Art and Art History
Overview
The mission of the department of Art and Art History (AAH) is to educate students in the richness and complexity of the visual arts. Making, critiquing, and historicizing visual culture is essential for informed participation and innovation within local and global cultures. Combining the disciplines of Studio Art and Art History, AAH equips students to explore critically the interplay of culture, history, theory, analysis, and art practice.
We offer a broad range of courses in art history and studio arts. Art history offerings include East Asian, European, American, Latinx, and Pacific Rim art, visual culture, architecture, and photographic histories. Studio classes emphasize the entwined nature of concept and technique with courses in painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, digital photography, drawing, and book arts. We also offer hybrid courses combining art making with critical histories and theories of photography, feminisms, race, and class, underscoring our commitment to critical inquiry and the College's mission. The curriculum is integrated with the vibrant art scene of Los Angeles (and beyond) through field trips, community based learning, site specific projects, collaboration with area arts organizations and research, and internships opportunities.
Our curriculum prepares students to become professional artists, art historians, and to work in a broad range of image- and culture-oriented fields. Graduates pursue a variety of professional activities including art making and exhibitions in museums and galleries. They perform curatorial work, museum education, and work in libraries, archives, and other non-profit institutions. Students regularly attend graduate programs in fine arts and art history. Our graduates enter a wide range of visual-oriented fields such as architecture, design, imaging in the tech industry, and work at the intersections of art, medicine, and law.
Our program features close personal collaboration between students and faculty, all actively exhibiting, publishing and/or curating professionals. We mentor students in garnering grants for ambitious projects, international research and internships with dynamic arts institutions. Students work closely with their advisors to develop their individual interests and goals, and to plan individual programs of study designed to develop the aesthetic questions, technical skills, and research agendas required for the comprehensive project in the senior year.
Major Requirements
Students will choose a concentration either in Art History or in Studio Art. Each concentration consists of twelve courses or 48 units, depending on the concentration, chosen in consultation with the major adviser.
Concentration in Art History
The concentration in Art History consists of three foundational 100-level ARTH survey courses (12 units), three ARTH courses at the 300-level (12 units), two additional ARTH electives at either the 200- or 300-level (8 units), two ARTH writing seminars (ARTH 390, which fulfills the Second Stage Writing Requirement for graduation; and ARTH 490, senior seminar) (8 units), and two Studio Art courses (ARTS) for breadth of study (8 units).
Introductory Courses
Students must select three courses from the list below:
| ARTH 150 | History of Urban Design | 4 units |
| ARTH 160 | Introduction to East Asian Art | 4 units |
| ARTH 170 | Introduction to Early European Art | 4 units |
| ARTH 180 | Introduction to Later European and American Art | 4 units |
Advanced Courses
Students must complete three ARTH courses at the 300-level.
Additional Electives
Students must complete two ARTH courses at the 200- or 300-level (or equivalent).
In consultation with their advisor, a student may substitute a course outside the department (such as history, literature, religious studies, politics, or philosophy, preferably related to the topic area of the senior thesis) for one of the art history elective courses.
Breadth Requirement
Students must complete at least two courses (8 units) in Studio Art (ARTS designation)
Writing Seminars
Art History majors must complete ARTH 390 (4 units), offered with rotating topics each year.
Art History majors must complete ARTH 490 as two 2-unit courses, or as one 4-unit course.
| ARTH 390 | Seminar in Art History | 4 units |
| ARTH 490 | Senior Seminar in Art History | 2 units |
Concentration in Studio Art
The concentration in Studio Art consists of three introductory ARTS courses (12 units), two intermediate ARTS courses at the 200-level (8 units), two advanced ARTS courses at the 300-level (8 units), two ARTH courses (8 units), an additional ARTS or ARTH elective (4 units), a four-unit writing seminar in ARTS or ARTH 389 to satisfy the Second Stage Writing Requirement for graduation, plus the studio senior seminar (4 units).
Introductory Courses
| ARTS 102 | Painting Fundamentals | 4 units |
| ARTS 103 | Sculpture Fundamentals | 4 units |
| ARTS 105 | Printmaking Fundamentals: Relief and Intaglio | 4 units |
Intermediate Courses
Students must select two courses from the list below:
Advanced Projects
Students must select two courses from the list below. At least one of these must be completed prior to the start of the senior year.
| ARTS 303 | Advanced Projects in Sculpture | 4 units |
| ARTS 310 | Advanced Projects in Painting and Drawing | 4 units |
| ARTS 330 | Advanced Projects/Printmaking | 4 units |
Art History (8 units)
| ARTH 180 | Introduction to Later European and American Art | 4 units |
| ARTH 389 | Modern and Contemporary Art | 4 units |
One Additional ARTS Elective (4 units)
Senior Seminar
Students must complete a total of four units of
ARTS 490 to satisfy this requirement.
| ARTS 490 | Studio Senior Seminar | 2 or 4 units |
Additional Information
The sequencing of courses is crucial: students should take beginning fundamentals and intermediate courses in the frosh and sophomore years along with ARTH 180; 300-level courses (ARTH 389 Modern and Contemporary, Advanced Projects) in their junior year; and ARTS 490 (Senior Seminar) and any elective studio courses in the senior year. Students may not take a required 100-level course as a senior. At least one 300-level Advanced Projects course in the area of comprehensive project emphasis must be completed before the start of the senior year. ARTS 101 may only be taken as an elective, and does not count as one of the three required introductory courses. Because the maturation of creative ability requires time as well as effort, students who wish to major in studio art should consult with departmental advisors and begin taking studio courses as early as possible in their first year, and should declare a major early in the sophomore year.
