238 Department of Fine Arts and Art History

Department of Fine Arts and Art

History
Chairperson: Sadek, Walid
Professor: Sadek, Walid
Associate Professors: Franses, Henri; Harutyunyan, Angela
Assaf, Sahar; Auji, Hala; Esanu, Octavian; Genadry,
Assistant Professors: Daniele; Hammond, Joseph; Kim, Thomas O’Brian,
Heather
Senior Lecturers: Kurani, David H.; Shebaya, Peter H.
P
Al-Amine, Gheith; PBadran, Rayya; PHarb, Nazha;
P
Khcheich, Rima; PKhoury, Joelle; PMaalouf, Maya;
Instructors:
Ghalya, Saadawi; PSabbah, Yasmina; PSabban,
Sarah

Mission Statement
The Department of Fine Arts and Art History educates students in the arts in all their
dimensions, believing that an understanding and appreciation of this area of human
endeavor is an essential element in the formation of well-rounded individuals. To that
end, we offer courses in the visual arts, music and theater. In the case of our courses
aimed at training practitioners, our goal is to produce students with the skills to create
meaningful statements in art. In the case of our historical and theoretical courses, we
introduce students to great works of art of different cultures, and aim to equip them to
deal with artworks critically, and with scholarship.
The department offers two degrees: a BA in Studio Arts and a BA in Art History.
The department also offers minors in Studio Arts, Art History, Music, and Theater.

Studio Arts Program

The Studio Arts BA Program provides undergraduate students with a strong foundation
in studio skills: drawing, painting, sculpture, analog and digital photography, video
and new technology. The SART faculty members, while trained and skilled in studio
techniques, do not espouse a conventional approach to the deployment of these
techniques nor do they promote in their teaching a fidelity to the traditions of art.
Rather, they all develop teaching methods through the lenses of their own current
practices in which the past, present and future of art are constantly being recomposed
in dynamic constellations. The SART BA Program encourages a dynamical recalling of art
from within current concerns and develops in students an ability to employ a large array
of knowledge and skills with a readiness to open up towards post-studio art practices.
The requirement for a BA degree in studio arts is 90 credits for students entering the
department at the sophomore level. The distribution of these courses is as follows:

P) Part time

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Degree Requirements
University General Education Requirements
The General Education requirements are 9 credits of ENGL 203, ENGL 204, ARAB 201A
or any General Education Arabic Communication Skills, 12 credits of Humanities, 3
credits from CVSP sequence I, 3 credits from CVSP sequence II, 6 credits from the list
of approved courses in the humanities; 6 credits of Social Sciences; 6 credits of Natural
Sciences, and 3 credits of Quantitative Thought.

Free Electives Outside the Department

(theater and music courses in the department may be allowed) 15 crs.

Major Courses
These include:
• 30 credits in Studio Arts: SART 200, SART 201, SART 202, SART 203, SART 204, SART
205, SART 206, SART 207, SART 208, SART 209.
• 9 credits in Art History or Theory.

The minor program in Studio Arts requires 15 credits:

• Twelve credits taken from the following courses according to sequence and following
prerequisites: SART 200, SART 201, SART 202, SART 203, SART 204, SART 206, SART
207, SART 208.
• Three credits in art history taken from AHIS 203, AHIS 204, AHIS 207, AHIS 208, AHIS
209, AHIS 221, AHIS 222, AHIS 224, AHIS 225, AHIS 226, AHIS 227, AHIS 249, or
approved alternative.

Course Descriptions
SART 150 Studio Arts for Freshmen 0.6; 3 cr.
This course introduces students to studio practices in drawing, painting and sculpture.
The projects develop representational skills based on the observation of nature.
Students are introduced to a variety of media and tutored into building a portfolio of
their best work. Each semester.

SART 200 Drawing 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces art students to the fundamentals of observational drawing
through a variety of sketching techniques using wet and dry monochromatic media.
Through the practice of drawing, students become aware of how we see what we see
and acquire the necessary foundation for self-reflection and expression. Students are
introduced to pictorial conventions and their historical context through practice and
lectures. Annually. Open to all students.

SART 201 Painting I 0.6; 3 cr.

