Course Offerings

This course is designed to introduce students to the history and practice of curating artworks. “Museums, like asylum and jails, have wards and cells — in other words, neutral rooms called ‘galleries.’” Writing these words in the 1970s, the artist Robert Smithson expressed sharply the struggle of many 20th century artists with curatorial settings. From the private cabinet of curiosities to the Academic Salons, from experimental art galleries to large museums and the use of exhibitions themselves as an artistic medium, curatorial practices never ceased to shape our “understanding” and appreciation of artworks. Relying on historical and theoretical texts, on-site visits (museums and art galleries) and a dialogue with museum professionals, the class is focused on the creation of a virtual exhibition by the students, taking into account all aspects of the project from its conception to its realization. This course has a course fee included.

This is a parallel course offered at the 2000-level and 3000-level. While the assignments are similar at both levels, the written component of the final project goes up from 25 000 to 35 000 characters (space included) and an upper-level degree of precision in the critical apparatus of the final project (research; bibliography, theoretical and methodological pertinence) is expected. Faculty approval is required for AH3030.

This course is designed to introduce students to the history and practice of curating artworks. “Museums, like asylum and jails, have wards and cells — in other words, neutral rooms called ‘galleries.’” Writing these words in the 1970s, the artist Robert Smithson expressed sharply the struggle of many 20th century artists with curatorial settings. From the private cabinet of curiosities to the Academic Salons, from experimental art galleries to large museums and the use of exhibitions themselves as an artistic medium, curatorial practices never ceased to shape our “understanding” and appreciation of artworks. Relying on historical and theoretical texts, on-site visits (museums and art galleries) and a dialogue with museum professionals, the class is focused on the creation of a virtual exhibition by the students, taking into account all aspects of the project from its conception to its realization. This course has a course fee included.

This is a parallel course offered at the 2000-level and 3000-level. While the assignments are similar at both levels, the written component of the final project goes up from 25 000 to 35 000 characters (space included) and an upper-level degree of precision in the critical apparatus of the final project (research; bibliography, theoretical and methodological pertinence) is expected. Faculty approval is required for AH3030.

The senior seminar involves an in-depth study of major artists, epochs or themes in art history. The course regularly changes focus and approach according to the specialty of the professor. It will, however, always include a historiographic component and may cut across traditional, chronological, and/or geographical boundaries. May be taken a second time as an upper-level art history elective.
“For the course description, please find this course in the respective semester on the public course browser: https://www.aup.edu/academics/course-catalog/by-term.” May be taken twice for credit.

Sociocultural anthropology is the comparative study of human societies and cultures. This course is designed to introduce students to central areas of anthropological inquiry, a range of key theoretical perspectives and the discipline’s holistic approach. Through field-based research projects, students will also gain familiarity with the discipline’s qualitative research methods (especially participant observation). While students will encounter the works of key historical figures in the discipline, they will also discover current debates on globalization and transnationalism. Finally, this course also strives to cultivate students’ ability to reflect critically on their own identities and cultures, thereby gaining a greater understanding and appreciation for diversity and an improved set of intercultural communication skills.