Second-Stage Writing Requirement
All students majoring in the Art and Art History department must successfully complete the second-stage writing requirement by completing a 300-level course, with a grade of C or better by the end of the junior year. Students who do not fulfill this requirement must consult with the department chair about available alternatives. This may mean enrolling in WRD 201 (passing with a C or better) or another ARTH course in the fall of the senior year.
Concentration in Art History
ARTH 390 or other 300-level ARTH course with a grade of C or better by the end of the junior year.
Concentration in Studio Arts
Select either ARTS 301 or ARTH 389 with a grade of C or better by the end of the junior year.
| ARTS 301 | Writing Art and Writing As Art | 4 units |
| ARTH 389 | Modern and Contemporary Art | 4 units |
Comprehensive Requirement
Students work closely with their advisors to develop their individual interests and educational goals, and to plan individual programs of study designed to develop the aesthetic and conceptual questions, technical skills, and research practices required for the comprehensive project in the senior year. Students will develop a command of their field and hone their ability to place their work into larger art historical, social, and conceptual frameworks. Projects may include, but are not limited to, the production of a new body of work and/or scholarly research.
College Honors
A student with an overall GPA of at least 3.2 and 3.5 in the major who has demonstrated excellence in departmental courses can submit a proposal for honors. For the Art History concentration, the proposal is submitted in the spring of junior year, for completion over the course of the senior year. For the Studio Art concentration, the proposal is submitted in the fall of senior year for completion in the spring of senior year. For further information, consult your faculty adviser on honors requirements and timelines in your particular program.
Minor Requirements
Concentration in Art History
Five art history courses (20 units); at least three must be 200-level courses or above.
Concentration in Studio Art
Five courses (20 units) in the department including any four studio courses and one art history course. No more than three 100-level courses. Studio courses must be selected from more than one professor.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Art and Art History Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for details.
Information that can be included in this section include:
- specific policies for majors/minors
- AP/IB Exam credit - course equivalencies?
- Online courses
- Policies specifically for matriculating frosh, transfer students, returning students after a leave of absence
Information that can be included in this section include:
- specific policies for majors/minors
- AP/IB Exam credit - course equivalencies?
- Online courses
- Policies specifically for matriculating frosh, transfer students, returning students after a leave of absence
Exchange Program with the Art Center
Occidental students may take courses in the Art Center at Night Program at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. See the College Catalog section on the
Art Center Exchange program available only to full-time Oxy students. These classes can count towards general college units for graduation but cannot fulfill Art and Art History major or minor requirements without pre-approval of the Art and Art History faculty adviser and department chair.
Courses
Art & Art History Courses:
Art History
Studio Art
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Amy Lyford, chair
Professor
B.A., Pomona College; M.A., Boston University; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Linda Besemer
James Irvine Distinguished Professor
B.A., B.F.A., Indiana University; M.F.A., Tyler School of Art
Mary Beth Heffernan
Professor
B.F.A., Boston University; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts; Fellow, Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program, 1995
Eric Frank
Professor
B.A., Dartmouth College; M.A., Syracuse University; Ph.D., New York University
Linda Lyke
Professor
B.A., M.F.A., Kent State University
Kelema Lee Moses
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Virginia; M.A., Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
Yurika Wakamatsu
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; A.M., Ph.D., Harvard University
On Special Appointment
Kenturah Davis
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
A.B., Occidental College; M.F.A., Yale University
William Davis
Non-Tenure Track Instructor, Art and Art History
B.A., University of the West of England, Bristol School of Art and Design; M.A., Lund University
Jen Hofer
Non-Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
B.A., Brown University; M.F.A., University of Iowa
Kenji Liu
Non-Tenure Track Instructor, Art and Art History
B.A., John F. Kennedy University; M.A., California Institute of Integral Studies
Susanna Maing
Non-Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
B.A., University of California, Berkeley; M.F.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Jocelyn Webb Pedersen
Non-Tenure-Track Assistant Professor
B.A., California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; M.A., University of Iowa, Center for the Book; M.F.A., University of California, Santa Barbara
Stehpanie Schrader
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., Oberlin College; Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Camilla Taylor
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
B.F.A., University of Utah; M.F.A., California State University, Long Beach
Zoe Walsh
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
A.B., Occidental College; M.F.A., Yale University
David Weldzius
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
B.F.A., University of Illinois, Chicago; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Patricia Yossen
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Art and Art History
B.A., Escuela Provincial de Artes Visuales Juan Mantovani;M.F.A., Pratt Institute