MA in Art History

Our MA curriculum prioritizes traditional research methods, while also focusing on new media skills and hands-on learning via internships, curating coursework, and museum studies.

 

The master’s degree program in Art History provides thoughtful training in a diverse range of art historical careers including in museums, arts education, galleries, and auction houses. Students also prepare for graduate studies at the PhD level. 

Our MA curriculum prioritizes traditional research methods, while also focusing on new media skills and hands-on learning via internships, curating coursework, and museum studies. Read about our currently offered courses {here}. Art History MA students enjoy small seminars led by experts in their fields.  

Recent courses have included Fakes and Forgeries, The US Civil War and Visual Culture, The Art of British India, Egypt in the Age of Nefertiti, and Transatlantic Encounters in Twentieth-Century European and Latin American Art. Students may take advantage of a dual degree program offered with Arts Management or integrate a certificate in Digital Public Humanities with their MA.  

 


Program Highlights:

  •         30 credits
  •         Optional thesis
  •         No GRE required
  •         Flexible course load options
  •         New media training
  •         Global range of courses
  •         Full and part-time schedules
  •         Museum and Curating courses

 

As a result of Mason’s location and faculty research, the program has close relationships with the Smithsonian Institution and other area museums, including historical sites and house museums in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.  These relationships provide our students with opportunities for internships and valuable learning experiences.

     

 

 

 

 

 

Our widely-published faculty conducts research in a broad range of periods and regions, which spans Europe, North and South America, South Asia, and the Middle East; and we consider a full spectrum of art, artifacts, and material culture.  Students can expect small classes with personal attention to individual interests and career goals, and the opportunity to get to know and study with one another in a small and collegial environment. Our faculty pride themselves on creativity and invention in the classroom and take advantage of opportunities for experiential learning, such as learning to curate an actual museum exhibit or using 3-D printing as part of arts education.

 


Connect With Us

If you are a prospective Art History MA student and would like more information, please navigate to our “About the ARTH MA” and “FAQs for the MA in ARTH” pages within our “Why Study Here” menu.

 

Admissions applications are accepted and reviewed on a

rolling basis for both fall and spring semesters. 

 

For program or admissions application-related questions, you can contact the

MA director or graduate coordinator

For news from our faculty and graduate student research, please see our web version of the Art History Newsletter {here}.

 

Tags:

History Art