This course builds on the drawing skills acquired in the previous course and proposes the
practice of painting as an investigative, expressive and conceptual tool. The introduction
of color and an in-depth study of painting materials and techniques allow students
to explore the stages of constructing a painting. Students engage with fundamental
considerations of material surface, pictorial composition and subject matter in light of
examples taken from both historical and contemporary sources. Annually. Prerequisite
SART 200 or consent of the instructor.

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SART 202 Painting II 0.6; 3 cr.

This course follows Painting I, further developing students’ technical abilities and
knowledge and introduces them to the specific practices of key modern and contemporary
painters. By exploring the challenges of painting after photography’ students raise
practical and theoretical questions regarding the possibilities of transforming the world
through the painted image. Through a series of focused and open-ended exercises
students experiment with their acquired abilities and begin to open-up their work
to more complex pictorial challenges, and individual approaches in their practice.
Annually. Prerequisites: SART 200 and SART 201 or consent of the instructor.

SART 203 Sculpture 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces students to the practice of modeling forms through the observation
of nature. In a series of applied projects, students learn the modeling of forms and
their organization in space. Students will practice working with clay, cardboard, wood,
plaster and other mixed materials and learn safe studio working habits. Studio practice
is accompanied by lectures that historically contextualize the changing conventions of
sculpture since the late 19th century. Annually. Open to all students.

SART 204 Sculpture After the Monument 0.6; 3 cr.

This course considers that when sculpture is disengaged from the logic of the monument,
it enters a field of possibilities in which the previously recipient grounds of landscape
and architecture are activated to transform our relation with the environment. Students
investigate anti-monumental practices such as transience, non-anthropocentric scales
and temporalities, the ready-made, repetition and indexical documentation. Annually.
Prerequisites: SART 203 or consent of the instructor.

SART 205 The Technological Imagination 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces students to new technologies and their impact on how we come
to understand our place in the world. Practices of data inscription and the concomitant
techniques of data accessibility and salvageability constitute a challenge to
anthropocentric conceptions of existence. Through a series of applied exercises as well
as theoretical readings, students are initiated into this new field wherein ideas about
time, space, materiality and the primacy of vision are challenged and transformed.
Annually. Prerequisite: Studio Arts students with Senior standing.

SART 206 Reproducible Image I 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces students to black & white analog photography and basic
digital photography. Through practical projects students discover the structural and
conceptual possibilities of the camera and extend their learning in lab sessions that
provide basic digital editing in Adobe Lightroom and darkroom experience. There will
be an emphasis on planning a photograph, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, ISO,
the use of natural and artificial light and the function of lenses. Annually. Open to all
students.

SART 207 Reproducible Image II 0.6; 3 cr.

This course moves into intermediate concepts in digital and analog Photography. It
covers the components of digital output, processing and printing, as well as advanced
darkroom techniques, color film and scanning. This course employs Adobe Photoshop
as the primary digital software. Critical visual theory will also be read and discussed,
along with developing projects that question a notion of visual literacy. Students are
required to have a digital SLR camera with manual functions and a memory-storing
device. Annually. Prerequisites: SART 206 or consent of the instructor.

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SART 208 Reproducible Image III 0.6; 3 cr.

This course builds on the previous two courses in still-photography and introduces
students to the challenge of the moving image. Through a series of focused small
projects students are introduced to Video Art and Adobe Premiere editing software.
Experimentation with narrativity, image sourcing, appropriation and soundscaping lead
towards longer individual projects. Critical visual theory of Video Art and Film will also
be read and discussed. Annually. Prerequisites: SART 206 and SART 207 or consent of
the instructor.

SART 209 Advanced Studio Practice 0.6; 3 cr.

This course offered last in the curricular sequence of SART opens a space for students
to develop a working process and build a personal proposition on a topic of their choice.
The course includes opportunities for students to present their work to each other and
to develop their critical writing. The course includes studio visits by practicing local and
international artists. Annually. Prerequisite: Studio Arts students with Senior standing.

