HA: History of Art and Civilization

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.fitnyc.edu/.

HA 111 — History of Art and Civilization in the Mediterranean and Beyond: Prehistory Through the Middle Ages

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Presents the history of Mediterranean art and civilization including North Africa, Western Asia and Europe from Paleolithic times through the Middle Ages. Illustrated lectures stress political, economic, and social conditions as reflected in architecture, painting, and sculpture.

HA 112 — History of European Art and Civilization: Renaissance to the Modern Era

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Critical study of the history of European art and civilization from the early Renaissance to the Enlightenment, in a global context and with emphasis on , political, economic, religious, and social contexts.

HA 114 — Prehistoric Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students study the forms and technologies of prehistoric art within the social and ecological contexts in which it was made. While considering when and where prehistory begins or ends, we reflect upon why art is made and what it looks like in its earliest forms.

HA 115 — Crossroads: Global Art and Its Histories, 1450-1750

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course introduces the art histories of global cultures, 1450-1750. Students think critically about the impact of cultural exchanges and colonization on art, religion, politics, and societal values. Diverse cultural definitions of art and artists are explored, with focus on perspectives from Eurasia, Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific Islands.

HA 116 — Indigenous Art of North America

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An introductory study of the Indigenous art of North America--from the prehistoric to the present. Students study a vast range of art from land art to textiles in the context of their making and meaning. The impact of colonization on Indigenous people and their arts of resistance will be studied as well as basic principles of sovereignty within the framework of state and U.S. constitutions.

HA 117 — East Asian Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course introduces the major characteristics and artistic traditions of East Asian countries. Through lectures and surveys, students will examine the historical, religious, and social aspects of these civilizations. Consideration will be given to how East Asian countries respond to the arts of their neighbors, near and far, in comparison with other major civilizations. Emphasis is placed on art techniques and materials unique to East Asian art.

HA 118 — Introduction to Fashion History: Materials, Motifs & Meanings

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course explores the history of trade, inspiration, and appropriation between cultures through case studies. It examines how fashion shapes identity and the complex intersection of materials, motifs, and meanings. It teaches how to ethically study global fashion, factoring in existing and historic power structures and cultural values.

HA 121 — Cities and Civilizations: The Eastern Mediterranean World, c. 3000 BCE-1000 CE

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students examine the art and civilization of the ancient to medieval eastern Mediterranean (including western Asia) from a non-Western perspective. Illustrated lectures and discussions survey the cultures, societies, and arts of the great urban centers of antiquity up to the Crusades.

HA 123 — African Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This class introduces students to the art and visual cultures of sub-Saharan Africa, and its contexts within a continent with an exceptionally long and varied history of creativity and artistic production. The course analyzes a series of themes and corresponding case studies in historical framework, paying particular attention to formal analysis, social contexts, and the uses of art in Africa, past and present.

HA 126 — Islamic Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course examines the art and civilization of the Islamic world, from the birth of Islam in the 7th century CE/1st century art history to the present. Students are introduced to the religious, philosophical, and sociopolitical contexts that frame the formation of this multiethnic and geographically expansive visual culture.

HA 201 — History of Fashion Photography

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys fashion photography from its 19th-century origins to the present, emphasizing its relation to major movements in art and photography and to fashion itself. Students consider work of leading fashion photographers and the fashions they depict. (G7: Humanities).
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 202 — Feminist Art Histories, Theories, and Practices

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Feminist movements around the world gave rise to gender-based activist art and theory. This course explores feminist art histories, theories, and practices globally, from the 1960s to the present, through selected case studies highlighting differences and specificities of feminist movements worldwide, as well as their intersections with other social movements and art practices, specifically ecofeminism.

HA 203 — History of Decorative Arts: Jewelry and Metalwork

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course is an object-based, case-study approach to the cross-cultural history of the decorative arts from prehistory to the modern era with an emphasis on jewelry and metalwork. Analyzed as objects of adornment and representations of power, selected works will be investigated through the lens of design theory and as manifestations of broader themes in visual culture, considering materials and techniques and their transformation. (G6: The Arts; G7: Humanities).

