Easiest courses in Art History

Looking for a gentler semester? Start with courses where students have earned higher grades.

Highest historical GPA first. At least 100 letter grades over the five years through the selected term. Grades reflect past outcomes, not workload or a guaranteed result.

Find your fit

8 courses

Ranked courses have at least 100 recorded letter grades.

#1 ·AFROAMER/ARTHIST 242

Introduction to Afro-american Art

3 credits

Introduction to Afro-American Art surveys the historical evolution of African American art from its African heritage through the creativity of the 1970s.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Anthony Black

The course required one midterm with slide identification, three short reading summaries, and two longer analysis papers. While the midterm demanded memorization, the papers were short and manageable, and some students found the reading responses time-consuming.

Anthony Black

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#2 ·ARTHIST/ENVIRST/GEOG/HISTORY/LANDARC 239

Making the American Landscape

3–4 credits

Making the American Landscape traces the history and evolution of the American cultural landscape from precolonial times to present.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Anna Andrzejewski

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2024–Spring 2026

#3 ·ARTHIST 103

Topics in Art History

3–4 credits

Introduction to world art using a thematic approach, covering diverse media, time spans, and cultural origins.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Anna Campbell

Weekly workload included roughly three assignments, which were manageable if students paid attention to lectures.

Yuhang Li

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#4 ·ANTHRO/ARTHIST/DS/HISTORY/LANDARC 264

Dimensions of Material Culture

4 credits

Introduces the interdisciplinary field of material culture studies for students interested in careers in museums, galleries, historical societies, historic preservation, and academia.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Ann Smart Martin

Grading standards were inconsistent, with some assignments described as harshly graded while others were not.

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#5 ·ARTHIST 107

The Body, Sex, & Health in Art

3 credits

Examines cultural representations of health, sex, disease, medicine, and death across various art forms, emphasizing how race, gender, and disability shape depictions of the body from ancient times to the present.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Nancy Marshall

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Spring 2026

#6 ·ARTHIST 303

Topics in Art History

3 credits

Topics in Art History surveys the arts or visual culture of varying geographical regions, time periods, or cultures depending on the selected topic.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Daniel Spaulding Jessy Bell

historical GPA · grades

Fall 2022–Spring 2026

#7 ·ARTHIST/CLASSICS 304

The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Rome

3–4 credits

Explores the art and archaeology of ancient Italy, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · William Aylward

Grades were based solely on four exams, but the instructor provided detailed study guides well in advance and explicitly stated what to expect, making preparation straightforward.

William Aylward

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Spring 2026

#8 ·ARTHIST 201

History of Western Art I: From Pyramids to Cathedrals

4 credits

Survey of European and Mediterranean art before the Renaissance, linking canonical works and material culture to context and art history skills.

Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources

Past student reviews · Thomas Dale

Exams were reported as difficult to study for, specifically demanding the memorization of close to 100 pieces of art.

Nick Cahill

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2023–Spring 2025