The M.A. in Art History provides students with training in art history, theory, and methods to prepare them for careers in art collections, education, and cultural institutions, as well as for further graduate study at the Ph.D. level. Courses are offered in art and architecture from antiquity to the present. We see art history as an integral part of social and cultural history in a global context, and our classes are interdisciplinary in scope. The major is unique in featuring small, intensive seminar-style courses. Students receive individual attention from an active, award-winning research faculty, who expose students to the most recent methodological and theoretical approaches in the field. Coursework can be supplemented by international travel and study-abroad programs sponsored by the School of Art and Art History. The Contemporary Art Museum, Graphicstudio Institute for Research in Art and the Kennedy Family Visiting Artist/Scholar program are all valuable resources contributing to course content, study and possible internship opportunities in the program.
The degree provides an excellent foundation in graduate level art-historical analysis, research, and writing, an outstanding springboard for either continuing graduate studies at doctoral level to become a university professor, or professional work in a variety of arts fields including museums, non-profit and commercial galleries, libraries, education, and publishing. Some of the positions in the arts held by our graduates include: museum curator, museum registrar, non-profit art gallery director, commercial art gallery director or administrator, museum educator, museum director, art critic, art librarian, visual resources professional, corporate art collection curator, state arts agency administrator, university administrator and program director, art history instructor K-12 and college, and after further graduate work, tenured university professor.
M.A. Art History students are guided by the art history faculty in selecting their area of research after completing a year of graduate study. This major features an endowed chair in modern and contemporary art history.
Accreditation:
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
Major Research Areas:
Ancient, Late Medieval, Renaissance, Early Modern, Nineteenth Century, Twentieth Century, Contemporary, Islamic.
