Foundations of East Asian Art BA in East Asian Art History (East Asian Studies)
East Asian Art History can be studied as a major or minor subject. Through foundational courses on iconography, styles, techniques, and art historical methods, students get acquainted with art and visual cultures of Japan and China, and to a lesser extent Korea.
Our course offerings span artistic production from the Neolithic period to the contemporary, including topics such as Buddhist painting and sculpture, Chinese gardens, photography and art theory, exchange processes in Chinese and Japanese painting, and the relationship between art production and material culture.
Building on the Japanese or Chinese language courses, you will delve deeper into the subject matter in seminars and lectures. Practical experience can also be gained through internships, hands-on courses and the excursions to museums, restoration and artists’ workshops or private collections that take place regularly.
In our BA program, you will acquire a broad repertoire of skills, including independent engagement with historical sources and new media, critical and creative thinking. You will learn how to handle art objects and how to pursue your individual research interests. In collaboration with other university institutes, courses in the field of Digital Humanities are offered on a regular basis, for which you can obtain a separate certificate.
The BA program concludes with a thesis.
Only at Heidelberg University is it possible to study East Asian Art History in German with this intensity, as it is the only place with two Chairs—one for Chinese and one for Japanese art history. Thanks to the Ishibashi Foundation and the Heinz Götze Foundation, internationally renowned professors and curators from China, Japan, the USA, and Europe teach courses as visiting lecturers at the Institute of East Asian Art History every year. Additionally, we offer an unparalleled wealth of resources through our fantastic library and international network.
The East Asian Art History program has a duration of 6 terms, but it can also be studied part time. It can be taken as a BA major (75%, “Ostasienwissenschaften” mit Schwerpunkt Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens”), BA 50% as major or minor, or BA minor (25%, also in combination with Sinology and Japaneses Studies under the rubric “Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens”).
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How to apply for the BA
Before deciding to apply for the program, we recommend students read the study guide.
Applications for the BA must be submitted through the online system heiCO. Guides and tutorials on how to use and apply through heiCO can be found on the university webpage.
The program, which is part of “East Asian Studies” (Ostasienwissenschaften) only accepts applications for the Winter term.
University-wide deadlines for applications and enrolment are listed on the university web page.
Choosing a Regional Focus
Students applying for East Asian Art History as their major (75% Ostasienwissenschaften mit Schwerpunkt Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens) must also choose a regional focus. Students can choose to focus on either Japanese or Chinese art. This choice will determine which language they will learn as part of their art historical training.
Pre-Term Chinese Language Course
Students who have been accepted to the major in East Asian Art History and have chosen to focus on Chinese art, must register for the pre-term intensive language course offered by the Institute of Sinology. The course takes place before other regular courses start and the deadline for registration is usually in late September. Students should carefully read the instructions on how to register on the Sinology page in the “First year”.
Registering the BA Thesis
The BA thesis is the last module of the program. Students must register for the exam through the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Philosophy. All forms and steps to register can be found on their page.
Students must register for the thesis within twelve weeks after receiving their final course credits.
Before registering their BA thesis, students should approach a faculty member to act as their supervisor. Eligible BA thesis supervisors at the institute are:
- Prof. Sarah Fraser
- Dr. Monica Klasing Chen
- Katharina Rode-Kaya
The topic of the thesis should be discussed with the supervisor before registration. After the exam has been registered and the topic officially determined, students have nine weeks to submit the thesis. A BA thesis is roughly 35 pages long, but students should consult their supervisor to discuss format details.