On this page:
A Senior Integrated Project (SIP) in Art History can be completed as either an internship or a research project, both for one unit credit. SIPs are to be upper level work and a faculty member must agree to approve and supervise your project. Students should have considerable experience, equivalent to at least two courses, in the area to be investigated before registering for a SIP.
The research SIP (one unit) is a paper of 40 to 50 pages on a topic in which the student has sufficient background to do advanced research. The topic must be approved in consultation with the SIP advisor prior to the fall of the senior year. Students are required to enroll in ARTX-492: Ways of Seeing in the fall quarter of their senior year in preparation for writing their SIP in the winter quarter.
All SIPs are to be advanced-level work. Students are expected to complete preparatory coursework and seek out a SIP advisor in the department prior to the fall of their senior year. Proposals must meet departmental expectations for Studio Art and Art History SIPs. Approval is based on the quality of the proposal, the student’s preparation for the proposed topic, and the faculty advisor’s ability and availability to supervise the proposed topic, approach or technique.
A Senior Integrated Project in art for a non-major is possible only if the student has taken the relevant courses in the department and secures approval for the proposed project.
Requirements for Registration
- Appropriate course work in Art History
- Document of Intent
- Completed SIP Proposal form and outline—due the quarter before your SIP quarter
- SIP contract—due quarter before SIP quarter
Internship SIP
Because this is a credit-bearing project, it must have a greater academic focus than a Career Development internship. That is, you should be given a larger share of responsibility, in order to learn as much as possible about a professional situation.
If you have applied but did not receive an internship, you must consult with Dr. Christine Hahn before the end of junior year, spring quarter, to discuss pursuing a research SIP.
Requirements for an Internship SIP
- A brief history and description of the institution in which you worked, including a list of the personnel and the responsibilities of each person.
- A daily journal of your experiences, to keep a record of your projects, from beginning to end.
- A notebook containing copies of all the materials on which you worked during your internship.
- A formal research paper (about 15 pages, with bibliography, notes, etc.) based on something about which you gained first-hand knowledge during your internship, such as a work in the museum’s collection or artists represented by the gallery.
- A reflective essay written after the completion of your internship. This serves as the senior connections essay.
The Career Development Office will give you access to its files so that you may check internship possibilities, but it is not responsible for finding your placement. You will need to begin this process before your Study Abroad, especially if you choose the extended term option.
Before undertaking the internship, your supervisor must understand our criteria in order for the SIP to receive academic credit. It is expected that you be given some time during every work week to do research for the paper.
Time Table
Normally students will complete the internship SIP during the summer preceding their senior year. The summer SIP unit will be registered for during the fall of the senior year as an overload in the fall. Deadlines follow college policy and can be found on the registrar’s homepage. The SIP is due the first week of the quarter following the SIP quarter. Grades are due at the end of the sixth week of the quarter following the SIP quarter.
The Research SIP
The Research SIP counts for one-unit in the summer, fall, or winter. This is a thesis-length paper (about 40 to 50 pages) on a topic for which you have sufficient background to do advanced research. The subject should be rather specific or interdisciplinary, so that you will read widely and think creatively.
Please discuss the topic with your SIP advisor and present a tentative bibliography and outline the quarter before the SIP. During your SIP quarter, you must give sections of your rough draft to your supervisor for commentary. Writing some sections before you have completed the research will help you know what answers you still need. A timetable will be worked out with your advisor and must be adhered to in order to pass.
For more information about the Research SIP, visit the Art History Document Style Guide.
Grading Criteria
SIP grades are Honors, Pass, Fail. Honors will be reserved for those students who demonstrate exceptional performance in all of the required parts of the SIP, including completing everything on time.
Other Information
Tedrow-Little-Tyler Fund: This provides a grant for materials used for your art SIP (or a grant for living or research expenses, in the case of an internship or research). For reimbursement, save all of your receipts and submit them to our office coordinator, Sarah Gillig. She will prepare an expense report and submit to the Business Office. Please note, the Business Office has a strict 30 day policy for reimbursement of receipts. Receipts MUST be turned in prior to the 30 days after purchase or we will be unable to reimburse your receipts.