Main navigation
- Programs
- Subjects
- Universities
- Destinations
- Advice
The Art History and Archaeology Department's major aims to examine art, architecture, and archaeology through diverse historical, cultural, geographical, and methodological perspectives.
Courses utilize New York City's rich cultural offerings, frequently incorporating museum visits and local landmark tours. Students can pursue majors or concentrations in art history, architectural history and theory, or a combined art history and visual arts program.
Barnard and Columbia provide comprehensive survey courses and advanced lectures spanning ancient to contemporary art, exposing students to various materials and analytical approaches. Small seminars focus on specialized topics while emphasizing research and writing skills. Qualified students may undertake advanced research through a senior thesis project.
The program supports junior year study abroad opportunities. While approved courses from accredited institutions typically transfer toward major requirements, students must obtain approval from the undergraduate studies director. Transfer credits for the major require similar approval, with a maximum of 12 applicable credits typically permitted.
The Committee on Admissions selects women of proven academic strength who exhibit intellectual voracity and strong potential for further scholarly growth. In addition to school records, recommendations, writing, and test scores, we carefully consider candidates' talents, abilities, interests, and personal history. While admission is highly selective, it is also holistic; no one criterion or score determines acceptance. We consider each applicant in terms of her personal qualities, her intellectual capacity, and the rigor of the curriculum she has pursued, as well as her potential for achieving at Barnard. We review each applicant in the context of her school, community, and individual story.
Barnard's general education requirements cover a wide range of subjects: literature, the social sciences, language and the arts, lab sciences, and quantitative areas. For this reason, you should acquire a strong foundation in high school, taking courses from the core academic subjects: math, science, English, history, and foreign language.
English Language Requirements
Applicant must have IELTS score of 7.0 or higher or TOEFL score of 600 or above on the written test, and 100 or above for the Internet-based test.