Iowa Idea Track Overview
In the 1920s, the groundbreaking "Iowa Idea" of bringing artists and scholars together in an academic context was born at the University of Iowa.
The Iowa Idea became the model for numerous art and art history programs across the nation, training artists and art historians within a united studio and liberal arts environment. In 1940, Iowa became the first university to award the Master of Fine Arts degree, and in the same year, Elizabeth Catlett was the first African-American woman to receive the MFA. The Iowa Idea eventually led to the inception of the famous Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
The Iowa Idea track to the art history major requires 33 semester hours of coursework in art history and 6 semester hours of coursework in studio art.
Course requirements
Required coursework for the Iowa Idea Track to the art history major can be found in the University of Iowa General Catalog.
The Bachelor of Arts in Art History requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including 39 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.
Students may count a maximum of 56 semester hours earned in art and art history courses toward the degree; they must earn at least 64 semester hours of credit in courses outside the School of Art, Art History, and Design in order to graduate.
BA students with a double major in the school (e.g., a major in art history and a major in art) or a major and a minor in the school (e.g., a major in art history and a minor in art) must earn at least 56 semester hours of credit in courses outside the School of Art, Art History, and Design in order to graduate.
Note that the requirements can and do change as deemed necessary by the school. However, once you have begun your program, your requirements will not change. Always refer to your degree audit as the official record of your requirements.
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