B.A. and B.G.S. Degrees


Students studying art object

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of General Studies degrees with majors in the history of art are offered in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The B.A. and B.G.S. degrees require 30 hours in art history.

The main difference between the B.A. degree and the B.G.S. degree is a foreign language requirement; the B.A. requires four semesters of a foreign language.


Program Info

The B.A. and B.G.S. degrees require 30 hours in art history including the following:

1.) Foundation Courses:

  • HA 150 History of Western Art: Ancient Through Medieval
  • HA 151 History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary
  • HA 166 The Visual Arts of East Asia

2.) Breadth Courses:

  • One course in three out of four geographical regions:
  1. Americas, Africa, Middle East
  2. Europe
  3. East Asia
  4. Cross-regional
  • One course in three out of four chronological periods:
  1. Pre-1400
  2. 1400-1850
  3. Post-1850
  4. Cross-period

3.) An art history course approved for Goal 6 in the KU Core (normally HA 550).

For a complete explanation of degree requirements and a sample degree plan, please see the Academic Catalog Bachelor's Degree Requirements.

The department invites art history undergraduate majors to apply for graduation with departmental honors. They must meet the following criteria:

  1. An overall grade-point average of at least 3.25 and an art history grade-point average of 3.5 at the time of declaring intention to seek honors.
  2. In consultation with the department undergraduate coordinator and with approval from a supervising professor, declared intention of seeking honors no later than the time of enrollment for the final undergraduate semester.
  3. Enrollment in HA 698 Honors Essay and full participation in a concurrent art history graduate seminar (numbered 700 or above) for which the student must write a substantial, original research paper to be submitted to the supervising professor as an honors essay.
  4. Approval of the honors essay by the supervising professor and two other faculty members who, as a committee, certify to the department undergraduate coordinator that the student has successfully completed the requirements to earn honors.

Please visit the KU Financial Aid and Scholarships page at financialaid.ku.edu

Get Started

Ready to apply? Start the application process or request additional information about the art history program.

Undergraduate Program Contacts

KU Jayhawk
  • Associate Professor, Medieval Art and Architecture, Italian Architecture and Urbanism 1000-1600
  • Acting Director of Undergraduate Studies during the fall 2023 semester