SART 210 Introduction to Studio Arts 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces students to studio practices in drawing, painting and sculpture.
The projects develop representational skills based on the observation of nature.
Students are introduced to a variety of media and tutored into building a portfolio of
their best work. Every semester. This course does not fulfill major or minor requirement
for the BA in Studio Arts. Formerly FAAH 204.

SART 211 Painting for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

A beginning studio course introducing students to various painting media and subject
matter and aiming at developing basic skills. This course does not fulfill major or minor
requirement for the BA in Studio Arts.

SART 212 Watercolor for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

This course introduces students to the medium of watercolor painting. Through a series
of applied projects students learn the specificities of this technique and explore its
expressive potential. This course does not fulfill major or minor requirement for the BA
in Studio Arts. Formerly FAAH 208.

SART 213 Sculpture for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

A studio course in modeling, casting, and multi-media constructions. Emphasis is placed
on the fundamentals of three-dimensional organization and expression in relation to
the use of tools and materials, and the element of form. This course does not fulfill major
or minor requirement for the BA in Studio Arts.

SART 214 Ceramics for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

This course focuses on the development of basic skills and concepts by working with
ceramic materials (in the round). It also introduces students to basic ceramic art
materials such as a variety of clay bodies, glazes and oxides. Through this, students will
learn to observe color, form and proportion. This course does not fulfill major or minor
requirement for the BA in Studio Arts.

SART 215 Digital Photography for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

An introduction to the art and science of digital photography that covers the principles of
photography, digital camera functions, processing and producing digital photographic
work. This course does not fulfill major or minor requirement for the BA in Studio Arts.
Formerly FAAH 203D.

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SART 216 Video Art for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

A studio course organized around the writing, production and editing of individual video
films. Students learn skills to use video as a means of artistic expression. The course
also examines the history and theory of video art. This course does not fulfill major or
minor requirement for the BA in Studio Arts. Formerly FAAH 292.

SART 220 Special Topics in Studio Arts 0.6; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in studio arts. The enrolled student is required to produce artworks
and an essay in critical analysis. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor. May be repeated
for credit. Occasionally.

SART 217 Performance Art for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

This studio course explores the body as a fundamental element in art making and its
relationship to time and space. The course also provides an overview of the history and
theory of performance art. This course does not fulfill major or minor requirement for the
BA in Studio Arts. Formerly FAAH 286.

SART 218 New Media for Nonmajors 0.6; 3 cr.

This course offers an introduction to narration in the age of interactive media. It
approaches the aesthetics of narration traditionally based on questions of representation
through the challenges of participatory and immersive interactive media. This course
does not fulfill major or minor requirement for the BA in Studio Arts. Formerly FAAH 203E.

Art History Program

The Art History program seeks to train students in art history skills and concepts needed
to develop capabilities in art theory, research, teaching, and criticism. It offers a core
program with flexibility in the choice of art history concentrations in various periods
and areas, notably the Middle East.
The requirement for a BA degree in art history is 90 credits for students entering the
department at the sophomore level. The distribution of these courses is as follows:

Degree Requirements
University General Education Requirements
The General Education requirements are 9 credits of ENGL 203, ENGL 204, ARAB 201 or
other, 12 credits of Humanities, 3 credits from CVSP sequence I, 3 credits from CVSP
sequence II, 6 credits from the list of approved courses in the humanities, 6 credits of
Social Sciences, 6 credits of Natural Sciences, and 3 credits of Quantitative Thought.

Elective Requirements
These requirements are any one course (3 cr.) from the following group: PHIL 217, GRDS
231, SOAN 250, ARCH 033, or equivalent.

Free Electives Outside the Department

Theater and music courses in the department may be allowed.
12 cr (15 cr. for students exempt from the Arabic requirement)

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Major Courses
The major courses include 39 credits in the department as follows:
• AHIS 203, AHIS 204, AHIS 208, and AHIS 207 or AHIS 209.
• AHIS 224, AHIS 251, and AHIS 252
• AHIS 284 and AHIS 285
• Four further courses in Art History, of these, a maximum of two Studio Arts courses may
be taken to replace up to two Art History courses
The minor program in Art History requires 15 credits: 9 credits chosen from AHIS 203,
AHIS 204, AHIS 208, AHIS 221, AHIS 252, AHIS 284 or equivalents; 3 credits from AHIS
209, AHIS 224, AHIS 225, AHIS 226, AHIS 227, AHIS 263, AHIS 282, AHIS 283; and 3
credits from AHIS 249, AHIS 250, AHIS 261, AHIS 262, AHIS 207, AHIS 224 (or approved
alternate).

