Art History and Visual Culture, MA

30 credit hours

The Master of Arts in art history and visual culture provides students with a broad foundation and exploration of the visual arts and culture in various eras. Students develop a greater knowledge of the salient works of art through the exploration of diverse approaches and the examination of varied materials. Traditional and contemporary approaches to the discipline are introduced with a firm grounding in research and methods. The program seeks to reveal the structures within which works of art were produced, how they were utilized, and the manners in which visual culture communicates meaning.

A graduate student in the College of Arts and Humanities may take only one tutorial or independent study course and may enroll in a maximum of nine graduate credit hours per semester. A student may not receive graduate credit for any course designated as a dually enrolled course if that student received credit for the undergraduate version of that course.

Admission Requirements

Applications are initially reviewed by the Office of University Admissions to ensure all university admissions standards are met. An admissions decision will be made once all steps have been completed.

In addition to the requirements of all graduate students, applicants to the College of Arts and Humanities should complete and/or submit the following documents and information:

• Transcripts demonstrating completion of undergraduate degree in related field with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in all major coursework.
• The official results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may be required if GPA is below 3.0.
• Contact information for three academic and/or professional references.
• 1,000-word statement of purpose describing applicant’s goals.
• Specific deliverables depending on area of study, such as a writing sample and/or portfolio of work.

Completion Options

Non-Thesis/Applied Project Option

The applied project allows students with a professional focus to apply the theories and research methods of their field in a professional setting or in a final product or series of products. Projects may take different forms, but all students produce some form of material on behalf of an organization or field of practice. Students pursuing the non-thesis/applied project option document their progress and product for final review by their thesis committee. This option should only be considered by students who do not intend to continue study beyond the master’s level. See the chair of the program for more information.

Thesis Option

The thesis involves the creation of an original piece of scholarship relevant to the field of study that investigates an aspect of that field, professional area, or organization. Students evaluate the state of the field in existing research on their topic area and then develop a research question to investigate. Over the course of the program, students investigate their topic and refine their thesis, which is written the final two semesters and reviewed by their thesis committee. The required length for the thesis option for completion of a master’s degree in the College of Arts and Humanities is between 50-70 pages. The length will be determined by the topic of inquiry, scope and procedure used to investigate and draw conclusions. The final requirements will be determined by the student’s committee chair and the director of graduate programs. This option is highly recommended for all students pursuing the MA in art history and visual culture, especially if intending to continue study at the doctoral level. See the chair of the program for more information.

Students who do not successfully complete and defend the Thesis/Project Prospectus, or who have not completed their Thesis/Project by the end of CAH 61000 , must enroll in  CAH 60500   - Thesis/Project Experience in every fall and spring semester until the Thesis/Project is completed.

Foreign Language Requirements

The foreign language examinations are administered by the Department of Foreign Languages and ensure students have the ability to read in either French or German and use a language as a tool in the discipline. Students must successfully complete the foreign language examination within the first 18 credit hours of the program. Should the student fail the first attempt, a second will be allowed. However, the examination must be successfully passed at 15 credit hours, and, as such, students are encouraged to take it in their first semester.

Substitution of required foreign languages are at the discretion of the chair of art history and the director of graduate programs. Additionally, the foreign language requirement may also be met through the completion of four semesters (or the equivalent of fourth semester) college-level language with a 3.0 GPA average or passing a course specifically for reading knowledge. Students should plan for either the exam, or competency track to ensure enough time remains to complete the requirements.

Comprehensive Examination

Students pursuing the Master of Arts in art history and visual culture must successfully complete a comprehensive examination of Western and non-Western art (CAH 57000 ). The exam will require knowledge of works and their historical context from all eras and regions in a combination of identification and essays. The comprehensive exam may be retaken only once and must be passed with a score of 80 percent by the midpoint of the program.