The master's program at the Edith O'Donnell Institute of Art History introduces students to a global history of art by way of close engagement with artworks held in collections throughout Dallas and Fort Worth. In their coursework and independent research projects, students draw on privileged access to public and private collections, outstanding research resources, and the innovative and interdisciplinary research initiatives of O'Donnell Institute scholars to explore a broad range of material across geography, chronology and medium, and to build a strong foundation in historiography, theory and professional practices.
The two-year program is designed as a rigorous, immersive experience for the most motivated students, preparing graduates for top doctoral programs or arts careers. The curriculum comprises two Foundations courses (Practices of Art History and History of Materials and Techniques), five master's seminars that explore a body of material and research questions that draw on faculty members' areas of expertise, and a practicum in which students design and carry out an original project in the form of a scholarly essay, a small exhibition, a collaboration with a practicing artist, a conservation project or archival research. Practicum projects may be carried out in collaboration with partner institutions including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Collection of Asian Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center and The Warehouse.