Course Descriptions
AHIS 150 Introduction to Art History for Freshmen 3.0; 3 cr.
A course that offers a fundamental overview of art and its development in the Western
world, providing the students with a chronology and brief description of the main
art periods and movements in the West starting from prehistoric art all the way to
contemporary art. Every semester. Formerly FAAH 150.

AHIS 203 Ancient Mediterranean Art 3.0; 3cr.

This is a chronological examination of major Mediterranean empires taking students
from Ancient Egypt to the fall of the western Roman Empire in the late 5th century CE. It
aims to introduce students to a wide range of cultures of the ancient world and the role
that the visual arts played in society, politics and the formation of their worldviews.
Semi-Annually. Formerly FAAH 221.

AHIS 204 Medieval Art 3.0; 3 cr.

A survey and analysis of art, architecture, and the evolution of the city from the fourth to
the fourteenth century. Annually. Equivalent: ARCH 122. Formerly FAAH 222.

AHIS 207 Early Islamic Art and Architecture 3.0; 3 cr.

This course explores the social, political, and cultural developments and changes of
art and the built environment of the early Islamic period, from the foundation of Islam
during the 7th century until the mid-13th century. The regions covered in this course
include the Middle East, North Africa, Anatolia, Iran, Central Asia, and parts of South
Asia. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 227B.

AHIS 208 Renaissance Art 3.0; 3 cr.

A study of Renaissance art and architecture in Western Europe c.1300 - c.1600. The
course covers a variety of influential works, their historical contexts and ways to
understand them. Annually.

AHIS 209 Ottomans, Mughals, and Safavids 3.0; 3 cr.

This course explores the art, architecture, and urban culture of the Ottoman Turks, the
Safavids of Iran and the Mughals of India, or the “gunpowder empires,” which dominated
the Middle East and South Asia during the newly globalizing era of the early modern
period. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 227A.

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AHIS 221 Modern Art and Culture 3.0; 3 cr.

A survey and analysis of art, architecture, and the evolution of the city from the mid-
eighteenth century to the beginning of World War II. Equivalent: ARCH 224. Occasionally.
Formerly FAAH 224.

AHIS 222 Manet to Picasso: Art in France 3.0; 3 cr.

from the mid 19th - early 20th c.
This course is a survey of the early phase of modern art in France from 1850 to 1915,
concentrating particularly on the work of Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne
and Pablo Picasso. It examines the idea of modernity as it is developed by these
artists, each building upon the innovations of his predecessor. Occasionally. Formerly
FAAH 229B.

AHIS 224 Islamic Art and Modernity 3.0; 3 cr.

This course explores the debates surrounding the historiography of art and architecture
that were developing during the nineteenth century in key urban centers in the Islamic
world including Beirut, Istanbul, Cairo, and Tehran. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 227F.

AHIS 225 Art Now 3.0; 3 cr.

This course looks at contemporary art, as it is being produced, diffused and consumed
in the present, while questioning what constitutes the present we live in historically,
politically and ideologically. Annually. Formerly FAAH 229C.

AHIS 226 Art After the Lebanese Wars 3.0; 3 cr.

The course is an introduction to a number of conceptual and documentary artistic
practices in the political context of Lebanon over the last two decades. Occasionally.
Formerly FAAH 229E.

AHIS 227 Sound in Visual Culture 3.0; 3 cr.

The course attempts to outline and unpack the rich premise of sonic and aural cultures
through art, music, the voice, the soundtrack, radio, as well as other media, within a
critical framework. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 229G.

AHIS 249 Special Topics in Art History 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in art history. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 226.

AHIS 250 Special Topics in Art Theory 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in art theory. Prerequisite: at least one previous Art History course
(or equivalent) or one Special Topics in Art History course or consent of the instructor.
Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 238.

AHIS 251 Theories of Modern Art 3.0; 3 cr.

