BA Art History

Art History is the critical inquiry into how people have reimagined their worlds through art, architecture, photography, film, performance, and design. More than anything else, it is a history of creativity. In an increasingly global, competitive, and image-saturated world, it is vital that students be able to think critically and creatively about how visual forms communicate across cultures.

The UIC program in Art History introduces students to the work of artists, architects, designers, and thinkers who have changed the course of history. Classes cover all historical periods and most of the world’s cultures. Students are trained in the fundamentals of historical analysis, visual literacy, and theoretical understanding. In addition to going on to successful careers as academics and museum professionals, graduates work in teaching, publishing, arts administration, art conservation, public culture, historic preservation, journalism, advertising, business, law, and medicine.

The department’s world-renowned faculty are specialists in:
•    Pre-Columbian and Native American Art
•    The Art, Architecture, Archaeology, and Material Culture of the Near East and the Eastern Mediterranean
•    South Asian Architecture and Art
•    Renaissance and Baroque Architecture, Architectural Theory, and Military Architecture
•    European Art since 1700
•    Modern and Contemporary Architecture, Design, and Theory
•    Modern Art, the Avant-Garde, and Art since 1945
•    Modern and Contemporary Performance Art
•    Critical Theory, Film Theory, and the History of Photography
•    Museum Studies

Click here for a printable program flyer 

Degree Requirements

To be eligible for Departmental Distinction, a student must have:

• Attended UIC for at least three semesters.
• Attained a university cumulative GPA of 3.50/4.00.
• Completed 21 semester hours at UIC in courses required for the major.
• Attained a GPA of 3.75/4.00 in courses in Art History.
• Written a thesis that either expands work represented in a seminar or which grows out of an AH 492-Readings in Art and Architecture History courses

BA Thesis Guidelines

The BA thesis can be developed from a paper written for another course, or it can be a new research project.

The student works on the thesis all year, with the bulk of the work happening in the spring semester. The student enrolls in AH 490 in spring.

The deadline for the thesis is the end of spring term, but if students want to present in the symposium, they need to have the argument hammered out by April.

Recommended Schedule:

Early fall: the student contacts an AH faculty member and asks him/her to advise and chair the thesis.

Fall semester: faculty should meet with the student a few times or as needed to advise on research and visual analysis.

End of term (December): The student should submit a first ten-page draft, especially if the thesis did not begin with a paper in the faculty member’s course.

Winter break: Faculty reads and responds to draft and the student continues to do research.

Spring semester: The advisor usually does several rounds of feedback on the text, scheduling deadlines for each draft. These deadlines are somewhat contingent on how much work is needed each round.

By February: the student should secure a second reader for the thesis and meet and talk with that person about the project.

The second reader begins reading the text after there is a good draft that the advisor is fairly happy with. But this step should not happen so late that the student can’t respond to Reader #2’s feedback before the thesis is due.

Theses are usually around 30 pages, but can go to 60.

In this folder, you’ll find an example of a thesis by Graham Feyl that can serve as a model.

Recommended Format for thesis:

• Cover page, including
  • Title
  • Your name
  • [THIS LANGUAGE]: Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of the Arts in Art History in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago, [YEAR]
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Thesis Committee:
    • _____________,  Chair and Advisor
    • _____________, [Their Department]
    • _____________, [Their Department]
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgements Page
• Content, 25 – 60 pages, divided into chapters or subheadings,
  • Use Footnotes throughout in Chicago style. Follow these formatting guidelines.
• Bibliography

Updated by Elise Archias
05/20/20

Graduate Study by UIC Undergraduate Seniors

With the approval of the graduate program, the undergraduate or professional college, and the Graduate College, UIC students in their last year of study for an undergraduate degree may be admitted to the Graduate College if they are within 8 semester hours of earning the baccalaureate at the time of matriculation. These students will be admitted on limited status for no more than two terms in residence, pending completion of the baccalaureate. These students register as graduate students and are eligible for fellowships, assistantships, and graduate tuition waivers. Courses used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements are transferred back to the undergraduate college and cannot be applied to a graduate degree.

Applicants who are admitted to limited status pending completion of their bachelor’s degree must be awarded the undergraduate degree within two terms in residence. If this condition is not satisfied, graduate admission is cancelled and the student is transferred back to the undergraduate college.

https://catalog.uic.edu/gcat/graduate-study/graduate-study/#Graduate Study by UIC Undergraduate Seniors

Recommended Course Load

Years 1 – 3:

• Satisfy all but 8 credit hours of your BA requirements.
• Consult with a faculty advisor by spring of 3rd year to facilitate Joint BA/MA.

Year 4 Fall:

• Remaining BA requirements (about 8 UG credit hours)
• AH 510 or AH 511 (4 credit hours) (Option to waive this req. and take a different 400/500 course if you excelled in AH 301. Contact DGS.)

Year 4 Spring:

• Three 400 or 500-level courses (12 credit hours.)

