M.A. in Art History
Revised December 2011
The Master of Arts in Art History prepares students with the course work, language skills, and research experience needed for further graduate study or work in a museum or educational setting. The curriculum is structured to provide both breadth and depth of inquiry through a variety of approaches to art history and, more broadly, visual studies. We recommend that courses be broadly selected to take full advantage of the multiple approaches, expertise, and insights of the faculty.
The relatively small size of the MA program, the richness of available resources, and the dedication of its faculty enable students to tailor their program of study to particular needs while simultaneously attaining a strong general grounding in the discipline. Campus resources include the Lucille C. Little Fine Arts Library and Learning Center, the Special Collections of the M. I. King Library, the W.T. Young Library, the University Art Museum, the Art Department Visual Resources Office, and the John Tuska Center for Contemporary Art.
Admission requirements
Experience suggests that applicants from a wide variety of educational backgrounds may earn a MA degree in Art History. It is recommended that those without an undergraduate art history major consult with the art history graduate advisor before applying. Depending on one’s prior preparation, some entering students may be required to take preparatory work that will not be applied to the graduate degree course requirements.
Application Procedures and Deadlines
The Graduate School, which is the administrative unit for all graduate students, and the Art History graduate program, which is responsible for the academic curriculum, require different application materials. Graduate School information is available on-line at www.gradschool.uky.edu.
Application for admission to the Graduate School is made mostly on-line (Graduate School, Admissions, 201 Ezra Gillis Building, Lexington, KY 40506-0033 Tel: 859/257-4613) and requires:
- • completed application form for the Graduate School (on-line application form available at www.gradschool.uky.edu)
- • one official transcript sent by each institution of study previously attended.
- • official GRE scores (transmitted electronically from ets.org; the institutional code for the Graduate School is 1837)
- • application fee (paid electronically)
Application materials for the Art History graduate program should be sent to the Graduate Advisor for Art History (Art Department, 207 Fine Arts Bldg., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0022). These materials should be sent in hardcopy form and include:
- • brief résumé.
- • personal statement that explains your interest in art history graduate study, experience, and plans.
- • sample of research, such as an undergraduate research paper.
- • one official transcript sent by each institution of study previously attended.
- • two letters of recommendation (sent separately by recommenders to the Graduate Advisor at the address above).
Application deadlines:
Application materials for fall semester will be accepted through April 1st. Applicants wishing to apply for one of Art History’s two teaching assistantships, however, must submit their materials no later than January 1st and, in addition, include a letter to the Graduate Advisor for Art History indicating their interest and credentials for an assistantship. The deadline for applications for spring semester is November 1st.
Degree Requirements
Degree candidates have an option of fulfilling either Plan A or Plan B for a Masters in Art History. (This material is also published in the Graduate Bulletin www.research.uky.edu/gs/bulletin/bullinfo.shtml).
Plan A – Thesis Option: Candidates who plan to continue study at the doctoral level should select Plan A. This option emphasizes art historical research, problem solving, and communication skills.
Requirements:
- • minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work.*
- • foreign language reading competency in German and one other language (French often recommended). **
- • satisfactory completion and oral defense of a thesis.
* Six of the minimum 30 required credit hours may be taken in related areas such as anthropology, film studies, historic preservation, history, literature, philosophy, studio art, or women’s studies.
** The foreign language competency requirement may be satisfied by any of the means established by the Graduate School.
Plan B – Non-thesis Option: Plan B emphasizes course work to deepen the candidate’s foundation in art historical knowledge, theory, and methods. Candidates who plan careers in visual arts fields that do not require a Ph.D. -- professional placements in galleries, museums, art organizations, arts administration, etc. -- may want to select this option.
Requirements:
- • minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work.*
- • foreign language reading competency in German and one other language.**
- • satisfactory completion of final comprehensive exam.
* Nine of the minimum 30 required credit hours may be taken in related areas such as anthropology, film studies, historic preservation, history, literature, philosophy, studio art, or women’s studies.
** The foreign language competency requirement may be satisfied by any of the means established by the Graduate School.
For further information, please contact:
Jane S. Peters
Art History Graduate Advisor
Department of Art, 207 Fine Arts Bldg.
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0022
e-mail: jane.peters @uky.edu
tel: 859/257-1716