HA 204 — History of East Asian Dress

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This is a historical survey of East Asian dress focusing on ancient through modern works of art in which traditional or regional dress is represented, and on surviving examples of dress, accessories, and bodily ornaments. Material is studied within the context of art history along with socio-political changes and encounters with outside influences in different periods.

HA 205 — Italian Art in Context

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Based in FIT in Italy and emphasizing field trips, this course examines the history of Italian art in context from antiquity to the present. Students are introduced to style, iconography, technical innovation, geography, and the philosophical, religious, cultural, social, economic, and political forces that have shaped Italian and European visual arts, and their impact beyond those regions.

HA 206 — The Art, Architecture, and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Illustrated lectures exploring the art, architecture, and archaeology of ancient Egypt from the predynastic to the Greco-Roman era. Topics may include religion, funerary practices, and ancient Egyptian attitudes toward gender, race, and cultural identity. “Egyptomania” and how ancient Egypt has influenced modern film, fashion, and design are also addressed.

HA 207 — Art and Architecture in Venice

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Offered in Venice, this course explores the art and architecture of the lagoon city from its Byzantine origins to the present time. On-site visits allow students to study Venetian buildings, monuments, and museum collections. The course contextualizes the artistic and cultural production of Venice within its historical and social environment.

HA 208 — Earth Matters: Art & Environment in Ancient Egypt and Western Asia

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An introduction to artistic practices involving the environment and natural materials in ancient Egypt and Western Asia, providing an overview of iconography and materiality of nature in the context of palace cultures and broader historical contexts. Students will also learn about modern museums’ preservation of these materials.

HA 211 — Asian American Art and Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Studies how Asian artists and artifacts have affected American art and culture since the 19th century. Students explore influences of Asian artistic traditions beginning in the 1850s, addressing major Asian American artists and related aspects of contemporary art significant to Asian American communities.

HA 212 — Renaissance Art in Florence

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Conducted in Florence. This course presents an in-depth study of Italian Renaissance painting, sculpture, and architecture in Florence from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries.

HA 213 — Rome: A Cultural History in Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Note: Course is conducted in English. Conducted in Rome, this course examines the history of painting, sculpture, and architecture from antiquity to the present. Through field trips, lectures, and discussions, students are introduced to style, iconography, technical innovation, geography, and the cultural, social, economic, and political forces that have shaped Rome's visual arts. Five weeks in June/July. (G5: Western Civilization; G6: Arts; G7: Humanities).

HA 214 — Art In New York

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Selected studies in the history of art, utilizing resources available in New York City. Critical and historical investigations arise from direct study of art and architecture.

HA 215 — History of Menswear in Europe and North America

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course surveys the history of men’s fashion in Europe and North America from its foundation in antiquity through the late twentieth century, in the context of the history of art and design and with emphasis on expressions of ideals of masculine beauty, status and power.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 217 — History of Avant-Garde Film

3 credits; 2 lecture and 2 lab hours

This course is cross-listed with FI 224 This course is a survey of major moments in avant-garde film from 1895 to the present. Through readings and discussions, students explore theories of avant-gardism, and study how such films are expressions of the historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts of their production. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): FI 111 or HA 112.

HA 218 — Art and Myth in the Classical World

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Illustrated lectures examine the Greek myths--and their depiction in Greek and Roman art--in relation to their social and religious contexts.

HA 219 — African American Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys diverse African traditions that have contributed to the rich fabric of American life since the 17th century. Students explore the continuities and disruptions of these traditions in art, and analyze concepts of race and racism, from the first moments of slavery through the contemporary era. (G7 Humanities; G10 American History).

HA 220 — History of Interior Design: The Modern Interior as Space and Image

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course studies the history of modern interior design as space (real, built form that was physically inhabited) and image (an ideal image or place). Emphasizing historical contexts and critical theory, it explores ways meaning has been ascribed to modern interior design from the Industrial Revolution to the present day. With a focus on the development of modern design in Europe and the U.S, the class recognizes the key role of various international cultural traditions that influenced the modern design movement and addresses the global dissemination of modern design.
Prerequisite(s): Any 100 level HA course.

