Art Major (BA)

Program Declaration

At time of admission to the University or by completion of an Undergraduate Program Add/Change form .

Degree Requirements

If this is the student’s only or primary major, the degree requirements below must be completed for graduation. See graduation requirements  for more information.

Major Requirements

Complete 36 credits from 12 courses.  The Art & Art History Department provides three pathways for students who want to fulfill the requirements for the Art (BA) major. Students may elect one of two concentrations: the Studio Art Concentration or the Art History Concentration. A third option is available to those students who want the flexibility to combine Studio Art and Art History (without a formal concentration), tailoring the major to their particular interests.

Courses taken as a Pass/Fail cannot be applied to the major. 
Residency: At least six art courses, including the capstone and three 300 or 400 level art electives, must be taken at UMass Boston.

Please note: Independent study (ART 478 and ART 479), Field Work/Internships (ART 488 and ART 489), and first semester honors (ART 491) courses cannot be applied to the major.

Introductory Art History Courses (6 Credits)

Take two courses from the list below.

• ART 101 - Ancient and Medieval Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 102 - Renaissance to Modern Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 104L - Introduction to East Asian Art 3 Credit(s)

Advanced Art History Courses (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• ART 305 - Early Medieval Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 306 - Romanesque and Gothic Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 309 - Northern Renaissance Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 310 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)
• ART 311 - Early Italian Renaissance Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 312 - Late Italian Renaissance Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 313L - The Art of Early Modern Venice: Myths and Realities of a Floating City 3 Credit(s)
• ART 315 - Eighteenth-Century European Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 317 - Nineteenth-Century Art in Europe and the United States 3 Credit(s)
• ART 318L - Women and Experimental Cinema 3 Credit(s)
• ART 326 - Materials, Materiality, Meaning 3 Credit(s)
• ART 327L - Hellenistic Art and Culture 3 Credit(s)
• ART 368 - History of Photography: 1839-Present 3 Credit(s)
• ART 369 - American Women Photographers 3 Credit(s)
• ART 370L - Studies in Experimental Film and Video Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 375 - Contemporary Art: c. 1989-Present 3 Credit(s)

Introductory Studio Art Courses (6 Credits)

Take two courses from the list below.

• ART 208 - Introduction to Contemporary Practices in Fiber Art 3 Credit(s)
• ART 210 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)
• ART 281 - Drawing I 3 Credit(s)
• ART 283 - Introduction to the Materials, Techniques and Concepts of Painting 3 Credit(s)
• ART 286 - Materials, Processes, and Ideas: Introduction to Contemporary Sculptural Practices 3 Credit(s)
• ART 287 - Introduction to Printmaking 3 Credit(s)
• ART 293L - Photography I 3 Credit(s)
• ART 295L - Introduction to Video 3 Credit(s)
• ART 297 - Introduction to Digital Media Art 3 Credit(s)

Advanced Studio Art Courses (3 credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• ART 380 - Studio Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 381W - Drawing Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 382 - Digital Drawing 3 Credit(s)
• ART 383 - Painting Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 386 - Sculpture Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 387 - Printmaking Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 393L - Photography Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 395L - Video Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• ART 397 - Digital Media Workshop 3 Credit(s)

Art Elective and Capstone Courses (18 Credits)

Take five additional art elective courses and one capstone course. Only one 100-level course may be applied to the electives. At least three elective courses must be at the 300-level or higher.

Choose one of the options below to display your specific elective and capstone requirements.