The Department of Music and Art offers the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree program in the Art Foundations – Art History concentration. Art History majors take courses in major historical periods as well as the arts of diverse areas of the world. A thesis course guides students to a final comprehensive research paper.
As New York City is a major cultural center with no less than 145 museums (as of 2023) and countless art galleries, there are numerous opportunities to explore art outside the classroom. Our faculty includes established art history scholars who have organized and participated in colloquiums, some held here at BMCC.
Transfer Options
BMCC has active articulation agreements for graduates with the A.A. in Art History and the A.S. in Studio Art with Queens College–CUNY. These agreements allow students to make a seamless transition to four year colleges, assured that the courses they have taken at BMCC will count towards their major.
Explore Careers
BMCC is committed to students’ long-term success and will help you explore professional opportunities. Undecided? No problem. The college offers Career Coach for salary and employment information, job postings and a self-discovery assessment to help students find their academic and career paths. Visit Career Express to make an appointment with a career advisor, search for jobs or sign-up for professional development activities with the Center for Career Development. Students can also visit the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning to gain real world experience in preparation for a four-year degree and beyond. These opportunities are available to help BMCC students build a foundation for future success.
Contact
Professor Sarah Madole Lewis
Program Coordinator
smadole@bmcc.cuny.edu
Related Communities
This program is offered in-person, online and in a hybrid format.
Requirements
Art Foundations: Art History Academic Program Maps
Required Common Core
| English Composition | 6 |
| Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Life and Physical Sciences | 3 |
| TOTAL REQUIRED COMMON CORE | 12 |
Flexible Core
| Creative Expression | 6 |
| Individual and Society | 3 |
| Scientific World | 3 |
| U.S. Experience in Its Diversity | 3 |
| World Cultures and Global Issues | 3 |
| TOTAL FLEXIBLE COMMON CORE | 18 |
| TOTAL COMMON CORE | 30 |
Curriculum Requirements
- Using a global approach, this introduction to art history includes the study of painting, sculpture, architecture and other media by surveying the Renaissance through the start of the twentieth century. The exploration of techniques, media, composition, and figure representation will provide an understanding of key concepts in the arts with additional focus on the historical and social context, which developed the meaning and changing styles in different cultures as well as the effects of cultural exchange through the arts.
- This introduction to Modern and Contemporary art history includes the study of painting, sculpture, architecture and other media by surveying the development and evolution of artistic styles using a global approach. Emphasis will be placed on groundbreaking artistic movements in context to their historical framework. Students will learn the importance of innovative practices, techniques and new avenues of exploration, by understanding the socio-political and cultural events that influenced artists to create groundbreaking works, which have led the way to Contemporary Art.
- This capstone course for Art History Majors covers a range of topics relating to the pursuit of careers in the arts. Students will develop a topic and complete a comprehensive research paper for presentation. During the semester, students will take part in museum visits, gallery tours, and attend talks by professionals in the field of art history to develop an understanding of the opportunities for art historians. Prerequisite: Departmental permission
Choose 1 from:
- This course investigates the history and development of Asian Art, including East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, from the Neolithic period to the nineteenth century. We will study significant artworks, including paintings, sculpture, and architecture, in relation to the socio-historical contexts in which they were created. We also will explore distinctive artistic styles, forms, and aesthetics of Asian art along with themes, beliefs, and diverse cultural characteristics associated with them.
OR
- This course investigates the history of art produced by indigenous people of Mesoamerica and the Andes region of South America from 2000 BCE to 1535 CE. We will study significant artworks, including mural paintings, sculptures, architecture, and portable objects, in relation to the socio-historical contexts in which they were created. We also will explore the distinctive artistic styles, forms, and aesthetics of Pre-Columbian art along with themes, beliefs, and diverse cultural characteristics associated with them.