HA 223 — African Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys cultures of sub-Saharan Africa. Illustrated lectures present art and architecture in relation to history, religion, economic conditions, and social and political structures. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 224 — Mesoamerican Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

To study Mesoamerican Art and Civilization we will immerse ourselves in their architecture, sculpture, pottery, city planning, metalwork, writing, mathematics, performance, and weaving. Art historical, historical, social, and religious aspects of Mesoamerican Art will be studied from nomadic entry into the region up to present day especially amongst the Maya.

HA 225 — Art and Civilization of India

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Introduces major characteristics of Indian civilization through a survey of its traditions of art and architecture. Illustrated lectures survey artistic tradition in relation to historical, religious, and social aspects of this civilization.

HA 226 — Art and Civilization of the Islamic World

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course examines the art and civilization of the Islamic world, from the birth of Islam in the seventh century CE to the present. Students are introduced to the spiritual, philosophical, and sociopolitical factors that led to the formation of this multiethnic style. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 227 — Archaeological Excavation in Israel

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Excavate an archaeological site in Israel and learn archaeological methods on the job. Attend illustrated lectures three evenings a week, learning about the history, archaeology, and art of the eastern Mediterranean. Travel to Jerusalem and other sites, independently or on organized field trips. Five weeks in June/July.
Prerequisite(s): HA 111 or HA 121 or approval of the instructor.

HA 228 — Oceanic Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students study the art and culture of Oceanic or Pacific Island cultures and civilizations, from the prehistoric era to colonialism to the present. Focus is placed on ceremonial/sacred and utilitarian objects in diverse media and architecture, and the contexts in which such objects were made.

HA 229 — Korean Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course is a survey of the art and civilization of Korea from its prehistoric origins to the early 21st century. We will examine how Korea created artistic traditions in response to regional and international trends, and how Korea adopted new artistic styles through relationships with China and Japan.

HA 230 — Modern and Contemporary African Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An examination of the history of 20th- and 21st-century African art, from decolonialization movements through contemporary themes. Surveys new artistic practices, schools, and workshops within their historical and artistic contexts. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 223.

HA 231 — Modern Art in Europe and North America

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An introduction to the history of European and North American art, and its global connections, from the French Revolution through the Second World War with emphasis on historical and social context.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 232 — Dada and Surrealism

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

A survey of the international Dada and Surrealist movements from 1915 to 1947, which challenged and redefined the traditions of modern art. Students analyze examples of fine art, performance, literature and film, and study how both Dada and Surrealism acted as responses to mechanization and war. (G7: Humanities)Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 234 — Warhol and Pop Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

A study of American and International Pop art movements, focusing on Andy Warhol's impact on visual culture from the 1960s to the present. Addresses Pop's art historical origins as well as its major themes, which include advertising, mass media, war and social critique, sexuality, and celebrity. (G7 Humanities)Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 235 — Art, Technology and Empire in the Ancient World: Greece and Persia

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An introduction to monumental Greek and Persian palace and temple architecture and its decoration in the Eastern Mediterranean and West/Central Asia before and after Alexander “the Great.” Students learn about the region’s history, technological traditions and innovations in building, function, furnishing and ornament, and about the legacies of ancient Greek and Western Asian architecture in the modern world.

HA 236 — Queering Art History in Visual Culture of Europe and the United States

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students are introduced to the historical and social contexts and theorization of LGBTQIA presence and perspective, primarily in Europe and the US, from three angles: the history of artistic production by queer artists; representations of non-binary sexuality in art and popular imagery; and queering as a mode of reception and interpretation.

HA 237 — Global Fashion: Ancient Origins to Modern Styles

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Survey of elite and everyday fashion in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania from ancient origins to the 20th century. This course offers a geographical overview of global styles of adornment and dress, including cross-cultural connections and exchange, focusing on the aesthetics and making of dress and its representation in art. (G6: The Arts; G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 238 — Art and Design in Morocco

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Offered in Morocco, this course explores the art, architecture, and artisanal crafts of this visually rich culture. Site visits allow students to understand the role of historical culture in the making of identity, and hands-on workshops with traditional craftspeople impart a humanitarian perspective on the role of art in society.

