ARHT410

This course is the capstone in art history, but it is open to students from other concentrations or majors who want to do sustained research in a topic in the history of art. The class is designed to allow students to develop and pursue a research interest over the course of an entire semester and to design their own course outcomes. Topics have ranged from a study of French symbolism to a survey of early Christian art and have culminated in a variety of outcomes including the production of advanced art history research papers (suitable for submission as part of graduate school applications) to producing a virtual exhibition on the topic of early Christian pilgrimage arts to designing a series of lesson plans and curricular activities related to the topic. Both topics and outcomes develop out of the student's own interests and professional goals, but will, at the same time, provide an opportunity to delve further into the methods and materials of the history of art. Each week the group will meet together and individual meetings will take place on a bi-weekly basis. Students will keep a log of their research progress, present their research to the group regularly, develop and revise their own work plan and final project. Written assignments, also developed by the student, must include at least one analytical paper based on a work of art seen first hand at a New Jersey or New York museum as well as several proposals and the final outcome. There will be at least one scheduled group visit to a museum or gallery during the semester, for which attendance is mandatory. Note that this trip will take place on a Saturday.