Study Abroad

Many majors and minors in Art History choose to study abroad – most for a semester, some for an academic year, and some others within one of a number of concentrated summer programs. Such an experience can be enormously valuable for students of art, history, and other dimensions of culture.

Guidelines and application procedures are available through the Office of Global Education. Here you will find an introduction to a wide range of cities, universities, and program types, along with guidelines for application. Advisors in the Office of Global Education offer guidance and answer questions about individual programs, application strategies, and more.
 

FAQ

How do I coordinate study abroad with my major in Art History?

Art History majors planning to study abroad should meet with a departmental advisor—either their own major advisor or the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Art History—to discuss course selection. They should bring their completed Study Proposal Form, which is available from the Office of Global Education (OGE) as part of the application process. The departmental advisor will focus mainly on those courses the student is considering as part of her or his major. Typically the student will list one or several selected from a tentative catalogue of offerings at the intended host institution. Having discussed the student’s interests and remaining requirements, the faculty advisor will designate those selections likely to be approved as counting toward the major.

What if the courses approved by the Department aren’t offered when I get there?

Actual offerings at the host institution will sometimes differ from those projected in the list or bulletin available to students before they arrive. The departmental advisor will therefore often approve more potential courses than the student will take while studying abroad. If the student finds that few if any of the pre-approved courses are being offered when s/he arrives at the host university, s/he should email the departmental advisor (major advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies in Art History) for advice about available alternates.

How do I confirm credits toward the major after I return to Georgetown?

Courses taken during study abroad are not officially approved for the major until after they are completed. Upon returning to Georgetown, the student should meet with the departmental advisor, and bring:

  1. the Transfer of Credits Form
  2. the Study Proposal Form (if available)
  3. the transcript from the semester or year abroad
  4. any available materials (description, syllabus, graded papers and or/exams) for the art history course(s) to be evaluated.

Only after review of the course materials can the departmental advisor determine whether and how the courses may be counted for credit within the major.

How many study abroad courses may I take as part of my major in Art History?

For a semester of study abroad, you may receive major credit for no more than two courses. For a year (two semesters) of study abroad, you may receive major credit for no more than three courses.

Bear in mind that for the Art History major, no more than three courses may be taken outside Georgetown’s Department of Art and Art History. A student counting two study-abroad courses toward the major would therefore be able to receive credit for only one more course from outside the Department (e.g. as transfer credit). Please remember that no course taken abroad or outside the Department counts as one of the three required upper-level (400) courses.

What about Art History courses taught at Villa Le Balze?

Villa Le Balze, Georgetown’s study center in Florence, typically offers at least one course per semester that appears in the main campus course schedule under Art History (ARTH). These are considered departmental offerings, and therefore not counted among the three non-Department of Art and Art History courses allowed for the major.

What if I am an Art History minor?

Please follow the same instructions above for Art History majors to approve courses and confirm credits.  Art History minors may receive minor credit for no more than two courses, regardless of whether the study abroad program is one or two semesters in length.  Art History (ARTH) courses taught at Villa Le Balze may be taken for minor credit.