HA 239 — The History of African Textiles and Fashion

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course is a survey of historical and contemporary forms of African dress, adornment and fashion. Within a geographical overview of dress, students explore how historically rooted textiles have been reinvented by African-based artists and designers. Emphasis is on manufacture methods, socio-historic contexts, and dress and fashion’s importance as forms of African artistic expression.

HA 240 — Modern and Contemporary Korean Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course focuses on the development of Korean art from the 1850s to the present day. It starts with the modernization process in Korean art and traces the emergence of abstract art, performances, installations, and other forms of avant-garde art and design movements.

HA 241 — History of Photojournalism

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course surveys the history of photojournalism as a modern mode of visual communication, and the global political and social history it represents. Students further develop their visual literacy, knowledge of modern history, and understanding of the functions of mass and social media. (G7: Humanities).

HA 242 — Andean Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course explores the art and visual culture of the South American Andes (modern-day Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia), from their origins through the Inka and European invasion, with an emphasis on textiles. The class will also examine ceramics, metalwork, and stone that express fundamental aspects of Indigenous philosophy and cosmovision. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 243 — History of Photography

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

A history of photography from its beginnings to the present day. Illustrated lectures present a chronological survey that focuses on photographers, technical advancements, and aesthetic considerations in the context of pertinent ideas and events. (G7: Humanities).

HA 244 — Art and Architecture in Paris

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Conducted in Paris. This course provides the unique opportunity for students to learn about Paris and its art and architecture on site. They experience the works of art and monuments in person within the context of the city itself. (G6 Arts; G7 Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 111 or HA 112.

HA 245 — Art of the United States

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Study of the visual arts in the United States from the Colonial Era to World War I. Painting, sculpture, architecture, and other visual media are analyzed as discrete artistic expressions and also as manifestations of pertinent cultural, social, economic, political, and religious developments. Students examine an inclusive array of artists.

HA 246 — Art and Social Justice in New York

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course studies social justice as addressed and explored through art, architecture, and visual culture in New York City. Critical investigations and discussion arise from field trips to local art institutions, historical sites, and monuments.

HA 247 — Medieval Art in Europe and the Mediterranean World

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course presents the history of Western art and civilization from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance in Europe and the Mediterranean World. Illustrated lectures present architecture, painting, and sculpture in relation to pertinent religious, economic, and social changes.

HA 251 — Film Genres: Horror

3 credits; 2 lecture and 2 lab hours

This course is cross-listed with FI 234. This course provides an international historical survey of the horror film from the early 20th century to the present. Through screenings and readings from a range of authors, students analyze formal and thematic elements of the horror genre in relation to historical, social, and aesthetic contexts. (G6: Arts; G7: Humanities).

HA 252 — History of Russian and Soviet Film

3 credits; 2 lecture and 2 lab hours

This course is cross-listed with FI 241. This course is a survey of films produced in pre-revolutionary Russia, the Soviet Union, and post-Soviet Russia, from the earliest silent films to the present. Students view selected films and analyze them within historical, social, and aesthetic contexts. (G6: Arts; G7: Humanities).

HA 271 — Japanese Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course is a survey of the art and civilization of Japan from its prehistoric origins to the 21st century. Students study how Japan created artistic traditions in response to regional and international trends, and adopted new artistic styles through diplomatic relationships with China and Korea. Modernization of Japan within the context of global cultural encounters is discussed.

HA 272 — Islamic Art and Mathematics (Interdisciplinary)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This is an interdisciplinary course cross-listed with MA 272. Students are introduced to the art and architecture of the Islamic world from the 7th century CE to the present. They are given a glimpse into the intertwined nature of mathematical, structural and decorative languages used by artisans and designers in this period. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 299 — Independent Study In History of Art and Civilization

1-3 credit

Prerequisite(s): a minimum 3.5 GPA and approval of instructor, chairperson, and dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 300 — Art and Architecture of the Venetian Republic, c. 1100-1800

