ARTP-MIN - Art Practice (Minor)

Suggested Preparation for the Minor

Any student considering an Art Practice minor is strongly encouraged to take the following three introductory courses, which also fulfill minor degree requirements, during their freshman or sophomore years. The core studio series ARTSTUDI 101 ‘Foundations I’ and ARTSTUDI 102 ‘Foundations II’ expose students to a broad range of contemporary artists and hands-on art making techniques, familiarize students with the various studio facilities in the Department of Art & Art History, introduce key theoretical concepts in contemporary practice, and provide experience with group critiques and exhibition practices which are key components of the art practice field and major. The core ARTHIST 5 ‘Art & Power’ course familiarizes students with contemporary thinking regarding the power dynamics in the production and circulation of art, along with its cultural and historical uses and impacts. By taking these three core courses early on, students will gain a broad overview of the field and its key components, and be better able to situate and contextualize their elective coursework for the minor upon declaring.

How to Declare the Minor

To declare the minor, students must meet with the Student Services Specialist. During this meeting, students will select a faculty advisor with guidance from the Student Service Specialist. Students then must confirm that the faculty member has agreed to advise them by filing a signed advisor form.

Minors are required to meet with both their faculty advisor and the Student Services Specialist at the start of each year, and additionally as desired, to have coursework approved and make certain they are meeting degree requirements. 

Minors are required to attend an orientation session, presented by the professional staff of the Art and Architecture Library, which introduces the tools of research and reference available on campus or through the internet. This requirement should be completed no later than the quarter following the minor declaration.

Program Learning Outcomes

The department expects undergraduate minors in the program to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes. These learning outcomes are used in evaluating students and the department's undergraduate program.

Students in historical studies are expected to demonstrate:

1. knowledge and awareness of art and/or film terminology and concepts;

2. ability to develop effective and nuanced lines of interpretation;

3. improved critical thinking skills using primary and secondary source materials;

4. improvement in analytical writing skills and close reading skills;

5. ability to form and validate their own and others' opinions through knowledge of artistic movements and sociohistorical events.

Students in creative art are expected to demonstrate:

1. enhanced awareness of the role of art in intellectual and cultural life;

2. problem solving skills to organize, analyze and interpret visual information;


3. mastery of techniques and materials of a discipline with awareness of historical and current practices;

4. selection of materials, processes, form, and content to achieve poetic and expressive relationships to artistic media;

5. ability to apply critical analysis to the student’s own work and the work of others;

6. effective techniques for the preparation and presentation of work consistent with professional practices in the field.

Advanced Placement Credits

University units earned by placement tests or advanced placement work in secondary school may not be applied toward the minimum 36 total units required for the minor.

Transfer Credit Evaluation

Upon declaring an Art Practice minor, a student transferring from another school must have their work evaluated by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in Art Practice in order for any prior credits to count towards the minor. A maximum of 5 transfer units may be applied toward the minimum 36 total units required for the minor, and no case can transfer credits count towards any of the required courses for the minor (course, course, course). A student wishing to have more than 5 units applied toward the minor, or count transfer credits towards a required course, must submit a petition to the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Art Practice and then have their prior work reviewed by the art practice faculty.

External Credit

Students can take a maximum of one course (5 units) away from Stanford; this includes transfer courses from other universities and Stanford Overseas Studies. A student must meet with his or her advisor and with the Student Services Specialist before planning an overseas campus program. The advisor will determine which level studio courses any overseas units will count for, based on a review of the syllabi and work from these courses. (Overseas course numbers do not necessarily correspond to 100 and 200 level art practice course numbers at Stanford, so do not assume this.) In no case can overseas study or study abroad credits count towards any of the required courses for the minor (course, course, course).