College Board AP® Art History specification (AP17)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your College Board AP® Art History exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official College Board AP® Art History specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official College Board AP® Art History (AP17) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official College Board specification PDF.
Specification overview
AP Art History invites students to engage with global artistic traditions, exploring forms, processes, and meanings through research, discussion, and analysis. The course fosters an understanding of the interconnections among works of art across cultures and historical periods, encouraging students to apply visual, contextual, and comparative analysis skills. By studying a defined set of 250 artworks, students develop critical thinking and deepen their appreciation of art as a reflection of cultural practices, interactions, and beliefs. The curriculum promotes enduring understanding rather than rote memorisation, preparing students for college-level study by emphasising historical analysis, contextual awareness, and the ability to interpret art within broader cultural and theoretical frameworks.Subject content breakdown
Unit 1: Global Prehistory (30,000–500 BCE)
- Cultural influences on prehistoric art.
- Materials, processes, and techniques in prehistoric art.
- Theories and interpretations of prehistoric art.
Unit 2: Ancient Mediterranean (3500 BCE–300 CE)
- Cultural contexts and artistic traditions of ancient civilisations.
- Cross-cultural interactions and influences.
- Purpose, audience, and interpretations of art in context.
Unit 3: Early Europe and Colonial Americas (200–1750 CE)
- Cultural contexts of European and colonial American art.
- Interactions between cultures in the medieval and colonial periods.
- Artistic materials, processes, and purposes.
Unit 4: Later Europe and Americas (1750–1980 CE)
- Evolution of art in response to societal and cultural change.
- Influence of patronage, purpose, and context.
- Theories and interpretations of art movements.
Unit 5: Indigenous Americas (1000 BCE–1980 CE)
- Cultural expressions and artistic traditions.
- Influence of materials, processes, and techniques.
- Purpose and interpretations in indigenous art.
Unit 6: Africa (1100–1980 CE)
- Cultural contexts and visual traditions.
- Purposes and audiences of African art.
- Theories and artistic interpretations.
Unit 7: West and Central Asia (500 BCE–1980 CE)
- Materials, techniques, and artistic influences.
- Purpose, audience, and cultural interactions.
- Theories and interpretations within West and Central Asian art.
Unit 8: South, East, and Southeast Asia (300 BCE–1980 CE)
- Regional art materials and techniques.
- Cultural interactions and audience considerations.
- Theories and interpretations in Asian art.
Unit 9: The Pacific (700–1980 CE)
- Cultural interactions, materials, and interpretations.
- Purposes and audience of Pacific art.
Unit 10: Global Contemporary (1980 CE to Present)
- Contemporary materials, processes, and artistic concepts.
- Purposes, audience, and interactions with global cultures.
- Theories and interpretations of contemporary art.
Assessment structure
Section I: Multiple-Choice
- Approximately 80 questions.
- Covers all content areas.
- Includes sets of questions linked to images of works of art.
- Tests factual knowledge, visual analysis, contextual understanding, and comparison.
Section II: Free-Response
Six questions total:
- 2 Long Essays (35 minutes each)
- One comparison of two works of art.
- One visual/contextual analysis.
- 4 Short Essays (15 minutes each)
- Visual analysis.
- Contextual analysis.
- Attribution of unknown works.
- Art historical interpretation.
- 2 Long Essays (35 minutes each)
Assesses students’ ability to apply art historical thinking skills across different contexts and artworks.
Exam Weighting
- Section I: 50% of exam score.
Section II: 50% of exam score.
Students are assessed on visual analysis, contextual analysis, comparison, artistic traditions, visual analysis of unknown works, attribution, interpretation, and argumentation.
Key tips for success
Doing well in your College Board AP® Art History isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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