Year 5 Fall:

• AH 510 or AH 511 (4 credit hours) (Option to waive this req. and take a different 400/500 course if you excelled in AH 301. Contact DGS.)
• One 400 or 500-level course (4 credit hours)
• AH 590 (MA Paper Research) or AH 598 (MA Thesis Research) (4 credit hours)

Year 5 Spring:

• One 400 or 500-level course (4 credit hours)
• AH 590 (MA Paper Research) or AH 598 (MA Thesis Research) (4 credit hours)

To Apply:

1. Submit to the AH Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) a letter of intent to complete the Joint BA/MA by April 3. Do this no later than the semester before you will have only 8 credit hours remaining to complete your BA (usually spring of your 3rd year.) You may request a sample letter of intent from the DUS.
2. Apply for admission to the graduate college before the semester in which you have only 8 credit hours remaining to complete your BA (usually August before your 4th year.) You will receive a link to a special application from the Graduate College.

• Deadline for Fall: Aug. 1.
• Deadline for Spring: Nov. 15.

For more information contact DUS Nina Dubin, dubin@uic.edu

The College general education requirement is 24 semester hours with a minimum of 6 semester hours of humanities, 6 hours of social sciences, 6 hours of natural sciences, and an additional 6 hours in one or more of these three areas (note: at least two departments must be represented in each area).

The humanities general education requirement cannot be fulfilled by the completion of AH 110 and 111. The University requirement of one course in Cultural Diversity can be fulfilled by any course listed for such credit but is commonly attained through Non-Western courses in Art History. The University requirement of two semesters of writing will be fulfilled with the courses English 160 and 161 (English Composition I and II) each 3 semester hours.

Local Internships

1. The Conservation Center, Various Internships. www.theconservationcenter.com

• Brief Info: The Conservation Center is a comprehensive private art conservation laboratory.
• Keywords: object conservation, heritage, art

2. Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago https://mcachicago.org/About/Internships

• Brief Info: All MCA departments offer opportunities for hands-on learning. Internships require a minimum commitment of 16 hours per week for three months.
• Keywords: modern and contemporary art, curatorial work, winter/spring career

3. Art Institute Chicago http://www.artic.edu/employment/andrew-w-mellon-summer-academy-and-under…

• Brief Info: The Andrew W. Mellon Summer Academy is a weeklong intensive program exposing undergraduate students to museum professions through workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, field trips, and networking events.
• Keywords: Curatorial work, inclusive museum work

4. Field Museum, Chicago https://www.fieldmuseum.org/about/employee-groups/women-science/field-mu…

• Brief Info: Interns will engage in collections-based research and practice communicating science to a broader community.
• Keywords: women in science internships, collections research

5. National Museum of Mexican Art http://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/content/general-information

• Brief Info: Through the Museum’s unpaid internship program, individuals gain practical museum experience and learn professional workplace and creative organizational skills.
• Keywords: Mexican art, museum experience, assisting departmental needs

6. Illinois Holocaust Museum https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/pages/get-involved/internships/

• Brief Info: Interns work with the exhibition, preservation and interpretation of Museum collections, assist with educational programs and fundraisers and take part in marketing and day-to-day operations.
• Keywords: Museum work, education, human rights

National Internships

1. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York) https://www.guggenheim.org/internships

• Brief Info: The objective of the internship program is to offer practical museum training experience to individuals interested in pursuing careers in the arts and museum fields.
• Keywords: practical museum training, department’s activities, art

2. The Smithsonian (Washington D.C.) https://www.smithsonianofi.com/blog/2012/12/26/smithsonian-internships/

• Brief Info: Smithsonian internships offer an incredible range of learning opportunities.
• Keywords: National museums, natural history, library studies

3. The Met (New York) https://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/internships/undergraduate-and-gr…

• Brief Info: The Met offers paid and unpaid opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, to explore museum careers and gain professional experience during the summer.
• Keywords: summer work, museum studies

4. Museum of Modern Art (New York) https://www.moma.org/about/get-involved/internships

• Brief Info: The Seasonal Internship Program provides undergraduate and graduate students and beginning professionals with practical experience in a specific area of museum work.
• Keywords: summer work, modern art

5. National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.) https://www.nga.gov/opportunities/interns-and-fellows/wilmerding-interns…

• Brief Info: The John Wilmerding Fund for Education in American Art supports two 11-month internships: one in American art and one in digital interpretation.
• Keywords: Post-graduation opportunity, national gallery

6. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (California) http://www.lacma.org/internships

• Brief Info: LACMA offers internships in their Corporate Funding, Costume and Textiles, and Collections management departments.
• Keywords: Arts funding, collection preservation, archival work

International Internships

1. Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Italy) http://www.guggenheim-venice.it/inglese/education/internship-program.html

• Brief Info:The museum offers an internship program for Italian and international students and recent graduates who study art, art history or related disciplines.
• Keywords: modern art, museum operations, Venice

The Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) was first established in 1986 by the Graduate Deans of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC). The goal of SROP is to introduce domestic underrepresented sophomores and juniors to academic research experiences and prepare them for carrers in research. Student participants work one-on-one with a faculty mentor giving them an opportunity to experience research and the graduate student experience. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) launched its SROP in 1986, with a total of six minority undergraduate students.