OR
- This survey examines the art and architecture of Latin America from the pre-Columbian era to the present. The course begins with an analysis of pre-Hispanic iconography, styles, traditions, and techniques in Meso, Central, South America, and the Caribbean. The art of colonial Latin America will be explored to understand the cultural complexity that characterized Spanish colonialism. The development of Modern art in Latin America, following independence and nation building in the 19th century, will be discussed as a series of responses to the influence of international movements and ideas. The course culminates in the exploration of Contemporary Latin American and Latina/o art, including Chicana/o art. Museum visit required.
OR
- This survey examines African artifacts, arts, and architecture from Prehistory to the present by introducing several cultures and regions and the production of art objects in each. Both Pre- and Post-Colonial Africa will be considered to understand influences on indigenous African art, as well as the influence of African art forms on "Western" art. Emphasis is placed on distinguishing and analyzing the functions and forms of art Objects produced by diverse African cultures created in relation to socio-political frameworks. Attention will also be given to "traditional concepts" of art history and so-called “primitive” art. This will promote a basic understanding of the development of African visual traditions.
OR
- This course examines the role of African-American artists from the Antebellum period to Contemporary Art. It focuses on historical, social, and political contexts, meanings, and will promote a general understanding of the development of art forms and styles from different periods. Although emphasis is placed on visual traditions of sculpture, painting, performance art, photography, video, and media technologies, focus will also be placed on "folk art" traditions. A visit to a museum is required.
Prerequisites: ENG 101 and [ART 102 or ART 104]
OR
- This course will examine many aspects of the history of photography from 1839 to the present. From its inception as a tool for science, art, and travel, photography has become a unique device for seeing, exploring, and documenting the world and its people. We will analyze the progression and evolution of its technical and aesthetic innovations, leading to photography’s present position in contemporary culture. Additionally, we will consider photography’s global influence on cultural history, portraiture, film, landscape, pop culture, surveillance and social documentation. Museum visit required.
Choose 1 from:
- This course is designed as a survey of Medieval Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire through the Gothic Period and the beginnings of the Renaissance. A study of the artistic and architectural traditions borrowed from antiquity and the new developments of the periods discussed will be conducted to develop an understanding of the broader context of the migrating peoples and the Christian traditions spreading throughout the regions as Modern Europe is born. Prerequisite: ENG 101 and (ART 102 or ART 104)
OR
- The survey of Eighteen-and Nineteenth-Century Art traces the development of the visual arts throughout the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution from c. 1700 to 1900 in Europe and North America. Emphasis will be placed on the chronological development of style from the Baroque, to the Rococo, Neo-Classical, Romantic, Realist, and Impressionist Movements, as well as the development of photography, and the foundations laid for the arts and artists of the 20th century. Prerequisites: ENG 101 and ART 102 or ART 104
OR
- This course provides an overview of the Fifteenth through Seventeenth Centuries in Europe, with a focus on the discoveries made in the arts and beyond. In an age when patrons and artists considered themselves intellectuals and explorers, this course will examine individual artists, artworks, materials and techniques, and the ever-growing need to "create" something new. Students will conduct their own exploration of the contextual topics surrounding the arts, the lasting influences, and the influences on and by other cultures transmitted through trade and travel. Prerequisite: ENG 101 and (ART 102 or ART 104)
OR
- This course is designed as a survey of the Greco-Roman traditions in the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. Major works, themes, techniques and artists will be presented to better understand the influences on the arts from previous periods and diverse cultures, as well as the continuing influences of antiquity through the ages. The course will also focus on the historical and cultural issues that provide context for the works of art including philosophical, social, religious, political and economic influences. Prerequisite: ENG 101 and (ART 102 or ART 104)
6
General Electives
9
Program Electives – Select 9 credits from any 3-credit art history 200-level and above, studio art, anthropology, sociology, history, ethnic studies or 300-level English courses.
30
Total Curriculum Requirements
60
Total Program Requirements
Notes
Please note, these requirements are effective the 2024-2025 catalog year. Please check your DegreeWorks account for your specific degree requirements as when you began at BMCC will determine your program requirements.
