Degree Title: Master of Art
Program Name and Number: Art History - MA5146
Department/Unit: School of Art + Design
Delivery Mode: Athens Campus
Terms of Entry: Fall
Program Mission: The Art History area promotes individual growth in visual intelligence, analytical rigor, and scholarly creativity in preparation for advanced academic study and practical work in the field.
Program Learning Objectives: Students will
- Demonstrate informed and critical competence in the core relationship between seeing and thinking, writing and image within the professional context of Art History
- Locate the relevant methodological direction of their research interest and focus topic in the thesis
- Articulate the position of their thesis research within the relevant cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary areas of Art History
Program Overview: The Master of Arts in Art History is a two-year program in the School of Art + Design. As students develop interpretive and research skills, they learn to express their ideas in an increasingly professional manner through papers and oral presentations. Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities offered to study art in context through Ohio University international programs, participate in museum internships, and present work at student symposia. Coursework includes a sequence of art history courses and seminars at the advanced level, directed electives, and proof of reading competency in a language approved by the faculty.
Upon entry to the program in art history, a student will be assigned an advisor in the area, and by the end of the third week of the second year, a thesis proposal will be submitted to the student’s thesis committee members, leading to the completion of a 40 credit-hour degree.
Opportunities for Graduates: After completing the M.A., students are prepared to enter programs in Doctoral studies or to seek career paths in fields related to art history. The art history department’s alumni are currently directors of galleries and museums, and professors and deans of Fine Arts schools.
Link to Program Handbook: contact artgrad@ohio.edu
Graduation Requirements:
- Credit-Hour Requirements Summary: 40 minimum credit hours
- 21 art history credits
- 9 electives credits
- 10 thesis credits
- Distribution requirements:
- Each graduate student is required to complete at least one theory course and one art history course in each of the following subject areas: modern, pre-modern, and world art.
- Methods requirement:
- Each graduate student is required to complete AH5711, Methods in Art History, during the first semester of study.
- Language Requirement
- Proof of research competency in a foreign language approved by the faculty is also required. To satisfy the language requirement, students must complete one year of a foreign language or the equivalent (language test, taking the second semester of the language).
- Committee and Thesis review requirements:
- The graduate student will have a Thesis committee made up of 3 faculty chosen in discussion with the student’s advisor. A progress/candidacy review will take place in the second semester for full time graduate students and the fourth semester for part time graduate students. Approval of a topic by the thesis committee will be required before the student can register for thesis credits. Advisor’s approval in writing is required.
- The program concludes with the submission of a written thesis that demonstrates scholarly research and a final review and oral defense of the thesis.
- Expected time to degree if studying full time is 2 years
Culminating Experience: Written Thesis/Dissertation and Oral Defense
An oral thesis defense and a written thesis/ dissertation are required at the conclusion of the program.
Admission Requirements: In addition to University required documents, please submit a Letter of Intent/Statement of Purpose, Resume/CV, Writing Sample and Three Letters of Reference (through online request system) Online Application–through OU Graduate College online application portal at http://www.ohio.edu/graduate/apply
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