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Survey of Venetian art and architecture between the 11th and 18th centuries, from Venice’s Byzantine traditions to the end of the Republic in 1797. Works of art and architecture are contextualized in their historical and cultural periods and analyzed for their meaning, aesthetic value, and technical qualities.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 301 — Fashion and Impressionism (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Examines fashion's importance to 19th-century Parisians and especially Impressionist artists. Explores the historic origins of the modern fashion system and of the modern art market. Required qualification for Presidential Scholars Program/3.5 GPA. (G7: The Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 302 — Baroque Splendor: Art and Culture in Seventeenth-Century Europe

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys 17th-century European art emphasizing how the period's political, social, and cultural transformations affected art production and visual culture. Examines works in diverse mediums, representative of the different artistic tendencies coexisting at the time, unified under the term Baroque. (G7: Humanities).
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 303 — Tradition and Innovation in Asian Art and Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Probes the historical development and modern transformation of Asian art and design. Students in this study-abroad course visit historical monuments, major museums of Asian art, and artists' studios in a particular city. Focuses on first-hand study of art works and historical monuments, and engages with contemporary practitioners of art, design, and traditional techniques.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115 or HA 117.

HA 304 — Holocaust Representation in Art (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

In surveying art about the Holocaust, this course explores the ethical limits of representation in an interdisciplinary framework of history, politics, art history, media studies, psychoanalysis, and Marxist and literary theory. What will emerge is the way that many concerns of Holocaust-related artists have likewise driven so-called mainstream artists since World War II.
Prerequisite(s): Any HA course; and qualification for the Presidential Scholars Program or 3.5 GPA and approval of instructor.

HA 305 — History of 20th-Century Textile Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

A survey of textile pattern design for dress and furnishings from the late 19th century to the present, with an emphasis on its relation to modern and postmodern art and its contexts and with a focus on Europe and the United States.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 306 — Far From Home: Travel Narratives and Art History (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students examine travelers’ accounts—the narrative, pictorial, and photographic records of travel on which art historians and archaeologists rely heavily—from ancient, medieval and modern cultures as a way to examine and reconstruct visual cultures.
Prerequisite(s): Qualification for the Presidential Scholars Program.

HA 308 — Goddesses, Women, Power and Patronage in the Ancient World (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course introduces students to the world of women and women’s patronage in ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Eastern Mediterranean cultures through the study of art and archaeology. Surveys of visual representations of women leaders from the 3rd millennium BCE to Late Antiquity emphasize the manifold contributions made by women of power in ancient societies.
Prerequisite(s): Qualification for Presidential Scholars program or GPA 3.5 and above and permission from the dean.

HA 309 — History of Business in the Visual Arts: 1800-2000 (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course examines business and labor conditions in which artists and designers have created their work and pursued professional development from 1800 to the present. Historical examples demonstrate how artistic production relates to other forms of labor and how art works and skills are valued at different times and places.
Prerequisite(s): Any HA course and qualification for the Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA and permission of Dean of Liberal Arts.

HA 310 — Global Contemporaries in the World of Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Focusing on global contemporary art since 1989 and using postcolonial art theory, students address diverse art practices grounded in their historical, regional, cultural, economic, religious, and political contexts .(G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations)
Prerequisite(s): Any 2 HA courses.

HA 312 — Women in Western Art from the Late 18th Century to the Present

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students examine the role of women as creators and, to a lesser extent, subjects of art from the 18th through the 20th centuries. This course focuses on the contributions of selected women artists and touches on issues related to the depiction of women in Western art. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 231.

HA 314 — History of American Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

HA 316 — The Bauhaus

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course is a study of the history and development of the influential German art, design and architecture school; the artists and architects who served on its faculty; and the body of work produced there from 1919 to 1933, and in Chicago from 1938 to 1944. (G7 Humanities).
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 317 — Italian Renaissance Art and Civilization

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys Italian art and its contexts from 1400 to the late 1500s, covering the early Renaissance to the emergence of the Baroque, including within a global perspective. Students study traditions and innovations in style, subject, roles of artists and patrons, and modes of production within the flux of Renaissance history.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115 or HA 212.

HA 318 — Repositioning Ancient Egypt and Rethinking Egyptology

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Recontextualizes ancient Egypt within the history of ancient Africa and African society. Through readings, discussions, and field trips, students examine how scholars have often framed ancient Egypt as part of the “West” rather than Africa and evaluate past and current biases in our understanding and reconstruction of ancient Egyptian culture. (G7: Humanities; G9: Other World Civilizations).