The course grounds the concept of art in relation to the drastic transformations brought
about by modernity from the mid 19 th and to the mid 20 th centuries. Modernism, the
avant-garde and realism as aesthetic regimes form the main frameworks of theoretical
and historical examination. Annually. Formerly FAAH 235.

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AHIS 252 Contemporary Art and Theory 3.0; 3 cr.

The course considers the historical and theoretical interrelations between
contemporaneity and contemporary art since the end of WWII. The course addresses
the ways in which art production, reception and interpretation have undergone drastic
transformations against the background of broader historical changes and theoretical
paradigm shifts. Annually. Prerequisites any two of the following: AHIS 203, AHIS 204,
AHIS 207, AHIS 208, AHIS 209, AHIS 221, AHIS 222, AHIS 224, AHIS 225, AHIS 226, AHIS
227, AHIS 249, AHIS 250, AHIS 251, AHIS 261, AHIS 262, AHIS 263, AHIS 281, AHIS 282,
AHIS 283, AHIS 284, AHIS 285. Formerly FAAH 293.

AHIS 261 Methods in Art History 3.0; 3 cr.

A study in the tradition and methodology of art historical research. This pursues
a discussion of the work of major theorists who have structured the discipline of art
history; it includes theories of the evolution of art, iconography, and art criticism.
Students will be expected to discuss, analyze, and write about course readings on a
weekly basis. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 232.

AHIS 262 Seeing Rude and Erudite; Thinking the Visible We See 3.0; 3 cr.
The introductory course approaches visuality by positing a lingering and generative
difference between what we see and how we see; between what seems like a transparent
access to the world and the representational systems by which the world is made
available and accessible to seeing subjects who receive it and evaluate its images.
Occasionally.

AHIS 263 Art and Labor 3.0; 3 cr.

This seminar-style interdisciplinary course draws theories and methodologies from
art theory, philosophy, critical theory and social and political thought to investigate
the question of artistic labor as well as the artwork as a product labor. The question of
labor in the artwork is discussed in relation to social labor, and the way in which it both
coincides and diverts from the latter. Students will be expected to discuss, analyze, and
write about course readings on a weekly basis. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 229L.

AHIS 281 Collecting and Exhibiting Islamic Art 3.0; 3 cr.

This seminar-style course takes a historiographical and theoretical approach to
representations of Islamic art in museums, collections, and universal expositions/
fairs across Europe, the US and the Middle East. Students will be expected to discuss,
analyze, and write about course readings on a weekly basis. Occasionally. Formerly
FAAH 227C.

AHIS 282 Fighting Words: Criticism and Contemporary Art 3.0; 3 cr.
This writing-intensive, workshop-style seminar delves into the relationship between
criticism and contemporary art. It does so by producing the former as a means of defining,
disassembling, and/or defending the latter. Prerequisite: ENGL 204. Occasionally.
Formerly FAAH 229F.

AHIS 283 History of Art Criticism 3.0; 3 cr.

This is a survey of the history of art criticism, from the advent of the artist profile in
sixteenth-century Italy to the appearance of poet- and painter-critics in nineteenth-
century France and the rise of journal manifestos in mid-twentieth-century Egypt and
Morocco. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 229I.

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AHIS 284 History and Theory of Exhibitions 2.2; 3 cr.

The course introduces students to the history of exhibition-making practices since
the 19th century. It focuses on the historical and theoretical reevaluation of those
exhibitions that had a major impact upon the way art history is written. The course
also introduces students to theoretical approaches to curating art exhibitions.
Prerequisite: two of the following: AHIS 221, AHIS 222, AHIS 224, AHIS 225, AHIS 226,
AHIS 251, AHIS 252, AHIS 262, AHIS 282, AHIS 283, or approved alternate. Annually.

AHIS 285 Practices of Curating 2.2; 3 cr.

The course offers a hand-on experience in organizing art exhibitions and related events.
Students conduct curatorial research and implement their ideas practically, from writing
curatorial concepts to selecting artworks and designing exhibitions at the AUB Art
Galleries. Prerequisite: AHIS 284. Annually in the spring.

