History of Art and Visual Culture

In the History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) Department, students study the production, use, form, and reception of visual products and cultural manifestations past and present. Objects of study include paintings, sculptures, and architecture, which are within the traditional purview of art history, as well as art and non-art objects and visual expressions that sit beyond disciplinary boundaries. The HAVC Department offers courses covering a wide variety of material from the cultures of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific Islands, including media as diverse as ritual, performative expression, bodily adornment, landscaping, the built environment, installation art, textiles, manuscripts, books, photography and film.

HAVC students at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) investigate complex questions concerning the social, political, economic, religious, and psychological impact of images from the perspective of their producers, users, and viewers. Visual objects play a central role in the formation of values and beliefs, including the perception of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, and class. Through attentive historical study and close analysis, students are taught to recognize and assess these systems of value, and are introduced to theoretical and methodological frameworks for future research. Students also have the opportunity to take independent study courses and write senior theses.

The HAVC curriculum guides students in acquiring skill in critical thinking about art and visual culture, leading to a bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree. Each student who chooses to major or minor in HAVC devises an individual study plan with a faculty adviser. The lower-division courses, numbered 1–99, intended for general education students and prospective majors, provide an introduction to the field of visual culture according to geographic areas and visual traditions within those areas. Upper-division courses numbered 100-189 cover a broad range of issues in various aspects of world culture from earliest times to the present. Advanced upper-division courses focus on selected fields, topics, and methods. The most advanced courses, numbered 190 and 191, are taught in seminar format.

The HAVC major requires four lower-division and nine upper-division courses including the satisfactory completion of the senior comprehensive requirement. Students must take courses in each of the different cultural settings to ensure methodological and disciplinary breadth.

Lower-Division Requirements

Four courses from four different geographical regions listed above.

HAVC 80 may be used to fulfill the lower-division regional breadth requirement for regions 10 (Africa), 60 (Native Americas), or 70 (Oceania).

Upper-Division Requirements

Nine courses, as follows:

• 100A recommended during sophomore year. Because 100A is a prerequisite for other courses, if it is not completed by the end of the junior year, students may have difficulty enrolling in required courses and graduation may be delayed.
• 101-191: eight courses required, including a seminar (190s and 191s) to satisfy the senior comprehensive (see Comprehensive Requirement below).

In completing upper-division coursework, students must complete three upper-division courses (courses 101-191) from three different regions. Two of those regions must be a geographical area not studied at the lower-division level.

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major’s upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. Students in HAVC meet the DC requirement by completing course 100A.

Senior Comprehensive Requirement

All seniors must complete one seminar, 190–191, as their “senior exit” course to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement. Seminars can be taken for senior exit credit only by permission of the instructor. Within the context of this advanced seminar, students will work under the close supervision of their professor to produce a written project that demonstrates a high level of achievement in research, writing, and critical thinking. Students whose performance is outstanding are eligible for honors in the senior comprehensive requirement.

Concentration in Religion and Visual Culture

This program is for students who wish to pursue the study of religion in conjunction with studies of visual culture. A student enters the concentration by proposing, in consultation with their faculty adviser, a sequence of upper-division courses to fulfill the religion and visual culture requirements. The declaration of major requirements for the religion and visual culture concentration are the same as those listed in the Declaration of Major section. The faculty adviser for the religion and visual culture concentration is Raoul Birnbaum.

Requirements for the Religion and Visual Culture Concentration

Fifteen courses, as follows:

• Four lower-division courses (each from a different geographical area)
• 100A recommended during sophomore year. Because 100A is a prerequisite for other courses, if it is not completed by the end of the junior year, students may have difficulty enrolling in required courses and graduation may be delayed.
• 101-191: five courses that focus on the study of religion
• 190-191: one seminar (190s and 191s) to satisfy the senior comprehensive (see Comprehensive Requirement above).
• Four relevant upper-division courses in the study of religion from programs on campus such as anthropology, history, literature, and philosophy. (For a complete list of approved courses, please see the departmental website http://havc.ucsc.edu/program/religion.)

Requirements

• To be considered for admission to UC Santa Cruz, international students must be on track to complete secondary school with superior grades/marks in academic subjects and to earn a certificate of completion that enables the student to be admitted to a university in their home country. 
• Reporting Foreign Course Work on the Application: When you apply to UC Santa Cruz, you must report ALL foreign course work as it would appear on your foreign academic record. You should not convert the grading system of your home country to U.S. grades or use an evaluation done by an agency. If your grades/marks appear as numbers, words, or percentages, please report them as such on your UC application. Each UC campus has an International Admissions Specialist who will thoroughly evaluate your international records.
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Overall band score of 6.5 or higher*
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the Internet-based test
• SAT Writing Exam: 560 or higher

Test Requirements

All freshman applicants are expected to submit scores from one of the following tests. Even if the test is not offered in your country, we expect it:

• The ACT Assessment plus the ACT Writing Test  

--OR—

• The SAT with critical reading, mathematics, and writing scores from the same sitting. 

*Note: We no longer require SAT Subject exams. (We will still review these exam scores if applicants choose to send them to us, however, and certain SAT Subject exams may be recommended for some majors.)

SAT Subject exams accepted by UC:

• English (literature) 
• History/social studies
• Mathematics (Level 2 only; Level 1 is not accepted by the UC)
• Science
• Languages (Other than English)

Please note: In order for your test scores to be available in time for our review, all tests must be taken by December of the year before you plan to enroll.

Scholarships

To qualify for Federal, State, or University funding you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen and you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid is not available for students with F1 or F2 Student Visas, J1 or J2 Exchange Visitor Visas, or G Series Visas.

Undergraduate Dean’s Scholarships and Awards

This award recognizes the academic achievement of non-resident students. Entering non-resident students will be considered for the Undergraduate Dean's Scholarships and Awards ranging from $12,000 to $40,000 (for freshmen) or $6,000 to $20,000 (for transfers), depending upon several factors from your admissions application. The award is intended to offset non-resident tuition and will be discontinued if the student becomes a California resident.