Graduate Program

ALL MA AND PHD APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2013 ADMISSION ARE DUE ON DECEMBER 15. PLEASE DISREGARD CONFLICTING INFORMATION POSTED ELSEWHERE.

The Department of Art History at Tyler School of Art offers the following graduate degrees: Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Arts in Fine Arts Administration, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).  The curriculum introduces students to a wide range of critical methods and approaches in courses on all periods of Western art history, including concentrations in Aegean, Greek, and Roman; Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque; and American, Modern, and Contemporary.  The department has a strong archaeological component, running summer excavations in Crete and Italy, and fieldwork in Egypt.  We also have an internationally acclaimed faculty deeply engaged in productive research.  Click HERE or see the Faculty page for more information.

In 2009, the Department of Art History joined the university's studio art programs by moving into the new Tyler School of Art building on Main Campus.  This dynamic new facility promotes exciting synergy between art historical study and studio practice.  Also, our location in Philadelphia offers excellent research resources and a wealth of museums and galleries, including Temple's own contemporary art gallery.  Click HERE or see the Facilities and Resources page for more information.

Our graduate students are diverse in background, contributing to the stimulating level of intellectual discourse that is characteristic of the department.  The active, student-run Art History Graduate Organization (AHGO) sponsors lectures and career workshops, promoting a communal and supportive environment.  The department participates in the annual Middle Atlantic Symposium and also co-sponsors the Philadelphia Symposium, held annually at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Both symposia are devoted to new research by area graduate students.

M.A. Program

The M.A. program provides breadth and thoroughness in Art History as preparation for further graduate work or as the foundation for careers in related areas.  The master’s degree requires 30 graduate credits, a reading examination in two foreign languages (German and either French or Italian), a thesis, and a final comprehensive examination.

Students in the Fine Arts Administration track combine Art History with courses at Temple’s Fox School of Business and Management as preparation for administrative positions in arts and culture institutions.  The following requirements must be completed by all students in the Fine Arts Administration track: 9 Art History courses (27 credits), 4 business courses (12 credits), 6 internship credits, language examinations in German and either French or Italian, a comprehensive examination, and an internship. Students have the option of registering for comprehensive examination preparatory credits and internship credits.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program prepares students for college teaching or for other research-oriented positions requiring advanced specialized study.  The degree requires 60 credits of graduate (5000-level or above) course credits in art history beyond the BA with a minimum grade point average of 3.50.  Up to nine credits may be taken in graduate-level courses at Temple outside the Department of Art History, as long as they are relevant to the student’s chosen specialty field.  After completion of all course work, the student becomes a Ph.D. candidate upon passing a qualifying examination and approval of the dissertation proposal.  Up to six credits are needed for writing the dissertation.

The Department of Art History offers a doctoral program to which exceptionally well-prepared students with a B.A. are admitted directly, without first earning a M.A. degree. A strong art history background, appropriate languages, and indicators of high achievement are requisites. Applicants should declare an intention to enter this program.

Application Deadlines:

For Fall Admission: December 15

For Spring Admission: November 1

 

Graduate Courses and Descriptions

For a comprehensive list of all graduate courses offered by the Department, along with descriptions, click on the following link:

http://www.temple.edu/gradcourses/tyler/gsc_d02611.htm

Our graduate students have had solid success in acquiring tenure-track teaching positions, museum curatorial positions, and a host of other jobs, especially in the cultural and educational fields. They also have an outstanding record of participation in a wide range of activities in the international scholarly and museum community. Particularly impressive is the number of students delivering papers at prestigious conferences and symposia.  Click HERE or go to the Alumni News page for more information.

If you have questions about the Ph.D program or wish to arrange a visit, please contact Dr. Marcia Hall, Director of Graduate Studies, at marciahall@verizon.net. If you have questions about the M.A. program or wish to arrange a visit, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Bolman, Associate Director of Graduate Studies, at ebolman@temple.edu.


For a listing of recent dissertations completed and current dissertations-in-progress across the field of Art History, see the following web directory maintained by the College Art Association: www.caareviews.org/dissertations