School of Arts and Sciences
MAJOR AND MINOR DESCRIPTIONS BY DEPARTMENT
HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE (HAA)
Art, like science or language, is an intrinsically human way of organizing our experience of the world. Because it appeals to a fundamental sense of order, art can speak to us with immediacy even without knowledge of the purposes for which it was created and the particular principles or order adhered to by the artists of a given culture. Still deeper understanding may follow, however, from an awareness of these purposes and principles, and courses in art history are concerned with the study of art and architecture as cultural documents of the values and ideals of various cultures. Art history offers an opportunity to consider objects and environments that have been created in response to some of humanity’s loftiest and most basic aims. The requirement that these visual expressions be analyzed and evaluated in the medium of words makes art history a rewarding area of humanistic study. The major in the history of art and architecture offered by the HAA department helps prepare individuals for careers calling for skills in writing, where description and analysis play important roles, as well as for careers more immediately related to art, such as those of critic, teacher, librarian, art administrator, or museum or gallery staff member.
The architectural studies major, also administered by the HAA department, offers a curriculum devoted to the study of human-made environments. The major components include history of architecture, studio arts, and a core curriculum that includes a survey of the history of architecture, the history of architecture theory, a professional internship, and a portfolio. The degree is suitable for a wide variety of careers and professions including the design and construction of the built environment, such as landscape architecture, interior design, restoration, historic preservation, real estate development, and contracting. These interests can be categorized in two groups:
- The preprofessional studies category prepares students for graduate professional training in any of the environmental design fields (architecture, interior design, landscape design, urban planning, and preservation). Students are able to explore a professional interest while acquiring a liberal arts education.
- The nonprofessional studies category is for students not interested in becoming professional architects. This program offers a rigorous curriculum that assists students in exploring their interest in environmental arts and criticism and provides an understanding of the environment’s integral relationship with society and culture.
Students of both categories should be fully aware that this degree in architectural studies does not in itself constitute professional or technical training. Students seeking recommendations to graduate professional programs in architecture must complete the following courses or their equivalents: MATH 0220 and 0230 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 and 2 and PHYS 0174 and 0175 Basic Physics for Science and Engineering 1 and 2 or PHYS 0110 and PHYS 0111 Introduction to Physics 1 and 2. These courses should be completed by the end of the junior year. Students who do not expect to pursue a career in architecture may substitute course sequences in mathematics, statistics, or computer science for the calculus prerequisite and in other natural sciences for the physics prerequisite.
For more information on these majors and the History of Art Architecture department, see www.haa.pitt.edu.
Major Requirements
The requirements for the History of Art and Architecture are divided between three tracks.
Standard Program (36 credits)
Students whose only official major is History of Art and Architecture need to complete a total of 36 credits.
Core Courses (9 credits)
- HAA 0010: Introduction to World Art
- HAA 0101: Foundations of Art History (HAA 0010 is a prerequisite)
- HAA 1010: Writing and Research Seminar for majors (HAA 0101 is a prerequisite)
Breadth Requirements (12 credits)
Students must take at least 1 class from each of the following areas.
- Ancient Art across the globe
- Asian Art
- European Art before 1750
- Modern and Contemporary Art across the globe
4 1000-level courses (12 credits) – one of these 1000-level courses must be in an Asian topic.
1 elective HAA course at any level, in any topic (3 credits). HAA 1903, the History of Art and Architecture internship is highly recommended here.
The Secondary Major Option (27 credits)
Students who pursue History of Art and Architecture as a second major need to complete a total of 27 credits.
Core Courses (9 credits)
- HAA 0010: Introduction to World Art
- HAA 0101: Foundations of Art History (HAA 0010 is a prerequisite)
- HAA 1010: Writing and Research Seminar for majors (HAA 01010 is a prerequisite)
Breadth Requirements (12 credits)
Students must take at least 1 class from each of the following areas:.
- Ancient Art across the globe
- Asian Art
- European Art before 1750
- Modern and Contemporary Art across the globe
2 1000-level courses (6 credits) – in any topic.
The Honors Major Option (36 credits)
Students electing the HAA standard 36-credit program who have at least a 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.50 GPA in HAA may qualify for departmental honors by enrolling in and completing HAA 1950 Honors Thesis (as one of their required 1000-level courses) with a grade of A- or higher. This track is especially recommended for students planning to apply to graduate programs in the history of art architecture or related fields.
Other Requirements and Recommendations for HAA majors
- A GPA of at least 2.00 in all department courses is required for graduation with a major in HAA.
- Any of the following may prove useful for the required 12-credit A&S related area: ancient or modern languages, philosophy (particularly aesthetics), cultural and intellectual history, studio arts, music, anthropology, sociology, and psychology of perception.
- There is no language requirement beyond that required by A&S, but a reading competency in a foreign language is desirable for some field course readings. Graduate programs in the history of art and architecture also require fluency in at least one foreign language for admission to their programs. If a student’s high school language preparation does not provide this competency, he or she should consult the art history advisor concerning preferred languages.
With the exception of HAA 1010 Research and Writing Seminar for Majors, courses for the major should not be taken on the S/NC option (formerly the S/N option).