Theater Program
The minor program in Theater Arts seeks to acquaint students with basic theoretical and
practical aspects of theater performance and production. An overview of theater past
and present around the world is offered through a choice of interdepartmental courses
encompassing relevant history, literature and criticism.
The minor program in Theater requires 15 credits: four core courses THTR 200 or 210,
THTR 220 or THTR 221, THTR 240 or 250, THTR 259, and one course from the following
group: CVSP 212, ARAB 240, ENGL 212, ENGL 216, ENGL 251, or other theater elective
as approved by the department.

Course Descriptions
THTR 100 Discovering Theater 3.0; 3cr.
An introductory course to the art and craft of theater designed to enhance students’
enjoyment and understanding of live theater and develop proper theater etiquette.
It requires students to watch all off-campus local productions available during the
semester. Every semester.

THTR 200 Introduction to Theater 3.0; 3 cr.

An introductory course covering the functions of various theater personnel, a brief
survey of the history of theater starting with the classical Greek drama, various types
of modern and contemporary dramatic movements, and Arab and Lebanese theater
practices. Every semester. Formerly FAAH 265.

THTR 210 Theater History 3.0; 3 cr.

An overview of theater and related entertainment from ancient to modern times. Acting,
production, stages, spectacle, audience control, and presentation styles are covered
and illustrated with slides, videos, and anecdotes. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 270.

THTR 218 Special Topics in Theater History and Dramatic Literature, 3.0; 3 cr.
(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in theater history and dramatic literature, such as Elizabethan
Drama, African American Drama, Middle Eastern Theater, Arabic Drama, Contemporary
Drama, etc. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally.

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THTR 220 Voice and Acting in the Theater 2.2; 3 cr.

A course covering the basics of clear speaking, vocal projection, and acting. Every
Semester. Formerly FAAH 267.

THTR 221 Workshop in Stage Acting 3.0; 3 cr.

An introductory course to the art of stage acting covering a variety of acting styles and
techniques from the earliest practitioners to Constantine Stanislavski, Bertolt Brecht,
Sanford Meisner, Viola Spolin and Tadashi Suzuki among others. Annually.

THTR 239 Special Topics in the Art of Acting 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in the art of acting such as courses in improvisation, method acting,
physical theater, acting for film vs. theater, acting Shakespeare, etc. Prerequisite: At
least one previous acting course or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
Occasionally.

THTR 240 Design in Theater 2.2; 3 cr.

A course on the basics of design and drawing as applied to theater; specifically stage
settings, costume design, and poster design. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 274.

THTR 245 Special Topics in Theater Production 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
Specialized courses in the art of theater production such as courses in theater design,
theater management, etc. Prerequisite: At least one previous theater course or consent
of instructor. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally.

THTR 250 Workshop in Stage Directing 3.0; 3 cr.

An introductory course to the art of stage directing focusing on the functions of the
director as a storyteller, collaborator, and stager. Annually.

THTR 259 Workshop in Theater Production 2.2; 3 cr.

An introductory course on the art of theater with a survey of the techniques involved
in various plays and/or class production. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Annually.
Formerly FAAH 283.

THTR 260 Special Topics in Interdisciplinary 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…) Theater Study and Practice,
Specialized courses in interdisciplinary theater studies such as courses in Drama
Therapy, Applied Theater, Theater of the Oppressed, Theater for Education, etc. May be
repeated for credit. Occasionally.

THTR 282 Special Topics in Performance Art, 0.6; 3 cr.

(A, B, C…)
A studio course that will explore the body and its relationship to time and space as a
fundamental element in art making. The course will also discuss the history and theory
of performance. May be repeated for credit. Occasionally.

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Music Program
The minor program in Music seeks to train students in skills and concepts needed
to develop as musicians and enhance their capacities as performers, analysts, and
audience members. It offers the fundamentals of higher education in music, seeking to
balance historical, theoretical, and performance aspects.
The minor program in Music requires 15 credits:
• 3 credits from MUSC 260A-F and/or MUSC 262A-F1 (each of MUSC 260A-F and MUSC 262
A-F are worth one credit)
• 3 credits from MUSC 220 or MUSC 221
• 3 credits from MUSC 205
• 3 credits from MUSC 250
3 credits from MUSC 220, MUSC 221, MUSC 230, MUSC 231, MUSC 235, MUSC 239,
MUSC 261, MUSC 265, MUSC 267, AHIS 227 or other music elective as approved by the
department2 (see below).