HA 319 — Art History and Conservation

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course introduces students to technologies used to conserve, restore, and examine works of art, and to basics in the development, science, and ethics of art conservation. Students learn how technologies are used in critical analysis in art historical study, and about the history, challenges, and practices of conservation.
Prerequisite(s): HA 111 or HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 320 — Animals, Architecture, and Aesthetics

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students study the myriad ways animals create structures for living and expression from an art historical perspective. Considering the construction and sustainability of nests, hives, dams, and burrows, we will ask “do animals make architecture?”. The aesthetic sensibility of animals will be discussed in relation to ontology and ethics.
Prerequisite(s): Any HA course.

HA 321 — Eco-Visions in Art and Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course surveys modern and contemporary art and design from an ecological perspective, highlighting consciousness-raising activism and environmental sustainability.
Prerequisite(s): Any HA or approval of the chairperson.

HA 322 — Contemporary Global Fashion History

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course covers global fashion design trends and culture in the 21st century through the lenses of globalism, fashion and design history, gender and sexuality, environment and labor. Thematic lectures cover new media, representation, fashion in museums and the academy, among others, with discussion of contemporary critical debates in global fashion.
Prerequisite(s): HA 237 or HA 305 or HA 344 or HA 346.

HA 330 — Approaches to Fashion Theory (Interdisciplinary)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This is an interdisciplinary course cross-listed with PL 330. Studies theories of fashion from both philosophical and art-historical perspectives. Examines how our relationship to our bodies, our concepts of self, our clothing, and our definitions of beauty are historically and culturally dependent. (G4: Social Sciences; G7: Humanities).
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or PL 141 or PL 321 or SS 131 or SS 171.

HA 331 — Contemporary Art and Culture: 1945 to the Present

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

An introduction to the interpretation of visual art in relation to international historical developments, with emphasis on late twentieth- and twenty-first-century art.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 332 — Modern Architecture

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Traces the development of architecture in Europe and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. Illustrated lectures present architectural developments in relation to pertinent ideas, events, and technological innovations. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 333 — Contemporary Photography and New Media

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course explores globally produced photographic works made since the mid-1960s. Emphasis is on key themes and genres, and on the works' historical and theoretical contexts. In addition to conventional photography, the course covers new media such as video, installations, projections, and computer-assisted and internet-hosted photography.
Prerequisite(s): HA 231 or HA 243.

HA 342 — History of Textile Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Illustrated lectures survey patterned textile design throughout the world from antiquity to the mid-20th century. (G7: Humanities).
Prerequisite(s): One History of Art course.

HA 343 — History of Photography

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

HA 344 — European Fashion: Ancient Origins to Modern Styles

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course surveys the history of fashion in Europe from antiquity to the early twentieth century in the context of the history of art and design. The historical evolution of fashionable dress for men and women since the Renaissance is emphasized, by means of illustrated lectures, readings and visits to the Museum at FIT and other institutions with costume collections and exhibitions.
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 or HA 115.

HA 345 — History of Industrial Design

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys the development of design for commercial production from antiquity to the modern era in a cultural context. Illustrated lectures address major theories, leading contributors, and examples of work that reflect technological and artistic achievements in the field. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): two History of Art and Civilization courses (HA 111, HA 112, or HA 231), or equivalent and approval of instructor, or (for Home Products Development students) HA 112.

HA 346 — Twentieth-Century Fashion and Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Surveys 20th-century fashionable dress in the context of art and design history, with emphasis on the work of leading fashion designers. Students study garments and accessories in the collection of The Museum at FIT, as well as photographs, fashion illustrations, and films. (G6: The Arts; G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 347 — Costume and Fashion in Film

3 credits; 2 lecture and 2 lab hours

This course is cross-listed with FI 262. This course surveys the history of costume design in films from 1895 to the present. Through screenings, museum visits, and readings, students view the work of leading costume and fashion designers and explore the connections between film and related visual art and media. (G7: Humanities).

HA 348 — History of the Modern Printed Image

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students study a history of the printed image from the invention of lithography in the late 18th century to the present. Emphasis is on historical, contextual, technological, and stylistic concerns, with the appropriate connections to similar developments in fine arts and graphic design. (G6: Arts; G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112.

HA 381 — The Word and the Page: A History of Writing and Books (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course covers writing from the earliest cuneiform and hieroglyphic writing systems to the mass production of writing and texts in the modern era and the digital revolution in type and text. Students learn how and why writing developed across a variety of cultures. (G6: Arts; G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 and qualification for Presidential Scholars program or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 382 — Beauty: The Human Ideal in Visual Culture (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course explores the concept of beauty through disciplines of art history, philosophy, and social science, as understood through visual representation of the human body. Using the anaylsis of both fine art and popular mass-media sources, students examine how concepts of the beautiful reflect a society's structures of power and belief. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112, and qualification Pres. Sch. or app. or 3.5 GPA with approval of Dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 383 — Art of the Silk Road: Cross-Cultural Encounters (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

The Silk Road was the world's first great superhighway, linking from ancient China and Japan to the Mediterranean world across central Asia. In this course, students view ancient and medieval art of Eurasia in a new way, from the ancient to early modern periods.
Prerequisite(s): HA 111 or HA 112 or HA 115 or HA 117 or HA 121 or HA225 or HA 226 or HA 229, or HA 271 and qualification for the Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA and permission of Dean of Liberal Arts.

HA 385 — Racism and Antiracism in Public Art and Architecture of the United States (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Study of racism and antiracism in public art and architecture of the United States from the Colonial Era to today. We analyze historical sites, sculptures, murals, and multimedia installations as discrete examples of visual culture and in context as strategic exertions of social, legal, economic, aesthetic, and political power.
Prerequisite(s): Qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 394 — History of New York Architecture (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students explore the history of architecture in New York City. They are introduced to style, iconography, technical innovation, and geography. The cultural, social, economic, and political forces that shaped the city's buildings from the early 17th century to the present are also explored. (G6: Arts)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 and qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 395 — Studies in Indigenous Art of North America (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Indigenous art of North America prehistoric times to the present. Students study land art, architecture, carving, painting, pottery, and textiles in the context of their making and meaning. The traumatic impact of colonization on Indigenous people and their art will be discussed, as well as issues of sovereignty and governance.
Prerequisite(s): Qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 396 — Art and Patronage in the Italian Renaissance (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course surveys Italian Renaissance art patronage, emphasizing sociopolitical contexts and the celebration or critique of power. Emphasis is given to patronage in courts and republics and to the merchant class, princes, and popes, as well as marginalized groups. (G5: Western Civilizations; G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 112 and qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 397 — Studies in Maya Art and Culture (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This is an in-depth study of Maya art, architecture, writing, weaving, and ceramics and of the way these visual forms express aspects of Maya daily life and belief from 300 BCE to the present.
Prerequisite(s): qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 398 — Architecture and Faith: Ancient and Islamic Cities (Honors)

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course explores the commercial, cultural, and artistic development of urban cultures in the Mediterranean and Near East regions in the ancient, medieval, and Islamic periods. Major case studies include Rome, Baghdad, Cairo, Jerusalem, and Constantinople/Istanbul. (G9: Other World Civilizations)
Prerequisite(s): qualification for Presidential Scholars Program, or 3.5 GPA with approval of Dean for Liberal Arts.

HA 411 — Western Theories of Art

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

Students consider Western theories of art from antiquity to the present with an emphasis on the 20th century. They are introduced to different methods of analyzing a work of art as well as the ways in which these methods can affect a curator's decision in organizing an exhibition. (G7: Humanities)
Prerequisite(s): HA 231.

HA 462 — Art and Ethics

3 credits; 3 lecture hours

This course focuses on how and why any work of art can become a site of ethical questioning, within the context of many historical and thematic approaches. Students read, discuss, and analyze case studies involving art and ethics, and present their own research.
Prerequisite(s): Two (2) HA courses.

HA 499 — Independent Study In History of Art and Civilization

1-3 credit

Prerequisite(s): a minimum 3.5 GPA and approval of instructor, chairperson, and dean for Liberal Arts.