attitude of art appreciation.
Unique Opportunities
Field trips to major museums and cultural events are taken each semester, such as excursions to museums and galleries in Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and Sheboygan.
Off-campus study of art is encouraged.
Caestecker Art Gallery, adjacent to the Department of Art and Art History, features shows by artists with national and international reputations.
Students have opportunities to exhibit their own work, help curate campus exhibits and participate in campus art projects such as a decorative tiled sink in a restroom and creating scale models of objects in the solar system for a Planet Walk on the Ceresco Prairie Conservancy.
Senior art history majors present their research projects as part of the Ripon College Senior Showcase and display research projects as part of the annual Senior Art Exhibit.
Through the Department of Educational Studies, certification in art education is available in early childhood/adolescence (birth through grade 12)
Facilities
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Items from the Ripon College permanent collection are exhibited across campus. You can view a few selections using the slideshow below. You also may view or download a guide to the Caestecker Sculpture Garden.
Advising
Ripon College faculty and professional staff are dedicated to helping you reach your goals, whatever they may be and however often they may change along the way. It’s part of our value statement to you.
As a student at Ripon, you will be assigned a faculty adviser based on your area(s) of interest. You will meet with your faculty adviser throughout your time as a student to discuss your current aspirations, plan your course schedule and plot a future trajectory. We also work collaboratively with Ripon College Career and Professional Development to help match your interests and skills to concrete goals and construct a plan for professional success offering personalized career counseling, off-campus learning opportunities and an online job board with potential to connect with local, national and international employers.
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