Art Conservation Major

Requirements for the Major

A major in Art Conservation requires a minimum of 13 courses plus senior requirements. 

Prerequisites: Four or five courses in Art History and Chemistry as follows:

1. Art History (one course)

•  ARHI001A PO Introduction to the History of Art: Prehistory to c. 1400  or
•  ARHI001B PO Introduction to the History of Art: c. 1400 to the Present   

2. General Chemistry (one or two courses*)

• CHEM014L KS  and CHEM015L KS ; or
• CHEM029L KS ; or
• CHEM040L KS  and CHEM015L KS  

*Completion of the AISS sequence will satisfy the general chemistry requirement

3. Organic Chemistry (two courses)

• CHEM116L KS  and
• CHEM117L KS  

Upper Division Core: Seven courses

• Art History - two courses
• Archaeology - one course
• Anthropology - one course
• Art Conservation - one course
• Studio Art - Two courses: one in two-dimensional art; one in three-dimensional art

Electives: One or two courses in consultation with adviser

Senior Requirements: One or two courses

Select one of the following options:

Option 1.  Conservation Policy or Historic Preservation

• Take one additional course from a required Art Conservation area (e.g., science, art history, anthropology, archaeology, or art conservation)
• ARHI190 SC Senior Seminar  
• ARHI191 SC Senior Thesis  

Option 2. Conservation Science or Practice

• Take two additional courses: CHEM126L KS  and one of the following: CHEM127L KS , CHEM128 KS , or CHEM122 KS .
• One- ( CHEM191 KS ) or two- ( CHEM188L KS / CHEM190L KS , or  CHEM189L KS / CHEM190L KS ) semester thesis.

Honors Requirements:

The following is required to be considered for honors in Art Conservation:

• 11.00 grade point average in the major;
• Register for an honors thesis by the 10th day of the fall semester of the senior year;
• Minimum grade of A- (minus) in Senior Thesis and/or Senior Seminar;
• Write a thesis considered more substantial than that of students not pursuing honors;
• Oral defense of thesis before thesis readers and one other faculty member from the Claremont Colleges.