Art History (MA)
Candidates for the master's degree (MA) must complete at least 45 credits in courses approved by the student's advisor, as well as satisfy the general requirements of the UO Graduate School. Of the 45 credits, a minimum of 36 must be graduate credits in research-based courses, taken for a letter grade.*
All MA candidates must complete either a thesis or a terminal project, as determined by the student in consultation with the student’s advisor.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Disciplinary Knowledge: Demonstrate mastery of the principal works, texts, methods, discussions and problems in a chosen field or fields of study within art and/or architectural history.
- Disciplinary Knowledge: Demonstrate ability to analyze and critique discourse in a chosen field or fields of study within art and/or architectural history.
- Disciplinary Knowledge: Demonstrate proficiency in at least one language beyond English, selected to facilitate advanced research and analysis in a chosen field or fields of study.
- Disciplinary Knowledge: Demonstrate ability to develop and realize a comprehensive program of independent research as a means of establishing oneself as a part of a professional community.
- Career Preparedness: Demonstrate awareness of relevant career options, job search networks, cover letter and CV preparation, interview techniques, and other relevant skills.
- Career Preparedness: Demonstrate readiness to assume professional roles in the academy, the museum, and related institutions via conference and workshop presentations, publications, graduate certificates, and other relevant professional activities.
- Engagement: Demonstrate knowledge, ethics, and skills to produce and disseminate scholarship representing diverse perspectives in a responsible and equitable manner.
- Engagement: Demonstrate ability to convey the relevance of art and architectural works, histories, and methods (e.g., critical visual analysis) to diverse publics, within and beyond academia.
Master of Arts Requirements
Candidates for the MA degree must complete 45 credits in courses approved by the student's advisor, as well as satisfy the general requirements of the Division of Graduate Studies for residence. Of the 45 credits, a minimum of 36 must be graduate credits in research-based courses, taken for a letter grade.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Seminar Requirements and First–Year Seminar Series 1 | 16 | |
| Methods/Critical Approaches to Art History Study 2 | 4 | |
| Electives 3 | 12 | |
| ARH 503 | Thesis | 9 |
| or ARH 614 | Terminal Project | |
| Total Credits | 45 | |
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16 credits total, 12 of which (3 courses, 4 credits each) must be taken at the 600-level during the student’s first year.
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In years where ARH 611 is offered, students may use this course towards their 12 required 600-level credits.
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Of the 12 credits, a maximum of 8 credits may be taken outside of the department with an advisor's permission. When the Graduate Studies in Art History is offered as a 500-level course, the expectation is that a student will take one more ARH 607 either in the fall of their first year or something during their second year.
Distribution Requirement. Students must undertake course work in three of four historic areas: prehistoric–ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern–contemporary. Students may petition to apply a thematic or non-period–specific course toward one of the distribution requirements by demonstrating substantial course work if a substantial part of the student’s work in the thematic or non-period-specific course engaged in the appropriate historic area in question. While not required, it is highly recommended that students take a selection of both selection of courses spanning western, Asian, and other cultural traditions courses to fulfill their distribution and elective requirements.
Foreign Language Requirement. The department requires that MA degree candidates demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language. The chosen language must be approved by the student’s advisor and should be relevant to the student’s scholarly interests. Language proficiency is typically demonstrated in one of several ways:
- by passing a written language exam given by the department;
- by providing an official transcript from the University of Oregon or elsewhere that shows satisfactory completion of the second or third year of the language, as determined by the student's primary advisor;
- by presenting evidence of having achieved equivalent results on a standardized foreign-language placement test.
The foreign language requirement may be waived for a student who has completed a high school or higher degree that employed the target language as the primary language of instruction. Students who expect to pursue a PhD should also acquire a research capability in additional languages, as appropriate to the student's area of study, as soon as possible in their academic program.
Additional information regarding the MA is available from the Department of the History of Art and Architecture office or on the website.
An opportunity to earn a BA and MA in art history and a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies within five years.
AMP in Art History and GCMS Department Application Requirements
Statement of Purpose
Describe in detail your interests in the field of art and/or architectural history. This statement should include an account of your research interests, professional goals, how these integrate with our department, and why you wish to be admitted to the AMP in Art History and GCMS. Be sure to indicate the faculty member (or members) and the resources and aspects of the program that seem particularly suited to your educational needs. (Please limit the length of this document to a maximum of four double-spaced pages.)
Writing Sample
Provide one sample of your scholarly work that reflects your research and critical writing skills (30 double-spaced pages maximum). A student applying to the AMP in Art History and GCMS may submit a polished term paper written in a 400-level seminar with an ARH prefix as one's writing sample.
AMP Advising Worksheet (see attached HAA AMP Museum Studies Sample Schedule for a sample AMP Advising Worksheet)
Your worksheet should include all qualifying courses you have taken by the time of the application. You should fill out your AMP Advising Worksheet in consultation with the college and departmental academic advisors.
CV
Upload a copy of your curriculum vitae (résumé) listing your educational background and experience.
Transcript(s)
Upload a PDF copy of all of your transcripts and degree certificates. Your UO transcript must show that you have fulfilled the following BA requirements:
- WR121 and either 122 or 123
- 2 years of second language
- At least 32 credits of CoreEd requirements
- 16 credits of ARH lower-division courses
- 4-credit of Studio Art
- At least 12 credits of ARH upper-division courses
- At least 4 credits of ARH 400-level seminars
Letters of Recommendation
Three (3) letters of recommendation are required, and recommenders should be former professors or similar professionals who are in a position to evaluate your potential for successful completion of a graduate degree in art history. For a student applying to the AMP in Art History and GCMS, two (2) out of the three letters must come from HAA faculty members.
The GradWeb Application System will guide you through the process. You will only have to enter names and email addresses. The system will request the recommendation directly.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth Year - Fall | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 611 | Graduate Studies in Art History 1 | 4 |
| GCMS requirement | ||
| ARH 540 | Museology 2 | 4 |
| Fourth Year - Winter | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 612 | Art and Architectural History: [Topic] | 4 |
| GCMS requirement | ||
| ARH 585 | Japanese Art: [Topic] 3 | 4 |
| Fourth Year - Spring | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 612 | Art and Architectural History: [Topic] | 4 |
| ARH 553 | Modern Art: [Topic] 3 | 4 |
| Fourth Year - Summer | ||
| GCMS requirement | ||
| ARH 604 | Internship: [Topic] | 3 |
| Fifth Year - Fall | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 612 | Art and Architectural History: [Topic] | 4 |
| ARH 581 | Chinese Art: [Topic] 4 | 4 |
| ARH 503 | Thesis | 3 |
| or ARH 614 | Terminal Project | |
| GCMS requirement | ||
| PPPM 570 | The Arts in Society 5 | 4 |
| Fifth Year - Winter | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 612 | Art and Architectural History: [Topic] | 4 |
| ARH 503 | