master thesis art history

Department of the History of Art

You are here, dissertations, completed dissertations.

1942-present

DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

As of July 2023

Bartunkova, Barbora , “Sites of Resistance: Antifascism and the Czechoslovak Avant-garde” (C. Armstrong)

Betik, Blair Katherine , “Alternate Experiences: Evaluating Lived Religious Life in the Roman Provinces in the 1st Through 4th Centuries CE” (M. Gaifman)

Boyd, Nicole , “Science, Craft, Art, Theater: Four ‘Perspectives’ on the Painted Architecture of Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli” (N. Suthor). 

Brown, Justin , “Afro-Surinamese Calabash Art in the Era of Slavery and Emancipation” (C. Fromont)

Burke, Harry , “The Islands Between: Art, Animism, and Anticolonial Worldmaking in Archipelagic Southeast Asia” (P. Lee)

Chakravorty, Swagato , “Displaced Cinema: Moving Images and the Politics of Location in Contemporary Art” (C. Buckley, F. Casetti)

Chau, Tung , “Strange New Worlds: Interfaces in the Work of Cao Fei” (P. Lee)

Cox, Emily , “Perverse Modernism, 1884-1990” (C. Armstrong, T. Barringer)

Coyle, Alexander , “Frame and Format between Byzantium and Central Italy, 1200-1300” (R. Nelson)

Datta, Yagnaseni , “Materialising Illusions: Visual Translation in the Mughal Jug Basisht, c. 1602.” (K. Rizvi)

de Luca, Theo , “Nicolas Poussin’s Chronotopes” (N. Suthor)

Dechant, D. Lyle . ” ‘daz wir ein ander vinden fro’: Readers and Performers of the Codex Manesse” (J. Jung)

Del Bonis-O’Donnell, Asia, “Trees and the Visualization of kosmos in Archaic and Classical Athenian Art” (M. Gaifman)

Demby, Nicole, “The Diplomatic Image: Framing Art and Internationalism, 1945-1960” (K. Mercer)

Donnelly, Michelle , “Spatialized Impressions: American Printmaking Outside the Workshop, 1935–1975” (J. Raab)

Epifano, Angie , “Building the Samorian State: Material Culture, Architecture, and Cities across West Africa” (C. Fromont)

Fialho, Alex , “Apertures onto AIDS: African American Photography and the Art History of the Storage Unit” (P. Lee, T Nyong’o)

Foo, Adela , “Crafting the Aq Qoyuniu Court (1475-1490) (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Franciosi, Caterina , “Latent Light: Energy and Nineteenth-Century British Art” (T. Barringer)

Frier, Sara , “Unbearable Witness: The Disfigured Body in the Northern European Brief (1500-1620)” (N. Suthor)

Gambert-Jouan, Anabelle , “Sculpture in Place: Medieval Wood Depositions and Their Environments” (J. Jung)

Gass, Izabel, “Painted Thanatologies: Théodore Géricault Against the Aesthetics of Life” (C. Armstrong)

Gaudet, Manon , “Property and the Contested Ground of North American Visual Culture, 1900-1945” (E. Cooke, Jr.)  

Haffner, Michaela , “Nature Cure: ”White Wellness” and the Visual Culture of Natural Health, 1870-1930” (J. Raab)

Hepburn, Victoria , “William Bell Scott’s Progress” (T. Barringer)

Herrmann, Mitchell, “The Art of the Living: Biological Life and Aesthetic Experience in the 21st Century” (P. Lee)

Higgins, Lily , “Reading into Things: Articulate Objects in Colonial North America, 1650-1783” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Hodson, Josie , “Something in Common: Black Art under Austerity in New York City, 1975-1990” (Yale University, P. Lee)

Hong, Kevin , “Plasticity, Fungibility, Toxicity: Photography’s Ecological Entanglements in the Mid-Twentieth-Century United States” (C. Armstrong, J Raab)

Kang, Mia , “Art, Race, Representation: The Rise of Multiculturalism in the Visual Arts” (K. Mercer)

Keto, Elizabeth , “Remaking the World: United States Art in the Reconstruction Era, 1861-1900.” (J. Raab)

Kim, Adela , “Beyond Institutional Critique: Tearing Up in the Work of Andrea Fraser” (P. Lee)

Koposova, Ekaterina , “Triumph and Terror in the Arts of the Franco-Dutch War” (M. Bass)

Lee, Key Jo , “Melancholic Materiality: History and the Unhealable Wound in African American Photographic Portraits, 1850-1877” (K. Mercer)

Levy Haskell, Gavriella , “The Imaginative Painter”: Visual Narrative and the Interactive Painting in Britain, 1851-1914” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke Jr)

Marquardt, Savannah, “Becoming a Body: Lucanian Painted Vases and Grave Assemblages in Southern Italy” (M. Gaifman)

Miraval, Nathalie , “The Art of Magic: Afro-Catholic Visual Culture in the Early Modern Spanish Empire” (C. Fromont)

Mizbani, Sharon , Water and Memory: Fountains, Heritage, and Infrastructure in Istanbul and Tehran (1839-1950) (K. Rizvi)

Molarsky-Beck, Marina, “Seeing the Unseen: Queer Artistic Subjectivity in Interwar Photography” (C. Armstrong)

Nagy, Renata , “Bookish Art: Natural Historical Learning Across Media in Seventeenth-century Northern Europe” (Bass, M)

Olson, Christine , “Owen Jones and the Epistemologies of Nineteenth-Century Design” (T. Barringer)

Petrilli-Jones, Sara , “Drafting the Canon: Legal Histories of Art in Florence and Rome, 1600-1800” (N. Suthor)

Phillips, Kate , “American Ephemera” (J. Raab)

Potuckova, Kristina , “The Arts of Women’s Monastic Liturgy, Holy Roman Empire, 1000-1200” (J. Jung)

Quack, Gregor , “The Social Fabric: Franz Erhard Walther’s Art in Postwar Germany” (P. Lee)

Rahimi-Golkhandan, Shabnam , “The Photograph’s Shabih-Kashi (Verisimilitude) – The Liminal Visualities of Late Qajar Art (1853-1911)” (K. Rizvi)

Rapoport, Sarah , “James Jacques Joseph Tissot in the Interstices of Modernity” (T. Barringer, C. Armstrong)

Riordan, Lindsay , “Beuys, Terror, Value: 1967-1979” (S. Zeidler)

Robbins, Isabella , “Relationality and Being: Indigeneity, Space and Transit in Global Contemporary Art” (P. Lee, N. Blackhawk)

Sen, Pooja , “The World Builders ” (J. Peters)

Sellati, Lillian , “When is Herakles Not Himself? Mediating Cultural Plurality in Greater Central Asia, 330 BCE – 365 CE” (M. Gaifman)

Tang, Jenny , “Genealogies of Confinement: Carceral Logics of Visuality in Atlantic Modernism 1930 – 1945” (K. Mercer)

Thomas, Alexandra , “Afrekete’s Touch: Black Queer Feminist Errantry and Global African Art”  (P. Lee)

Valladares, Carlos , “Jacques Demy” (P. Lee)

Verrot, Trevor , “Sculpted Lamentation Groups in the Late Medieval Veneto” (J. Jung)

Von-Ow, Pierre , Visual Tactics: Histories of Perspective in Britain and its Empire, 1670-1768.”  (T. Barringer)

Wang, Xueli , “Performing Disappearance: Maggie Cheung and the Off-Screen” (Q. Ngan)

Webley, John , “Ink, Paint, and Blood: India and the Great Game in Russian Culture” (T. Barringer, M. Brunson)

Werwie, Katherine , “Visions Across the Gates: Materiality, Symbolism, and Communication in the Historiated Wooden Doors of Medieval European Churches” (J. Jung)

Wisowaty, Stephanie , “Painted Processional Crosses in Central Italy, 1250-1400: Movement, Mediation and Multisensory Effects” (J. Jung)

Young, Colin , “Desert Places: The Visual Culture of the Prairies and the Pampas across the Nineteenth Century” (J. Raab)

Zhou, Joyce Yusi, “Objects by Her Hand: Art and Material Culture of Women in Early Modern Batavia (1619-1799) (M. Bass, E. Cooke, Jr.)

History of Art and Archaeology (MA)

Program description.

Situated in the capital of the American art world, the MA Program in the History of Art and Archaeology at the Institute of Fine Arts is designed for the student who wants to study the history and role of the visual arts in culture and society through detailed, object-based examination, historical analysis and critical interpretation. This degree program is constituted as a broad learning experience supported by numerous opportunities for intellectual inquiry, guided by leading scholars and enhanced by access to New York area museums, curators and conservators, archaeological sites and NYU's global network.

The Institute’s MA in the History of Art and Archaeology is intended for students with a developed interest in the visual arts who wish to earn an advanced degree without the commitment to a multi-year doctoral program. The MA degree will prove useful for students interested in careers in art museums, galleries, auction houses cultural centers, arts foundations, archaeological site management and development, art conservation, or eventual doctoral work in art history or archaeology.

The program is two years of full-time study or three years of part-time study for those with established professional careers who wish to continue working while attending the Institute. For part-time study, each student devises a course of study together with the Director of Masters Studies; a typical course load for part-time students would be two courses per semester for the first two years, and one course per semester in the final year of study.

All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the  general application requirements , which include:

• Academic Transcripts
• Test Scores  (if required)
• Applicant Statements
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• Letters of Recommendation , and
• A non-refundable  application fee .

See Fine Arts for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.

Program Requirements

Distribution areas, language requirement, master's thesis.

The program requires the completion of 40 credits, comprised of the following:

Regarding the technical study of works of art through the Conservation Center.

Complete four courses in different major areas. Two courses must be classroom seminars. See Distribution Areas are listed below.

• Pre-modern Asia;
• Pre-modern Africa and the Middle East;
• The Ancient Mediterranean and Middle East, including Egypt;
• Pre-modern Europe and the Americas;
• Post-1750 Global;
• Museum and Curatorial Studies;
• Material Studies of Works of Art;
• Architectural History

Additional Program Requirements

Students are required to pass a language examination in French, German, or Italian. Other languages will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the Academic Office. The examination can be taken in the beginning and end of the Fall semester as well as at the end of the Spring semester. Full-time students must pass the examination by the end of their third semester; part-time MA students and Conservation Program students must pass the examination by the end of their fourth semester.

A master’s thesis is required. The thesis will be of substantial length (9,000 words) and should provide a comprehensive treatment of a problem in scholarship, competently written, and may be of publishable quality. The topic may be developed from papers written for a lecture course, seminar or colloquium, or from independent research. Students in the conservation program are encouraged to include technical studies in the Master’s Thesis, provided the paper retains its focus on art history or archaeology. The Master’s Thesis must be read and approved by two faculty members. Readers are normally members of the permanent faculty.

Sample Plan of Study

Learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will:

• Critically investigate the role of the visual arts in culture through object-based examination as well as historical and theoretical interpretation.
• Effectively communicate original, independent research and interpretations of secondary material through written and oral presentation.  
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of critical issues in the field of art history or archaeology through the composition of an essay on a single topic.

NYU Policies

Graduate school of arts and science policies.

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages .

Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page . 

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Art History Research at Yale: Dissertations & Theses

• How to Research Art
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WHAT EXPERT RESEARCHERS KNOW

A thesis is typically the culminating project for a master's degree, while a dissertation completes a doctoral degree and represents a scholar's main area of expertise. However, some undergraduate students write theses that are published online, so it is important to note which degree requirements the thesis meets. While these are not published works like peer-reviewed journal articles, they are typically subjected to a rigorous committee review process before they are considered complete. Additionally, they often provide a large number of citations that can point you to relevant sources. 

Find Dissertations & Theses at Yale

Dissertations & Theses @ Yale University A searchable databases with dissertations and theses in all disciplines written by students at Yale from 1861 to the present.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Graphic Design​ Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 600 individual theses from 1951 to the present. The theses are most often in book format, though some have more experimental formats. Individual records for the theses are also available in the library catalog.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Photography Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 300 individual Master of Fine Arts theses from 1971 to the present. The theses are most often in the format of a portfolio of photographic prints, though some theses are also in book form. Individual records for the MFA theses are also available in the library catalog.

Find Dissertations & Theses Online

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• Last Updated: Aug 17, 2023 11:33 AM
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MA or PhD in Art History

The graduate Art History programs at UT, comprising the MA in Art History and the PhD in Art History, are among the nation’s largest and most distinguished, with nearly twenty full-time faculty members who are leading scholars in their fields and represent a diversity of critical and methodological outlooks. Students in Art History are regularly honored with prestigious awards and fellowships, and alumni from this program lead successful careers at colleges, universities, and museums worldwide.

The programs’ expansive scope comprises courses covering a wide range of periods and cultures of art, while areas of special concentration are represented by several active research centers. Interdisciplinary study and collaboration play a vital role in the program. Additionally, research is enhanced by access to the many resources available across campus including the Blanton Museum of Art, one of the country’s leading university art museums; the university’s notable library system; and cultural archives such as the Harry Ransom Center.

Eligibility

Applicants to the Master of Arts Program are expected to have completed a broad range of undergraduate coursework in art history (18 hours in art history are recommended) and related fields. MA students will be required to demonstrate proficiency in reading/translating one contemporary language other than English prior to beginning the fourth semester in residence.

Program Tracks

Four MA tracks are offered:

• General (allows students to cover diverse historical areas of art history)
• Ancient (Western and Non-Western)
• Medieval to Early Modern

Program of Work — General Track

Program of work — specialized track, specialized tracks, example program plan, language requirement.

MA students must have reading/translation competence in at least one modern language in addition to English. The additional language will be relevant to the student’s areas of study and will allow the student to understand the scholarship of their field. The language will be determined in consultation with the Graduate Adviser and the choice is subject to ratification by the Graduate Studies Committee.

The choice of language is flexible but must be decided in consultation with one’s advisor/committee chair or the Graduate Adviser if an advisor has not yet been selected. Language courses cannot count toward fulfillment of the requirement for six hours of coursework taken outside the department (supporting work or Minor).

The language exam requirement must be fulfilled in one of the following ways:

• 4 semesters of college-level language courses passed at grade B or above. Advanced placement credit can count towards the required number of courses.
• Departmental exam to test translation proficiency in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese (and other languages as petitioned by students) administered 3 times each year (beginning and end of fall semester, and once during spring semester). Exams are graded by at least 2 faculty members. Language exams will be administered to students who wish take it in a given semester. The exam proceeds simultaneously, in a single location and time that works for all. This requirement can be fulfilled in one of the following ways, and must be satisfied by the end of the third long semester in residence.
• To compensate for the exceptional difficulty involved, students who plan on qualifying in a language other than the traditional European languages may be allowed to do so. Permission may be granted after consultation with the Graduate Adviser and after petitioning the faculty to substitute an instructional course in that language in place of a supporting (i.e. out-of-department) course.

Thesis Colloquium

During the semester of enrollment in Thesis research (ARH 698A, 3 hours), usually in the third semester of residence and after the completion of 18 hours of coursework, the student presents a topic for faculty approval in a Thesis Colloquium. Enrollment in ARH 698B Thesis (3 hours) may take place only after an approved presentation.

• In the first year, no later than the end of the Spring semester, the student will contact an Art History faculty member about supervising the thesis and initiate a discussion about possible topics.
• Students are encouraged to interview faculty in their area of specialization in order to find a faculty supervisor/committee chair. Students and supervisors must be in alignment to accommodate their professional goals. Failing to find a supervisor will result in termination from the program.
• The wise Art History Master’s student will take advantage of the summer following the first year to develop and research a topic or possible topics with the goal of being ready to schedule the colloquium in the early part of the Fall semester.
• If the colloquium is not held, a grade of Incomplete is assigned; a final grade will be assigned when the colloquium is held during the next long semester.

Refer to the handbook for details regarding the processes involved with submitting the final thesis and applying for graduation.

Program Handbook

Applicants to the Doctoral Program must have an MA in art history or an MA in a related field with substantial coursework in art history at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants completing the second year of a Master’s program are also eligible to apply.

Program of Work

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires at least thirty hours of coursework beyond the MA degree. Course requirements include:

• A minimum of five graduate seminars in at least two of the department’s chronological groupings of western and non-western art: Ancient; Medieval to Early Modern; and Modern

Nine hours of supporting work, normally consisting of two graduate seminars outside the Department of Art and Art History in areas related to the major field, and one graduate reading course outside the Department of Art and Art History often taken in the context of preparation for the qualifying examination. All of these courses must be taken for a letter grade.

A minimum of six hours of dissertation research and writing

Further requirements include reading/translation competence in at least two contemporary languages in addition to English, a dissertation colloquium, written and oral qualifying examinations that admit the student to doctoral candidacy, the dissertation, and the oral defense of the dissertation. PhD students who are employed as Teaching Assistants must enroll for one term in ARH 398T Supervised Teaching in Art History , a pedagogy seminar that meets one hour per week. This course does not count toward completion of the degree.

Doctoral students must have reading/translation competence in at least 2 modern languages in addition to English. These languages will be relevant to students’ areas of study and will allow individuals to undertake primary research and understand the scholarship of their chosen field.

Language courses cannot count toward fulfillment of the requirement for 9 hours of coursework taken outside the department (supporting work or minor). Each language requirement can be fulfilled in one of the following ways, and must be satisfied before advancing to doctoral candidacy:

• Four semesters of college-level language courses passed at grade B or above. Advanced Placement credit can count towards the required number of courses.

Departmental exam to test translation proficiency in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese (and other languages as petitioned by students) administered twice per semester. Exams are graded by at least two faculty members. Language exams will be administered to students who wish take it in a given semester. The exam proceeds simultaneously, in a single location and time that works for all. The choice of language is flexible but must be decided in consultation with one’s adviser.

Confirmation of completion of a modern language requirement from the student’s Master’s program.

To compensate for the exceptional difficulty involved, students who plan on qualifying in a language other than the traditional European languages may be allowed, after consultation with the graduate advisor and after petitioning the faculty, to substitute an instructional course in that language in place of a supporting (i.e. out-of-department) course.

Dissertation Colloquium

The Colloquium is intended to be an informal conversation with the faculty concerning the topic, its feasibility, and potential pitfalls that might affect the student’s ability to complete it successfully.

The Dissertation Colloquium is held during the third or fourth term of the student’s residence and after the completion of at least 18 hours of coursework. A week before the scheduled Dissertation Colloquium, the student presents to the Graduate Adviser for Art History and the faculty a written prospectus, prepared with the help of the dissertation adviser.

The topics for the qualifying examination are also set at the Colloquium, and the examining committee is determined. At this time, the composition of the dissertation committee is also discussed. The student must complete the Qualifying Examination by the end of the next long semester following the Colloquium.

Qualifying Examination

The student will be examined in four areas: at least two broad areas of expertise and one or two focused areas with the possibility of one area being directed by a faculty member outside the Department. All of these exams will be written and must be completed within a one-week period. In consultation with each faculty member on their examination committee, students will schedule three-hour time periods during which they will take the written exams.

At least two weeks before the examination, the student will confirm with the Graduate Coordinator the date and time of each examination and the name and email address of any examiner not on the Art History faculty. The student will determine the order of the questions. The Graduate Coordinator will solicit questions from each examiner.

Within several days of the completion of the last written examination, a two-hour oral examination on the same topics will follow with the entire examining committee. During this exam the examining committee will question the student about the exam questions. To schedule the oral examination, please use the same process used for scheduling the Colloquium. The student's performance on these exams will be ranked "Pass" or "Failure." For additional details and procedures, please refer to the Graduate Handbook.

Once the student has completed all program requirements and passed the qualifying exams, the committee supervising the dissertation is formalized in the doctoral candidacy application process.

Learn more about completing the Application for Doctoral Candidacy →

• After admission to Candidacy for the doctoral degree, the student must stay in continuous enrollment in dissertation hours each spring and fall until the degree is completed.

Students doing research abroad while in doctoral candidacy may be eligible for Independent Study and Research status.

Example Topics

Below are examples of past qualifying examinations topics. Please note that these can include both general subjects and topics related to a particular student’s dissertation research:

Medieval Art

• Northern Renaissance Art
• French Court Culture and Patronage (possibly an outside the Department question)
• Fourteenth-Century Manuscript Illumination

Modern/Contemporary European Art

• European Art, 1890–1945
• Art of the United States, 1945–1985
• Art and Philosophy of Language (Examiner: Art History Dept.)
• Little Magazines and Literary Modernism (Examiner: English Dept.)

Dissertation

The dissertation must make an original contribution to scholarship. It normally requires fieldwork of at least a year’s duration. The Dissertation Committee directs the student during the completion of the dissertation. Defense of the dissertation (Final Oral Examination) before at least four members of the Dissertation Committee is a University requirement; the dissertation supervisor must be physically present for the defense to take place.

Learn more about submitting the request for the Final Oral Examination →

Refer to the handbook for details regarding the processes involved with submitting the final draft, defending, and applying for graduation.

• Current Graduate Students

Funding resources at the MA level, such as scholarships and in-state tuition waivers, are limited and awarded on a case-by-case basis. Each semester, MA students may apply for positions as a Grader for a large introductory/survey or upper-division class. Once assigned to grade for a course, the Grader must attend all lectures and grade all exams and assignments for the course. The number of Grader positions varies each year, and the salary is based on the number of students in the class. A few MA students also may be awarded Teaching Assistant positions, when these are available, again on a case-by-case basis.

The faculty’s goal is to support all admitted PhD students with a combination of Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Instructor positions, Graduate Research Assistant positions and scholarship funds so they can earn their degree with as little outside cost as possible.

A limited number of Graduate Research Assistant positions may be available each semester to both MA and PhD students.

All applicants are considered for financial support; it is not necessary to apply or request separately.

FAQ Visit Apply

Program Contacts

[email protected] Graduate Program Coordinator

Dr. Nassos Papalexandrou   Graduate Advisor

I. General Information

II. Thesis Track: Program of Study

III: Thesis Track: Specific Requirements

IV. Non-Thesis Track: Program of Study

V. Non-Thesis Track: Specific Requirements

VI. Additional Important Information

Graduate Student Handbook Table of Contents

School Admin Structure

Info on UGA Policies

Graduate Enrollment Policies

Graduate Forms

Master of Art Degree in Art History (MA) Procedures & Requirements

Successful completion of the Master’s degree in Art History requires that the student fulfill several requirements in sequence, as determined by the student’s admission to one of two tracks within the MA program: the MA with thesis or the non-thesis MA. Below the student will find general information related to the program, as well as detailed information about specific requirements and the order in which they must be completed.

A. Thesis Track/Non-Thesis Track

The MA program in Art History has two,36-hour tracks: the thesis track and the non-thesis track. The thesis track is best suited for students who are interested in and capable of doctoral studies in art history. The non-thesis track is designed to accommodate those students who intend to pursue careers and professions that require a broad base of art historical knowledge but not the specialized, research-oriented skills required by the PhD in Art History.

Prospective students declare their intention to pursue a thesis or non-thesis track at the time of application. On acceptance into the MA program, the student’s program of study will be determined by this designation, which may change should the student or faculty find the student better suited to an alternative track.  In the event of this, please contact the Graduate Office.

During the second semester in residence, each student must outline a program of study for meeting degree requirements in the thesis or non-thesis track. This program should be developed in consultation with the Major Professor and Advisory Committee (thesis-track) or the Area Chair (non-thesis track) and recorded on a Program of Study for Masters of Arts and Sciences form. You must submit an official Program of Study ( Form G138, found here ) the semester you are set to graduate. The Graduate Office will review your Program of Study before forwarding it to the Graduate School for approval.

If, after this point, an alteration to the Program of Study is necessary due to a change in course work, the Graduate Coordinator's Office must be notified so the paperwork any changes can be submitted to the Dean for further approval.

Note: The language requirement (see below) must be met prior to submitting this form.

B. Curriculum

MA students in both tracks are expected to enroll in at least 5 8000-level ARHI courses (i.e. grad seminars) across two years, three of which are to be completed in the first year. In rare cases, an exception might be approved by the student’s advisor, should another course be deemed indispensable to the student’s program of study. 

C. Distribution

Because the MA degree is designed to provide a broad base of knowledge in the field of Art History, seminars are to be distributed as follows: 2 Pre-modern, 2 modern, and 1 or more in any area of the student’s choosing. Pre-modern includes Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Non-Western; Modern includes 18 th -21 st  Century.

In addition, MA students are required to take at least one course, whether at the 8000- or 6000-level, in each of the following areas:  Area 1: Ancient, Non-Western; Area 2. Byzantine/Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque; Area 3; 18th and 19th Century; Area 4: 20th and 21st Century.

D. Grade Point Average

No grade below C will be accepted on the program of study. To be eligible for graduation, a student must maintain a 3.0 (B) average on the graduate transcript and a 3.0 (B) average on the program of study. 

Funding is reviewed and awarded annually based on student performance. MA students are not eligible for departmental funding beyond the second year of the program.

II.  Thesis Track: Program of Study

A. major professor.

During the first semester of study, the Chair of the Art History area will serve as a temporary advisor for all incoming students pursuing the thesis track. In the course of the first semester, and not later than the beginning of the second, each student is expected to approach a member of the faculty with whom he or she would like to work towards the completion of the Thesis and Master’s Degree. The Major Professor must be a member of the  Art History faculty at UGA as well as a member of the University's graduate faculty.

The willingness of the faculty member to serve as the student’s major professor is recorded on the Change of Major Professor form, which is available from the Graduate Coordinator or online here . From this point forward, it is the responsibility of the student to arrange periodic conferences with the Major Professor to report his or her progress.

With approval from the art history area, a student may change his or her Major Professor a second time, providing he/she secures the appropriate signatures on the Change of Graduate Advisor/Major Professor Form (see above).

B. Advisory Committee

At the end of the second semester of study, following the submission of the Thesis Abstract (see  below), each student will be assigned an Advisory  Committee comprised of three faculty members , all of whom must be members of the Graduate Faculty. The appropriate form, found here , will then be forwarded from the Graduate Office to the Graduate School for approval. This process is initiated by the student.

In most cases, the Advisory Committee will be composed entirely of art history faculty. Faculty from other liberal arts disciplines may serve on committees as appropriate, but two-thirds of the committee must be made up of members of the art history faculty.

C. University-wide Required Courses

As of fall 2022, all graduate students are required to take the GradFIRST seminar (GRSC 7001). This one-credit, seminar style class is designed to introduce graduate students to supplement discipline-specific education with more generalized material meant to help incoming students successfully navigate graduate education at UGA. This course is to be taken in addition to the three-credit Graduate Seminar (GRSC 7770), which is required for all students on assistantship with instructional duties.

D. General Requirements

30 hours of classroom work (SUBTOTAL)

6 hours of research/thesis (a student may register for additional hours depending upon the time devoted to the research and thesis): ARHI 7000 and ARHI 7300.

1 hour GradFIRST seminar.

37 hours TOTAL

Note: In total, from entrance to defense of the MA thesis, the MA program is expected take no more than 2 years, with a graduation date in May of the second year. Although the graduate school allows students to submit their MA thesis within six years of their initial enrollment, continued advising from the Major Professor or the Advisory Committee should not be presumed for the duration of this period

Note: A student must be registered during any period in which he/she receives guidance from his / her advisory committee, uses university facilities or completes his/her work.

E.  Foreign Language Requirement

Before beginning the second year of course work, each student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of an approved foreign language (in most cases Italian, French, Spanish or German). The language requirement can be demonstrated by earning a grade of “B” or better in a University of Georgia foreign language reading course or by passing a reading knowledge examination prepared by the Departments of Romance Languages or Germanic and Slavic Languages. A third alternative is to complete four semester of foreign language study (the equivalent of UGA’s 1001, 1002, 2001, and 2002); in these four courses a student must achieve a minimum of 3.0 GPA. This requirement may also be satisfied by successful completion of the equivalent course work before graduate school, as demonstrated by the student’s transcripts.

Note: Some students who enter the MA program with a weak background in art history may be required to make up their deficiency by taking prerequisite undergraduate course work beyond the standard requirements.

A. Abstract/Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is required at the end of the second semester in the MA program.This examination takes the form of a Thesis Abstract that describes to Abstract, which must include an outline, annotated bibliography, and illustrations, must be submitted to the Major Professor at least two weeks to the submission deadline.

Before the Thesis Abstract is submitted to the area, it must first be read and approved by the Major Professor. This abstract must include:

• A 3-4 page written narrative that describes the topic or problem and its significance within the field. This précis should also briefly layout the student method and research plans.

• A 1-2 page outline that indicates in general terms the order in which the issues are to be considered.

• A 2-4 page annotated bibliography of the key sources.

Up to 5 key images.

The abstract must be submitted to the Art History Area by the first Friday in April, as a compressed PDF. The faculty will determine, in conjunction with the student’s academic performance, whether the proposal has been approved, rejected, or needs to be revised shortly after the submission deadline. In the event of rejection, students might be invited to pursue the non-thesis track, though such an invitation is at the discretion of the faculty. If invited to revise, any required revisions must be completed before the last scheduled day of final exams. If the revised abstract is not approved, the student will be dismissed from the program and will not be allowed to take classes in the following semester.

Timetable for Part-Time Students:

In general, the MA program in art history is structured for full-time enrollment; i.e. three classes per semester of graduate work. On the very rare occasions that part- time students are accepted into the program (typically because they have full-time jobs at the University of Georgia), the students are required to take no less than two classes per semester of graduate work. In practice, this means that the Thesis Abstract must be submitted by the end of the third semester in the program. Revisions must be submitted by the middle of the fourth semester.

B. Thesis: Preparation/Submission/Defense

1. general information.

The MA thesis is the key document demonstrating a student’s competence and eligibility to receive a Master’s degree from the School of Art. Written under the direction of the Major Professor, the thesis is intended to demonstrate the ability of the student to make independent use of the most sophisticated sources of information available, including materials written foreign languages, especially in the language in which he/she has acquired a reading knowledge. In addition, it must also demonstrate the ability of the student to assemble relevant information in a clear and compelling manner and that shows, in addition, an ability to establish a strong art historical argument, written in clear expository prose. The length of the thesis should not exceed 25 pages, excluding notes and images.

Note: Following the first year of course work and the approval of the Thesis Abstract, full-time students enrolled in the thesis track are expected to research, write, and defend their Master’s Theses in one year. Part-time students, who are enrolled for five semesters in order to complete their coursework, will have an additional two semesters to complete the thesis.

Note: Students must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis under the course number ARHI 7300 during the semester that the thesis is approved and they graduate

2. Specific Requirements / Timetable Thesis Preparation / Internal Evaluation

Students are responsible for initiating the writing process and for meeting all deadlines established by the Major Professor, the Art History area, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Arranged in chronological order, these are the deadlines to which the student must adhere:

The first complete draft of the Thesis must be submitted to the Major Professor no later than the beginning of the final (this is to say 4th) semester in residence. Shortly thereafter (and no later than the end of the first month of the semester in which the student intends to graduate) the student must meet with the entire Advisory Committee. At this meeting, the student will present progress made to date and will develop, in conjunction with the Advisory Committee, a timetable for the completion of the research and/or writing. At this initial meeting, or at a subsequent meeting, the committee will specify when they next expect to be apprised of the student’s progress and what form that demonstration of progress should take. If the committee decides that portions of the thesis should be presented to them for subsequent review, such a demonstration will not be submitted to the committee without prior approval by the Major Professor.

Before the completed thesis is submitted to the committee, the Major Professor must read and provisionally approve the final draft. If the Major Professor calls for changes, these must be done and resubmitted to the Major Professor for his/her provisional approval.  Please  note  that  the  final  draft  must  be  prepared  in accordance with a published manual of style (see A Student Guide to Preparation and Processing Theses), available in the Graduate School and must include footnotes, illustrations, and bibliography.

No less than four weeks before the scheduled Thesis Defense (see below) and no less than six weeks before the anticipated date of graduation, the student must submit three copies of the approved draft to the Advisory Committee. Comments may be presented to the student before the Thesis Defense or else at the defense itself. If the Advisory Committee determines that changes must be made before the Thesis Defense, then a revised schedule will be determined at that juncture. With regard to changes called for at the defense, the committee may require a review of the corrected thesis or they may relinquish that task, leaving the approval of the corrections to the Major Professor.

Per University guidelines, the use of generative AI in theses and dissertations is considered unauthorized assistance per the Academic Code of Honesty and is prohibited unless specifically authorized by members of the advisory committee for use within the approved scope. If approved by the advisory committee, the extent of generative AI usage should be disclosed in a statement within the thesis or dissertation.

An Application for Graduation available online can be found in ATHENA and must be filed with the Graduate School no later than the Friday of the first full week of classes of the semester you plan to complete your thesis and graduate.

3. Defense and Final Examination

The Master's Thesis defense is chaired by the student's major professor and attended by all members of the advisory committee. It will consist of two parts: 1) a public presentation of the student's research, and 2) a private defense attended by the student and advisory committee. Public research presentations will be scheduled the first Monday in April in conjunction with a departmental Research Day and should take the form of a 20-minute, illustrated lecture. Private defenses are to occur within a two-week window thereafter and are to be scheduled by the student in consultation with the student's Advisory Committee. Once a date for the private portion of the defense has been agreed upon, the student should file a Thesis Defense Request form with the school of Art Graduate Office. 

The student and committee chair must appear in person for both components of the defense, but other committee members can participate via teleconference or video conference, provided that the comments of all participants can clearly and consistently be heard. If the major professor is not able to attend the defense in person, a substitute chair who is a current member of the committee can be designated. The defense can be held completely remotely if circumstances warrant and approval is granted by the Associate Director of Research and Graduate Studies and the School of Art Director. The advisory committee must approve the student's thesis and defense with no more than one dissenting vote and must certify its approval in writing, using the Approval Form for Master's Thesis, Defense, and Final Examination . An Abstention is not allowable for the final defense. An abstention is not allowable for the final defense. The results of the defense must be reported to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to graduation for the current semester.

Student should not presume a summer defense or graduation, as faculty are often unable to serve at this time.

The honorific “with Distinction” is granted by the Area to students who, through independent research, produce exemplary theses that make a significant contribution to the field.

Successful defense of the MA thesis is only one of the requirements essential for the awarding of an MA in art history from UGA. Before the defense of the thesis, the student must have completed all course, language, and residency requirements as stated in the Graduate Bulletin.

4. Submission to the Graduate School / Final Approval

An Application for Graduation must be filed online with the Graduate School no later than Friday of the first full week of classes of your final semester (see Graduate School website for deadlines).

To ensure a smooth graduation, several things must take place in a timely fashion:

a.  No later than four weeks prior to graduation (see Graduate School website for deadlines here), a complete formatted copy of the thesis must be electronically submitted to the Graduate School for a format check.

b. Approximately two weeks prior to the graduation ceremony (see Graduate School website for each semester’s deadlines ), the Graduate School must receive the Approval Form for Master’s Thesis, Defense, and Final Examination and an electronic submission of the corrected dissertation. This official electronic copy of the thesis will then be submitted by the Graduate School to the main library for archiving.  

One electronic copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator's Office. A final copy of the thesis is also due to the Major Professor; students should consult with their Major Professor about which format – i.e. bound, electronic, unbound hard copy – is preferred.

All remaining course requirements (including incompletes) for the degree must be completed and reported to the Graduate School no later than one week prior to graduation. A student must enroll for a minimum of three hours of credit the semester in which graduation requirements are completed.

Note: Students should regularly check the Graduate School Website for deadline and procedural information related to the Masters Thesis.  

IV.   Non-Thesis Track: Program of Study

General requirements: non-thesis track.

30 hours in graduate art history courses, 15 hours of which must be taken at the 8000 level. (i.e., graduate seminars).

3 hours of art history or an approved elective outside the art history area that is central to the student's program of study.

3 hours in required ARHI 8050 Professional Portfolio and Practices

36 hours of classroom work

University-wide Required Courses

V.    non-thesis track: specific requirements.

In lieu of a thesis, students pursuing the non-thesis track must take and pass ARHI 8050 Professional Portfolio and Practices. This course will prepare the student for various employment opportunities by requiring the creation, presentation, and revision of a professional portfolio. This course will serve as the culmination of the student’s graduate studies, and is meant to facilitate the student’s transition from an academic environment to the professional world.

This course will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis and may be repeated should the student fail on the first attempt. Should the student fail the course twice, he or she will not be allowed to obtain the MA in Art History. The class will be taught as needed in the spring semester so as to ensure that students pursuing the non-thesis track are able to graduate within a two-year timeframe.

VI. Symposia and Conferences

Graduate students in the History of Art are encouraged to present their research at conferences and symposia and to seek funding for related expenses. Students should consult with their Major Professor and Advisory Committee prior to submitting their abstracts, and on acceptance, they should contact with the Art History Area Chair and the Associate Director of Research and Graduate Studies to schedule a run-through of their presentations.

VII.  Additional Important Information

Students in the Art History MA program at the University of Georgia have requirements and responsibilities that originate from the University, from the Graduate School, from the Lamar Dodd School of Art, and from the Art History Area. Please note that changes are occasionally made to the degree requirements and scheduling, which may significantly impact your program of study. Any such changes will automatically become part of your required program of study.

It is the student's responsibility to study the Graduate Bulletin, the School of Art brochure, and the School’s website ( http://www.art.uga.edu ) and to meet all requirements for his/her degree, including the Art School requirements listed below, and to observe all appropriate deadlines as his/her graduate program progresses.

Deadline dates and other pertinent information are posted regularly on the Graduate School website ( http://www.grad.uga.edu/ ). Please review frequently. Also, each graduate student is assigned a mailbox where all mail and notices will be placed for your convenience. Check your mailbox often for important announcements. Each student is required to have a UGA MYID email address. The Graduate Coordinator and the area chair for Art History should be provided with this address immediately. Students are expected to check it daily for pertinent information from the Graduate Program, the School, and the Area. Please also make note of the Graduate School's enrollment policies . This link includes information on Minimum Enrollment, Continuous Enrollment, Residence Credit, and Leave of Absence, Time Limit, and Extension of Time requirements.

All graduate students are required to be active members and participants in the Association of Graduate Art Students (AGAS). All graduate students are required to attend all AGAS lectures and are strongly encouraged to attend all other relevant lectures offered by the Lamar Dodd School of Art. The officers of AGAS should be prepared to represent the graduate students when called upon to do so by the School.

Keep the Graduate Coordinator’s Office updated on changes of address, phone number, and email each semester.  

TIMETABLE FOR COMPLETING MA REQUIREMENTS.pdf

This handbook was last reviewed in August 2022 and last revised on February 13, 2024.

Poster exhibits

Students earning a PhD or master's degree in art history present a summary or chapter of their dissertation or thesis research. These posters cover diverse art historical topics from different cultures and time periods, such as Chinese art, Korean art, Romanian art, American surrealist art, and art of the Middle Ages.

View PDF version of posters

Additional admission requirements

MA student policies and procedures  are established by several university groups. The Graduate Education sets basic policies and minimum requirements. Additional program requirements are established by the Art History faculty and the director of the School of Art. Graduate Education policies and procedures are provided in the Arizona State University Graduate Catalog under  Graduate Policies and Procedures  and revised each year. MA students are responsible for being aware of the policies in the catalog on which they were admitted to.

Application deadlines

The deadline for completed applications is  Jan. 15 . This deadline is for admission beginning the following fall semester. We do not admit for spring semester.

Application requirements

You must have a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose credits are acceptable to Arizona State University and GPA of 3.0 or better for the third and fourth years of undergraduate study. Credits from undergraduate degrees that are pending must have been completed by  Aug. 15  of the year in which you enter the MA program.

If you hold a degree in something other than art history, you must complete at least four upper-division art history courses (12 semester hours) with a B or better beyond such general survey courses as ASU’s ARS 101 and 102. Upon the completion of at least six of these, you may be accepted with deficiencies, on the understanding that the remaining hours will be completed during the first semester in the program. The 12 hours of deficiencies will not count as MA hours. There is no GRE requirement for MA or PhD programs.

Please read all details listed below prior to applying.

Official transcripts You must have one set of official transcripts  from every college and university from which you earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.  Official transcripts should be emailed to Admission Services at [email protected]  directly from the issuing institution’s records office. If transcripts cannot be emailed, the institute may mail transcripts to:

Required application materials

• Statement of intent:  The statement of intent should address your reasons for applying to graduate program in general, and the Herberger Institute School of Art in particular, as well as professional goals. It should not exceed two typed pages. Please submit with your application to Graduate Education.
• Research paper:  A formal scholarly research paper for review is required. Please submit with your application to Graduate Education.
• Letters of recommendation:  Art history requires three letters of recommendation from professionals in the field and/or from faculty with whom you have studied. Please follow the instructions for letters of recommendation and submit with your application to Graduate Education.
• Résumé:  Your résumé may include highlights of your academic success. Please submit with your application to Graduate Education.
• International students:  Please refer to international student information on the  ASU Graduate Education website .
• Regular admission:  If you qualify under regular admissions, you have no conditions to meet and are eligible for assistantships and scholarships. The minimum number of hours for an assistantship is six and the minimum number of hours for a scholarship is nine.
• Regular admission with deficiencies:  If your grades, test scores or portfolio are at an acceptable level but do not have the academic background expected for the MA in Art History, you may be required to complete courses to remedy deficiencies. In such cases the letter of admission specifies the courses that must be completed before you are awarded a graduate degree. In the School of Art these courses must be completed with a grade of B or better during the first year of study. Any extension beyond one year must have the approval of the temporary advisor and the chair of the graduate studio committee. Deficiency hours may not be applied toward the minimum hours required for the degree program.
• Provisional admissions:  If you do not meet minimum academic standards but have counterbalancing evidence to suggest the potential for success may be admitted on a provisional basis. You will be reviewed by area faculty following 12 hours of graduate study, at which time the School of Art will recommend to Graduate Education either a change to regular admission or withdrawal from the program.

Transfer credit

Students may transfer credits taken before admission to a graduate degree program as non-degree credit; up to 12 credit hours can be applied toward the MA degree. Additional information regarding transfer credit can be found in the  Graduate Catalog .

Academic integrity

As students in the MA program of this college, it is expected that you set a good example of academic integrity for the undergraduate and graduate students in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. As you will be enrolled in graduate-level courses, you can set a good example by being in class early, assuming a leadership role in the classroom, getting engaged in classroom discussion, exercising scholarly discipline, turning in all assignments on or before deadlines and setting and achieving high personal goals. Graduate Education guidelines about academic integrity can be found in the Graduate Catalog under  Graduate Policies and Procedures section .

Academic standing

To be eligible for a graduate degree at ASU, a student must achieve a GPA of “B” (3.0) or better in all course work taken at 500 level and above and in all work included in the program of study. Grades below “C” cannot be used to meet the requirements for the M.A. program. Grades of transferred work will not be included in computing the GPA. Graduate course work, other than research or thesis, reported “incomplete” must be completed within one year of the official ending of the course. Research or thesis is awarded a grade of “Y”.

Course load

Determined by the student in consultation with the advisor, but is not to exceed 15 hours of credit per term; nine hours is average. Students holding research or teaching assistantships must enroll in six credit hours.

Continuous enrollment

Continuous enrollment is required of all students once admitted to a graduate degree program. Students must be registered for a minimum of one credit hour during all phases of their graduate education, including the term in which they graduate.

Plan of study

Each student entering the MA program is required to submit a Plan of Study at the end of the first year (second semester). The Plan of Study (iPOS) functions as a contract between the student, the academic unit and the office for Graduate Education. The iPOS must be approved by a student’s graduate faculty advisor, the head of the academic unit, and the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. A link to the iPOS is found at the student’s My ASU.

Degree requirements

ASU’s current MA in Art History requires a minimum of 30 credit hours.  Of these 30 credit hours, a minimum of 21 hours must come from art history graduate courses at ASU. Students need to fulfill one research language besides English and complete 12 credit hours of seminars plus Research Methods (ARS 501), and take 12 credit hours in four of the core areas (this can overlap with the seminar requirements). The remaining credits can be fulfilled by courses in other areas or electives (internships, independent research, mentoring and professionalization courses, etc.).

The director will assign students a temporary faculty mentor when students enter the program. Students should select a faculty mentor/thesis advisor and an area of study by the end of the first year. In consultation with their thesis advisor, students should select a thesis committee by the beginning of the fall of the second year. This is especially important for students who wish to graduate in two years.

Course requirements

• ARS 501 Research Methodologies: All incoming students are required to complete satisfactorily  ARS 501 Research Methodologies  during the first fall enrolled in the MA.. This course is specifically designed to equip students to engage in advanced research and to introduce them to pivotal art historical writings.
• Four seminars (ARS 591) or the equivalent of 12 credit hours are required for the degree program. This requirement can overlap with the core area requirement.
• Core area requirements: The MA program in art history at ASU recognizes twelve core areas: Ancient, Africa, Asia, Baroque, Contemporary (including Photography), Latin America, Medieval, Modern, Native American Indian, Oceania, Pre-Columbian, and Renaissance. MA candidates are required to take courses in four of the core areas. In order to improve their understanding of global art history, students must take two courses outside of their geographical area of specialization.

Foreign language requirement

To succeed in their graduate coursework, students must have a reading knowledge of one research language in addition to English. The selected language needs to be appropriate for the area of research concentration and must be approved by the chosen faculty mentor. This requirement can be met by taking a language for reading knowledge course in SILC (School of International Letters and Culture) with a grade of B or better, or by passing the Graduate Foreign Language Examination offered by SILC which requires a fee.

Only nine hours of the following elective courses can be included in the Plan of Study:   ARS 590 Reading and Conference , ARS 592 Research , and ARS 594 Internship .

Thesis proposal

In preparation for the MA thesis, students will write a proposal (about 10 pages in length) explaining the main question/thesis they will develop in their MA thesis. The proposal should discuss the theoretical and methodological approach, review comprehensive literature and clearly explain the contribution the student hopes to make to the field. Students will register for research credit hours (ARS 590/ARS 592) in order to complete the thesis proposal and will work closely with their thesis chair. Once the thesis chair approves the thesis proposal, the student will submit it to the thesis committee for their approval.

Thesis credits and thesis

Six and only six credits of ARS 599 Thesis are required to graduate. The faculty mentor/chair of the thesis committee and at least one other member of the thesis committee must be members of the art history faculty. Under the guidance of the Thesis Committee, students will write a Master’s thesis demonstrating significant research abilities and methodological approaches. The Master’s thesis can be made in the form of a research essay for publication. The recommended length of the thesis text is 40-60 pages, plus additional endnotes, images, and bibliography beyond the text.

Thesis defense

Students are required to hold a public defense of the thesis on an ASU campus as part of the degree requirements. The student and committee chair (or one co-chair) must be physically present at the defense. Students must follow the Graduate Education’s deadlines and rules of the defense when scheduling the thesis orals.

MA Degree Requirements

The standalone Master of Arts (MA) in Art History is comprised of 36 credit hours (12 courses), culminating in an MA thesis, and normally taking two years (4 semesters) to complete. Students admitted to the MA program who wish to continue to the PhD and have the support of a potential advisor must submit a full application for the PhD program via the Slate system in the semester before the conferral of their master’s degree.

Coursework:

3 required courses: Methods (ARTH 850) in the first semester; Writing Seminar (ARTH 991) in the third semester, and Masters Thesis (ARTH 993) in the fourth semester. The Writing Seminar will be devoted to structuring an argument, assessing primary and secondary sources, and conducting a sustained writing exercise. The goal of the Writing Seminar is to produce a prospectus of the thesis by the end of the third semester.

9 elective courses of which 5 should be graduate seminars (900 level). It is recommended that students take four seminars in the first year in order to prioritize Thesis work in the second year. Students may also choose to register for the Professional Development Course in lieu of a fifth seminar course, recommended in the fourth semester to allow students to focus on completing the MA thesis while equipping them with meaningful skills with which to enter the professional world. The Professional Development course will address, among other topics: grant writing; submitting articles for publication; copyright and permissions; conference presentations; writing a CV; etc.

Students are strongly encouraged to take courses in a range of art historical fields.

Following the approval of the MA thesis completion by the thesis committee, students will present their MA thesis at an oral defense prior to the formal submission deadline for MA theses. The examining committee will comprise the student’s thesis committee. The oral defense will include questions about larger issues raised in the Methods and Writing seminars and thus will constitute a comprehensive examination of the student’s work toward the MA degree as well as of the thesis itself.

Coursework for students in the MA track could include:

YEAR 1 Semester 1 Methods Course (or Seminar if Methods is only offered in the Spring) Seminar Seminar

Semester 2 Seminar (or Methods Course if it wasn’t offered in the Fall semester) Seminar Seminar or Content Course (refers to courses at 400-600 level)

YEAR 2 Semester 3 Writing Seminar Seminar or Content Course Seminar or Content Course

Semester 4  MA Thesis and Oral Defense of the Thesis Content Course Professional Development Course (recommended) or Content Course

Graduate Courses:  http://www.unc.edu/gradrecord/programs/art.html

POLICY ON READING COURSES FOR MA STUDENTS (Passed December 2, 2010)

As the MA program emphasizes and facilitates breadth of art-historical knowledge, MA students should not register for a reading course in lieu of a regularly scheduled class to fulfill a program requirement.  Occasionally, however, an MA student may have a compelling academic reason to substitute a reading course for a program requirement.  In such a case, the student and his/her assigned faculty advisor may petition, in writing, the Director of Graduate Studies for permission to make the substitution.

Language Requirement

By the end of the third semester, all MA students are required to have met the language requirement of one language, other than English, appropriate to the area of study. The language will be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the graduate committee. The student can demonstrate competency by obtaining a passing grade on the UNC-CH Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment (FLPA), offered for German, Italian, Latin, Spanish, and French.

Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment:  The Graduate School administers Foreign Language Proficiency Assessments for enrolled, degree-seeking graduate students who have a foreign language proficiency requirement as part of their degree program. The assessments are offered as an alternative to coursework (601/602 language courses) for those students who have proficiency in a language but may not have a documented means of showing it. The assessments are reading proficiency exams equivalent to a final exam in a 602 course. Principally, the exams include the translation of a prescribed general interest text and a section focused on reading comprehension skills.

The FLPA exam is given in the spring semester; watch for information on the Graduate School events page or visit Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment for more details.

Alternatively, the language requirement may be fulfilled by earning a “B” (or a graduate “P”) or better in a fourth semester or higher language course, or by earning a “B” (or graduate “P”) in a literature course in that language at UNC-CH. Graduate-level reading courses are also possibilities for fulfilling this requirement. These are offered at UNC with increasingly less frequency, so students are encouraged to consider the language proficiency exam as their primary means by which to meet this requirement. A German reading course is offered through Duke every fall (501); French 602x is offered at UNC but not on a yearly basis.

Students may petition to fulfill the language requirement through graduate-level reading courses taken at other institutions by submitting a request, final transcript, and supporting course materials to the DGS.

Note: No credit toward the MA coursework requirements is given for language courses

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Powerful Ideas. Proven Results.

College of Letters & Science Art History

Master of arts  .

The Department of Art History of the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts degree in Art History. The program is designed to provide students with a solid academic foundation upon which to base a career in the arts or to prepare for PhD-level work at other universities.   The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has earned the highest rating for a research institution from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, and the Department of Art History plays an integral role in the university’s broader research mission.  

Incoming students are required to take a methodology course in their first fall semester . After completion of nine credits of course work,  students must  demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by passing a written translation  examination.  In general course work,  students will develop breadth by taking courses in at least four different  art-historical  areas.  Course offerings cover the full range of Western art, from  ancient to contemporary, as well as Asian, Islamic, African, and Pre-Columbian art.   

Internships are required for students pursuing both the Thesis and Curatorial Tracks. Students usually serve internships in Milwaukee area museums and other local institutions for course credit. Students have held internships at the Emile H. Mathis Gallery, Milwaukee Art Museum, the Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University, the Chipstone Foundation, the Museum of Wisconsin Art, the Kohler Foundation, the Museum Public Museum, and a variety of local galleries.

To qualify for graduation, students will produce either a thesis on a scholarly problem or a thesis exhibition with a scholarly catalogue.   Students must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment. It is expected that a full-time student will complete all requirements for the degree within two  to  three years.  

Select language

Art History

Master's thesis.

You complete your programme by writing a Research Master's thesis that is based on original research. A Reseach Master's thesis is a scholarly text in which you are expected to contribute, on the basis of independent research, to a debate within your discipline.

The central research question should be clearly formulated at the beginning and its relevance to scholarly discussions within the discipline set out. The body of the text should show how you went about trying to answer this question, why you proceeded the way you did, and what your findings were. In your conclusion you should analyze your findings in the light of your original question and explain the broader implications of your conclusions.

Thesis requirements

The thesis should be written in correct and clear English and will be around 30,000 words long (+ - 10%, no longer), including notes and bibliography.

The thesis will be assessed and graded by the supervisor and by a second assessor who has not been involved in the supervision. The Programme Coordinator  appoints the second assessor. 

Submitting your proposal

Submitting your thesis proposal.

Do your supervisor and second reviewer approve your thesis proposal? Then submit your proposal in Osiris Student  > Cases > My cases > Start a new case by using the plus icon in the bottom right corner. A new window will open. Make sure your pop-up blocker is turned off for the new window to open.  Choose HUM: Thesis proposal.  Your supervisor and second assessor will then officially confirm that you can start your writing process. You will be notified of this by e-mail.

Submitting your thesis

Handing in your thesis

Once you have completed your thesis, you must submit it in Osiris (and not via an email to your supervisor). Osiris provides you with an evaluation progress as well as your final grade. 

If your supervisor has indicated that your final paper is ready for assessment, proceed as follows:

• You can upload your thesis in Osiris via Cases  > My Cases .
• Consult with your supervisor how the plagiarism check is carried out (e.g. by uploading your thesis in  Blackboard  or otherwise)

Did you get a pass?

If you have received a satisfactory grade, you will need to upload your thesis' final version in Utrecht University's thesis archive. This is mandatory.

• Go to  Osiris Student  > Cases
• Choose  Archive & publish thesis - Follow-up Case
• Archive your thesis and, if so desired, you can publish it 

Digital Art history thesis award

The Department of History and Art History annually awards a prize of € 750 for the best thesis using digital methods or techniques. With this award we aim to stimulate digital (art)historical research among students.

When is a thesis eligible?

Your thesis qualifies if you have successfully applied digital methods or techniques in it:

• The answer to the research question relies predominantly on digital methods or techniques.
• All digital methods are allowed: from digital text analysis to GIS and from network analysis to 3D modeling.
• The method is based on existing software or on (your own) programming code (in R or Python, for example).
• Your thesis is written in the academic year 2023/24.

To submit a thesis

Please send an email to Pim Huijnen  before 15 September 2024, including the following information:

• Subject : Thesis prize Digital (Art)History
• Attachment : the thesis itself (as .doc or .pdf)

You can both be nominated by thesis supervisor or you can compete on your own initiative. 

• Joris van Eijnatten (Professor of Digital History, head of the NL eScience Center Amsterdam)
• Pim Huijnen (Assistant professor of Cultural History, Coordinator of the GKG Digital History Group)
• Ortal-Paz Saar (Assistant professor for Ancient History and Classical Civilization
• Selin Dilli (Assistant professor for Economic and Social History

Best RMA thesis 2021-2022: Edo Storm Best bachelor thesis 2020-2021: Suzanne Ros

More information

Send an email to Pim Huijnen: [email protected]

Forms and procedures master's thesis

Your Master's thesis will be assessed following specific evaluation procedures. You can prepare for this by reading the following documents and explanations prior to starting your thesis.

All theses will be evaluated by two separate evaluators. If your supervisor is a professor connected to your Master's programme, he/she will also be the first evaluator. 

Your Research Master's thesis will be evaluated using a standardised assessment form (word). In some cases a third evaluator will be asked to assess your paper. This third evaluator will use another form (word) to evaluate your thesis.

Fraud and plagiarism

Utrecht University considers any form of academic dishonesty to be a serious offense. Utrecht University expects each student to be familiar with and to observe the norms and values that ensure academic integrity.

Therefore, when you start writing your thesis you will have to hand in the Plagiarism rules awareness statement (pdf). With this, you declare to know about and abide by the norms and rules on fraud and plagiarism of Utrecht University. When your professor or supervisor suspects fraud or plagiarism, they will notify the Board of Examiners.

Do you use participants for your research?

In case you are doing research that involves experiments with human participants, interviewing people, submitting questionnaires or involving people in any other way, you are probably doing human-subject related research . If so, please review the  checklist  and discuss it with your supervisor. The checklist contains information on privacy, ethics and data management.

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Art History: Master's Thesis Projects

• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 11:49 AM
• URL: https://libguides.academyart.edu/art-history

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• Events Calendar

Art & Art History News - May 7, 2024

Art & Art History Graduation

Friday, May 10 at 10:00am to 12:00pm Visual Arts Complex, Plaza — in front of the building 1085 18th Street, Boulder, CO 80309

Join us from 10 AM-12 Noon for the Art & Art History graduation on the Visual Arts Complex plaza. The ceremony is from 10-11 AM followed by morning refreshments served from 11AM-12PM. Seating is limited! Please consider 2-4 guests per student.

Masters of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition: Round 2

On view at the CU Art Museum, Visual Arts Complex Exhibition closes: Saturday, May 11, 2024

Featured artists:  Natalie Thedford, Noa Fodrie, Aunna Moriarty, Cody Norton

CU Art Museum hours of operation: Tuesday - Saturday from 10am - 4pm 1085 18th Street, Boulder, CO 80309

Department Announcements

Enroll today in summer classes.

ARTS 1171 Section 100, Class Nbr 21301 Photography for Non-Majors MTWThF 12:30pm-3:30pm  Visual Arts Complex 1B23

ARTS 2126 Section 100, Class Nbr 21209 Digital Art 1 MTWThF 9am-12pm  Visual Arts Complex 1B23

Having issues enrolling? Contact: [email protected]

Seleny Bañuelos (BFA Ceramics/BA Spanish) awarded a Jacob Van Ek Scholarship

The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship—one of the college’s highest honors—to 23 exceptional undergraduates.

The award is named for Jacob Van Ek (1896-1999), who arrived at CU as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate in 1925 at what is now known as Iowa State University. Within three years, he was a full professor and, by 1929, he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts, serving until 1959. 

Congratulations Seleny!

Jason Sanford

Jason has released a new album, Living Waters.  In support of the album he and his band will tour international, including 31 concerts in 9 countries. Link to summer tour information .

Check out the press coverage for the record!

Brittany Ashley, MA Student in Art History, Joins Engaged Arts and Humanities Scholars Cohort 2024-26

Brittany was accepted into the Center for Humanities and the Arts' Engaged Arts and Humanities Cohort for the 2024-2026 school year. Meet the cohort  here !

As part of the Engaged Arts and Humanities Scholar 2024-2025 cohort, they plan to create an interdisciplinary community project that brings together art history, health sciences, and other approaches for spreading essential information about Covid-19.

Congratulations, Brittany!

Congratulations to our Art & Art History faculty awarded RIO grants

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) Arts & Humanities Grant Program announced  nearly $95,000 in combined funding  for  17 projects  exploring topics in disciplines from Asian languages and environmental design to composition and Classics.

About: The  RIO Arts & Humanities Grant Program  is inspired by recognition of the essential role of the arts and humanities at CU Boulder, including inspiring deeper connections with others, welcoming multiple and diverse perspectives, and contemplating what it means to be human.  

• Project : Intimacy Coordinator (Controlled Environment),  Awardee : Molly Valentine Dierks (Arts Practices)
• Project : The Audacity of Pleasure: Race, Aesthetics, and the Politics of Feeling Good,  Awardee : Crystal Nelson (Art History)
• Project : True Mirror,  Awardee : Jeanne Quinn (Arts Practices)

Kim Dickey, Professor, Ceramics

New and recent works by Kim Dickey are currently on view at Robischon Gallery in a solo exhibition titled "Enfolding"

Link to more information

Marina Kassianidou Assistant Professor, Painting & Drawing

Closing event for Marina’s solo exhibition  A Partial History Marina Kassianidou in Conversation with Mary Annunziata NARS Foundation, Brooklyn, NY May 15, 6:00 – 8:00 pm Artist talk, publication launch, and closing reception

Please join us for an artist talk, publication launch & closing reception with Marina Kassianidou in conversation with Mary Annunziata on May 15, at 6pm in the NARS Project Space. Marina Kassianidou will discuss her exhibition  A Partial History  in conversation with Mary Annunziata, and a publication corresponding to the exhibition will also be available.  A Partial History  unfolds histories/stories of touch, movement, language, and translation. The artist recreates books from her late grandmother’s library, focusing on marks of use and time on the books’ pages. She then makes drawings that magnify and superimpose the marks from the books, compressing time while potentially expanding space. The recreated books and drawings become alternative history books and maps, recording shared histories and spaces of handling and holding.

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