This interdisciplinary minor is for students with diverse interests in the history and practices of museums. Coursework draws from the disciplines of Anthropology, Art History, History, English, Folklore, and Religious Studies. Courses examine museums as institutions, their history, frameworks, ideologies, practices, and contemporary issues. The minor provides foundational knowledge crucial to graduate study or museum work. Through this minor, students acquire practical skills as well as scholarly background. Students should consult with the director for help in choosing a program of study that will complement their major. This minor appeals to students majoring in a variety of humanities disciplines as well as in studio art and arts management.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor and students must complete all coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total credits: 18
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| The Museum (Mason Core) | ||
| RS: Curating an Exhibit (Mason Core) | ||
| Topics in Folklore Studies (when topic is Material Culture and Museums or Folklore and Museums) | ||
| Introduction to Public History | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Unearthing the Past: Prehistory, Culture and Evolution (Mason Core) | ||
| History of Western Art I (Mason Core) | ||
| History of Western Art II (Mason Core) | ||
| Survey of Asian Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Survey of Latin American Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Survey of African Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Ancient Mesoamerica (Mason Core) | ||
| Human Origins | ||
| Bioarchaeology | ||
| Scientific Racism and Human Variation (Mason Core) | ||
| DNA, Identity, and Power | ||
| Mortuary Archaeology | ||
| Andean Archaeology | ||
| Zooarchaeology | ||
| Human Osteology | ||
| Art of the Islamic World (Mason Core) | ||
| Early Christian and Byzantine Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Western Medieval Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Early Renaissance Art in Italy, 1300-1500 (Mason Core) | ||
| Northern Renaissance Art (Mason Core) | ||
| High Renaissance Art in Italy, 1480-1570 (Mason Core) | ||
| The Art of Venice (Mason Core) | ||
| Baroque Art in Italy, France, and Spain, 1600-1750 (Mason Core) | ||
| Northern Baroque Art, 1600-1750 (Mason Core) | ||
| Nineteenth-Century European Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Twentieth-Century European Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Arts of the United States (Mason Core) | ||
| Studies in 18th- and 19th-Century Art of the United States (Mason Core) (with permission of advisor; museum component varies per instructor) | ||
| Studies in 20th-Century Art of the United States (Mason Core) (with permission of advisor; museum component varies per instructor) | ||
| Art Now | ||
| Indigenous Arts of the US and Canada (Mason Core) | ||
| Twentieth-Century Latin American Art (Mason Core) | ||
| Arts of India (Mason Core) | ||
| Arts of Southeast Asia (Mason Core) | ||
| Arts of China (Mason Core) | ||
| Art History Internships (must be museum based) | ||
| Study Abroad in the History of Art (must be museum based) | ||
| Folklore and Folklife (Mason Core) | ||
| RS: Topics in Folklore Research (Mason Core) (when taught with a museum component, with permission) | ||
| Folk Art and Folk Artists | ||
| Introduction to Public History (if not taken as core course) | ||
| Topics in Public History (when taught with a museum component) | ||
| Philosophy of Art | ||
| Religion and Art (Mason Core) | ||
| The Bible as Literature (Mason Core) | ||
| Religion and History of Ancient Israel | ||
| Judaism from Exile to Talmud | ||
| Special Topics in Religious Studies (when taught with a museum component) | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |