University of Pittsburgh

UNDERGRADUATE
Bulletin

Dietrich 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 a number of natural science courses in addition to those focused on architecture and design. Proficiency in calculus is required for students seeking a career in architecture. The department strongly recommends that students successfully complete at least one term of college level calculus (MATH 0220 or equivalent) before graduation.

For more information on these majors and the History of Art Architecture department, see www.haa.pitt.edu.

Major Requirements

History of Art and Architecture Standard Option (36 credits)

Students whose only official major is History of Art and Architecture need to complete a total of 36 credits.

Core Courses

  • HAA 0010 Introduction to World Art
  • HAA 0101 Foundations of Art History
  • HAA 0102 Pro-seminar for Art History Majors*
  • HAA 1010 Writing and Research Seminar for Majors

*this course must be taken twice.

Breadth Requirements

Students must take at least one 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

Four 1000-level courses, one of which must be in an Asian topic.  

One elective HAA course at any level, in any topic. The department strongly recommends that students take HAA 1903 the History of Art and Architecture internship to satisfy this requirement.

History of Art and Architecture 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

  • HAA 0010 Introduction to World Art
  • HAA 0101 Foundations of Art History
  • HAA 0102 Pro-seminar for Art History Majors*
  • HAA 1010 Writing and Research Seminar for Majors

*This course must be taken twice.

 

Breadth Requirements

Students must take at least one 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

Two 1000-level courses 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 Dietrich School 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 Dietrich School, but a reading competency in a second language is desirable for some field course readings.  Graduate programs in the history of art and architecture also require fluency in at least one second 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 1901, HAA 1903, HAA 1904, and HAA 1919, no courses for the major should not be taken with the S/NC option.

 

Architectural Studies Major

This major offers students two options – the Design track and the Preservation Track.

Design track requirements

The Design track requires completion of 48 credits with an additional 9 credits in a Studio Arts concentration.

Architectural Studies courses

  • HAA 0940 Approaches to the Built Environment
  • HAA 1040 Architecture: Image, Text, Theory
  • HAA 1900 Architectural Studies Internship
  • HAA 1912 Architecture + Digital Media 1
  • HAA 1913 Foundation Studio 1*
  • HAA 1914 Architecture + Digital Media 2
  • HAA 1916 Design Studio 1 (six credits)+
  • HAA 1917 Design Studio 2 (six credits)

*This course will carry six credits as of spring 2016 term.

+Effective spring 2015 term, a grade of C or better is required in HAA 1913 to enroll in this course.

Physics course

  • PHYS 0110 Introduction to Physics 1

History of Art and Architecture courses

  • HAA 0040 Introduction to Western Architecture
  • HAA 0480 Modern Architecture
  • Two additional HAA courses in architectural history

Required Studio Arts Concentration

  • SA 0130 Drawing Studio 1
  • SA 0140 Sculpture Studio 1
  • SA 1430 Perspective Drawing

Preservation track requirements

The Preservation track requires completion of 39 credits with an additional 12 credits in a proscribed related area in either the History of Urban America or Public Service.

History of Art and Architecture courses

  • HAA 0040 Introduction to Western Architecture
  • One of the following courses
    • HAA 1530 Early American Architecture
    • HAA 1531 Modern American Architecture
  • Two additional HAA courses in architectural history

Architectural Studies courses

  • HAA 0940 Approaches to the Built Environment
  • HAA 1900 Architectural Studies Internship
  • HAA 1912 Architecture + Digital Media 1
  • HAA 1913 Foundation Studio 1*

*This course will carry six credits as of spring 2016 term.

Preservation courses

  • HAA 1920 Introduction to Historic Preservation
  • HAA 1921 Documentation + Conservation Studio (six credits)
  • HAA 1922 Preservation: Texts + Theory

Required Concentration

Every Preservation track major must select either the History of Urban America or Public Service. See www.arch.pitt.edu/prorgram/preservation_track.php for a detailed discussion of the coursework for each.

