Art Theory and Practice Major

Students majoring in art theory and practice plan a program of study with and subject to the approval of a department adviser.

Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.

NOTE: This Catalog describes Weinberg College BA requirements that pertain to students who matriculated at Northwestern after spring quarter 2023. Refer to the Archives if you are following BA requirements described in the 2018-2019 through 2022-2023 editions.

Course Title
Major Requirements (15 units)
3 200-level courses
Introduction to Drawing
Introduction to Time Based Arts
Introduction to Sculpture
3 history and/or theory courses
Contemporary Art Survey
Introduction to Contemporary Art
and any 2 of the following
Critical Methods for Contemporary Art
Seminar
Studio/Seminar
ART 260-0Studio Practice (in junior year)
ART 360-0Senior Critique (in senior year)
7 additional courses in department
4 must be studio courses
  • ART 372-0 Seminar, ART 382-0 Studio/Seminar, and ART 390-0 Studio may be taken more than once and counted more than once if each course is a different topic.
  • First-Year Seminars (including College Seminars and First-Year Writing Seminars) do not count toward the major.

Honors in Art Theory and Practice

All senior majors enroll in ART 360-0 Senior Critique and produce a final exhibition or project. The department’s honors committee reviews all final projects, considering innovation, creativity, scope and ambition, and realization and presentation. Students whose projects and overall records meet department criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with departmental honors. For more information consult the department adviser and see Honors in the Major.