Course Descriptions
MUSC 150 Introduction to Western Music History for Freshmen 3.0; 3 cr.
A course that will introduce students to examining music through a critical
lens emphasizing the social and cultural context of the music. Every semester.
Formerly FAAH 160.

MUSC 200 Elements and Notation of Music 3.0; 3 cr.

An introduction to the materials and notation of western music, with emphasis on
musical performance, especially sight-singing. Annually. Formerly FAAH 246.

MUSC 205 Music Theory I 3.0; 3 cr.

An introductory study of western music notation and theory including voice leading in
four parts through secondary dominant and leading-tone chords. Prerequisites: MUSC
200 or competence in music reading, and consent of instructor. Annually. Formerly FAAH
247.

MUSC 206 Music Theory II 3.0; 3 cr.

A continuation of MUSC 205 including augmented sixth, Neapolitan, and quartal chords
with an introduction to set theory and serial techniques. Prerequisite: MUSC 205.
Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 248.

MUSC 220 Western Musical Traditions I 3.0; 3 cr.

An introduction to Western music from antiquity to the death of J.S. Bach, using readings
and aural analysis of recorded performances. Students taking this course may not take
MUSC 225. Annually. Formerly FAAH 240.

MUSC 221 Western Musical Traditions II 3.0; 3 cr.

An introduction to Western music from 1750 to the present day using readings and aural
analysis of recorded performances. Students taking this course may not take MUSC 225.
Annually. Formerly FAAH 241.

1) If MUSC 261 (4 cr) is taken then only two credits are needed from MUSC 260A-F and/or MUSC 262A-F.

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MUSC 225 Music Appreciation: Historical Survey 3.0; 3 cr.

A survey of western music from antiquity to modern times, from antiquity to jazz. Some
musical basics are covered, ample illustrations are provided. This course does not
satisfy the requirements for the minor in Music. Students taking this course may not take
FAAH/Music 240 and/or FAAH/Music 241. Every semester. Formerly FAAH 245.

MUSC 230 An Introduction to the World of Opera 3.0; 3 cr.

A survey of the history and development of opera from 1598 to the present. Emphasis
is placed on the analysis and evaluation of recorded opera performances on film. At the
discretion of the program. Formerly FAAH 261.

MUSC 231 Special Topics in Opera 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C,...)
Specialized courses in opera. Prerequisite: MUSC 230 or MUSC 220 or MUSC 221 or
consent of the instructor. At the discretion of the program. Formerly FAAH 266.

MUSC 235 Listening to Jazz 3.0; 3 cr.

An investigation of the whole range of jazz history, from its beginning around the turn
of the century to the present day. At the discretion of the program. Formerly FAAH 260B.

MUSC 239 Special Topics in Music History 3.0; 3 cr.

(A, B, C, ...)
Specialized courses in music history. Prerequisite: MUSC 220 or MUSC 221. Occasionally.
Formerly FAAH 260.

MUSC 250 Arabic and Middle Eastern Music 3.0; 3 cr.

A course introducing students to the history and key characteristics of Arabic and
Middle Eastern music. No previous musical knowledge is required. While the class will
be taught in English, it is highly recommended that students have a working knowledge
of Arabic prior to taking the course. Every semester. Formerly FAAH 262.

MUSC 260 AUB Choir (Applied Music) 0.3; 1 cr.

(A, B, C, D, E, F)
Rehearsal and performance in ensemble of standard mixed choral repertoire. This
course may be repeated using subsequent letters to receive credit for up to two regular
courses. Prerequisites: Audition and consent of instructor for MUSC 260A; the previous
member of the sequence for subsequent courses. Every semester. Formerly FAAH 242,
FAAH 242A, FAAH 242B, FAAH 243, FAAH 243A, FAAH 243B.

MUSC 261 The Study and Performance of Choral Literature 3.2; 4 cr.
A course that combines the classroom study of choral masterworks with participation
with the AUB Choir. Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor. Each fall.