Other Requirements and Recommendations for Architectural Studies majors

 

  • A GPA of at least 2.00 in all department courses is required for graduation with a major in Architectural Studies. A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required for an internship, and a minimum of 3.0 is required for those seeking a recommendation for graduate school. Students who plan to to apply to graduate school should maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25.
  • Only HAA 1900 Architectural Studies Internship may be taken on an S/NC basis.
  • Students must complete at least one writing-intensive course (W-course) in the major. Each track has a W-course in its requirements – HAA 1040 for the Design track, and HAA 1922 for the Preservation track.
  • Students who plan to major in Architectural Studies should contact the departmental advisor as early in their college career as possible to discuss the recommended course sequence for each track, course availability, and entry into restricted classes.

 

Minor in Museum Studies

This minor is grounded in the department’s historic strengths – to offer students a critically informed understanding of how cultural artifacts have been, are, and can be collected and curated. At its core, the goal of the Museum Studies Minor is to introduce students to the approaches, history, and theories of museum and collection practices.

Students pursuing the Museum Studies minor must complete the following coursework, which comprises 15 credits.

One foundational course from the following list.

  • HAA 0010 Introduction to World Art
  • HAA 0020 Introduction to Asian Art
  • HAA 0030 Introduction to Modern Art
  • HAA 0090 introduction to Contemporary Art

 

The following three courses.

  • HAA 1020: Museum Studies Exhibition Seminar
  • HAA 1025: The History and Ethics of Collecting Art and Cultural Property
  • HAA 1903: History of Art and Architecture Internship *

* The internship must be conducted with a museum institution or organization, archive or gallery in consultation with the Museum Studies Minor advisor.

One of the following courses, or a suitable alternative selected in consultation with the Museum Studies minor advisor.

  • ANTH 0582: Introduction to Archaeology
  • ANTH 0780: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 1541: Cultural Resource Management
  • HAA 1030: Special Topics – Museum Studies
  • INFOSCI 0010: Introduction to Information, Systems and Society

 

Minor in Preservation

The minor in Preservation is for students who are interested in a specialized focus on the preservation and documentation of historic architecture and the built environment.

Students pursuing the Preservation minor must complete the following coursework, which comprises 18 credits.

Requirements for the minor

  • HAA 1920 Introduction to Historic Preservation
  • ANTH 1541 Special Topics – Cultural Resource Management
  • HAA 1903 History of Art and Architecture Internship *
  • Three additional courses (nine credits) from the following list of courses.
    • HAA 0940 Approaches to the Built Environment
    • HAA 1530 Early American Architecture
    • HAA 1531 Modern American Architecture
    • HAA 1913 Architectural Studies Seminar
    • HAA 1921 Documentation and Conservation Studio (six credits)
    • HAA 1922 Preservation: Texts and Theory

 

* The internship must be conducted with an organization that pertains to the field of historic preservation and be approved by the minor advisor.

 

Civil Engineering Certificate for Architectural Studies majors

A certificate in elementary structural engineering for architectural studies majors is available under the auspices of the Swanson School of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. It offers a technical, professional component to the major. It consists of a minimum of 27 credits and includes courses in statics and particle dynamics, mechanics of materials, structural analysis, computer methods, concrete structures, and metal structures.

Students must go to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in 742 Benedum Hall to declare the Civil Engineering Certificate.

Prerequisite courses

  • MATH 0220 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1
  • One of the following courses
    • CS 0007 Introduction to Computer Programming
    • CS 0401 Intermediate Programming Using Java
  • One of the following courses
    • MATH 0230 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2
    • MATH 0235 Honors 1 – Variable Calculus
  • One of the following courses
    • PHYS 0174 Basic Physics for Science and Engineering 1
    • PHYS 0475 Introduction to Physics for Science and Engineering 1 (Honors)
  • One of the following courses
    • PHYS 0175 Basic Physics for Science and Engineering 2
    • PHYS 0476 Introduction to Physics for Science and Engineering 2 (Honors)

Required courses

 

  • MATH 0240 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3
  • MATH 0290 Applied Differential Equations
  • ENGR 0131 Statics and Particle Dynamics
  • ENGR 0141 Mechanics of Materials
  • CEE 1105 Materials of Construction
  • CEE 1330 Introduction to Structural Analysis
  • At least one of the following courses*
    • CEE 1340 Concrete Structures
    • CEE 1341 Steel Structures 1
     

 * If taking only one of these courses, the student must also complete CEE 0109 Computer Methods in Civil Engineering 1.