There are a variety of nationally competitive, regionally focused, UIC housed, and program sponsor scholarship opportunities for study abroad. In addition to the Study Abroad Office scholarships page, the UIC Office of External Fellowships is a great resource for both internal and nationally competitive awards.

If you are eligible for federal financial aid, you may be able to apply that funding to your Study Abroad costs. Pell grant awards and UIC institutional grants e.g. Access to Excellence grant, Gateway grant, Student-to-Student grant, and the President’s Award Program grant, may also apply toward the cost of studying abroad. Visit the OSFA website for more information on Financial Aid for Study Abroad.

Announcing the UIC Art History Department’s award for Undergraduate Research and Travel in summer 2025 (through August 31, 2025). These awards are made possible by the Robert Munman and Ellen T. Baird awards in support of undergraduate research. Please submit a research proposal and budget of no more than 500 words. Describe where you would like to go and your reason for travel (research in an archive or exhibition, event related to your research, conference, or other activity). Please submit your application by 5:00 pm on April 4, 2025.

The review and selection will be conducted by a faculty committee, who will recommend a slate of awardees to the department for approval based on the following criteria:

• awardees must be Art History majors
• proposal must be written in consultation with an Art History faculty member
• cohesiveness of the study or research plan
• direct impact travel will have on the research and/or professional standing of the student
• strength of the overall academic record (include list of Art History courses taken with grades received)
• soundness of the budget request
• timeliness of progress toward the degree
• previous departmental awards may be considered

Please limit your research statement to 500 words or less. A typical budget generally includes transportation, lodging, and expenses for fieldwork. Please indicate if you have funding toward the travel from other sources and/or if such funding is pending. Upon completion of proposed travel, you should submit a brief report regarding your use of the funds to the current DUS. You are also encouraged to present your experiences at the one of the Department of Art History’s “Notes from the Field” events at the start of each semester.

Applications should be submitted on April 4, 2025. Email your application to Catherine Becker cathbeck@uic.edu.

• Undergraduate Travel Award application

The Chancellor’s Undergraduate Research Award (CURA) is administered by the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) to support undergraduate involvement in research and other creative and scholarly activities across campus.

The CURA program is intended to both assist UIC faculty members in the completion of research, scholarship or creative production and to provide a rich and rewarding educational experience for the student employee. You can read more about the program at https://cura.uic.edu/.

The Office of External Fellowships (OEF) provides extensive advisement and assistance to current UIC undergraduate and professional school students, and to recent alumni, in finding and applying for nationally- and internationally-competitive fellowships, scholarships, and grants. From Fulbright Grants to Goldwater Scholarships and many others, UIC students have received competitive fellowships that have helped them pursue academic and career interests here in Chicago and around the globe. OEF can help you pursue these opportunities too.

We help you explore the wide range of fellowship opportunities to determine which are best suited to your academic and career plans. Once you’ve found opportunities that are a good fit for you, and vice versa, we advise you closely through the whole process, so that your application is as strong as it can possibly be.

OEF can offer holistic guidance on communication about academic achievement, co-curricular involvement, life experiences, and financial need. We help students present themselves clearly and effectively for awards that best suit their needs. Students are welcome at any point in their degree program, and are encouraged to plan ahead. It’s never too early to start!

The Writing Center, located on the first floor of Grant Hall, offers one-on-one consultations with students about any aspect of the reading and writing process. The Writing Center helps all student writers, from any major, at any stage (from brainstorming to editing), with any writing (from class assignments to personal statements). Our peer tutors offer 30, 60, or 90 minutes sessions; face-to-face and online sessions are both available. You can drop-in or make an appointment. To schedule an appointment, visit https://uic.mywconline.com/. If it’s your first time, just click Register for an account.  For more information, visit the Writing Center website at https://writingcenter.uic.edu/.

Any student who has completed English 161 with a B or higher is eligible to take the Writing Center‘s semester-long tutor training course, English 222. Students who complete 222 are then eligible to apply for a paid staff position at the Writing Center.

English 222 is an intensive reading and writing course for students who would like to be writing tutors.  As such, students will not only engage critically with writing center theory, but also put theory to practice in developing respectful, collaborative, inclusive and effective tutoring strategies. Activities include: observation and cross-tutoring; participation in class discussions and presentations; reflections on tutoring sessions, aided by transcription and discourse analysis; weekly reading and writing assignments on, among other things, current tutoring research, diverse learning styles, and the roles of  language, identity, identity, race, gender, sexuality, power, and ideology in education; and a final, longer project based on a research question you design. In addition to meeting weekly for class, all students will be required to train and work (unpaid) in the Writing Center for 2 hours per week as writing tutors.Students receive a grade at the end of the semester that assesses their academic work for the course as well as their professional commitment to tutoring. Professionally, tutors are expected to be on time, respectful of students and faculty, supportive and attentive to all the writers who use the Writing Center, and receptive to coaching from their instructors and the Writing Center’s staff.