MUSC 262 Arabic Music Ensemble (Applied Music) 0.3 1 cr.

(A, B, C, D, E, F)
Rehearsal and performance in ensemble of Arabic repertoire. This course may be
repeated using subsequent letters to receive credit for up to two regular courses.
Prerequisites: Audition and consent of instructor for MUSC 262A; the previous member
of the sequence for subsequent courses. At the discretion of the department. Formerly
FAAH 263, FAAH 263A, FAAH 263B, FAAH 264, FAAH 264A, FAAH 264B.

Undergraduate Catalogue 2018–19

250 Department of Fine Arts and Art History

MUSC 265 Introduction to Voice Performance 3.0; 3 cr.

A course on the fundamentals of singing technique and performance, including
breath management, vocal registration, musical notation, and song repertoire.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Occasionally. Formerly FAAH 244.

MUSC 266 Classical Arabic Vocal Performance 3.0; 3 cr.

A course on the fundamentals of classical Arabic voice performance. Students will
be expected to sing in class both in groups as well as alone. Prerequisite: Consent of
instructor. Annually. Formerly FAAH 255.

MUSC 267 Introduction to Conducting 3.0; 3 cr.

A study of basic conducting techniques, including conducting patterns, score
interpretation and musical leadership. Prerequisite: MUSC 205. Corequisite: MUSC
260A, MUSC 260B, 260C, MUSC 260D, MUSC 260E or MUSC 260F. Occasionally. Formerly
FAAH 249.

MUSC 269 Special Topics in Music Performance 3.0, 3 cr.

(A…Z)
Specialized courses in music performance. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.
Occasionally.

Undergraduate Catalogue 2018–19

 Department of Fine Arts and Art History 251

BA in Studio Arts
Mode of English And Arabic Natural Quantitative
Humanities Social Sciences
Analysis (9) Sciences Thought
Lecture Courses • Required Arabic • Required credits in the • Two courses • Two courses • One approved
(9+21+6+6+3) course (3) humanities: 12 credits approved approved General Edu-
• Required English including 6 credits of General Edu- General Edu- cation course
courses: ENGL CVSP cation num- cation num- (3 credits)
203(3), 204(3) • 6 credits required from bered 200 bered 200
the following: AHIS 203, or above(6 or above(6
AHIS 204, AHIS 207, credits) credits)
AHIS 208, AHIS 209,
AHIS 221, AHIS 222,
AHIS 224, AHIS 225,
AHIS 226, AHIS 227,
AHIS 249,
• 3 credits required from
the following: AHIS 250,
AHIS 251, AHIS 252,
Studio Work • SART 200, SART 201,
(30) SART 202, SART 203,
SART 204, SART 205,
SART 206, SART 207,
SART 208, SART 209t
Lecture/Performance: Free electives from outside the department (15 crs.) (18 crs. for those exempt from the Arabic require-
ment); can include FAAH/Theater and FAAH/Music courses even though these are within the department

BA in Art History
Mode of English And Arabic Natural Quantitative
Humanities Social Sciences
Analysis (9) Sciences Thought
Lecture Courses • Required Arabic • 12 credits required in • Two approved • Two approved • One approved
(9+36+6+6+3) course (3) the humanities including General General General
• Required English 6 credits of CVSP. Education Education Education
courses: ENGL • 18 credits including: courses courses num- course(3
203(3), 204(3) AHIS 203, AHIS 204, numbered bered 200 credits)
AHIS 208, AHIS 221 or 200or above or above(6
AHIS 222, AHIS 252, (6 credits) credits)
AHIS 284
• 3 credits from AHIS 251,
AHIS 261, AHIS 262
• 3 credits from AHIS 207,
AHIS 209, AHIS 224,
AHIS 281
Lecture/Labora- • 15 credits from ad-
tory (15) ditional courses in Art
History. Of these up to
6 credits may be from
Studio Arts
Lecture/Performance: Free electives from outside the department (12 crs.) (15 crs. for those exempt from the Arabic require-
ment); can include FAAH/Theater and FAAH/Music courses even though these are within the department

Undergraduate Catalogue 2018–19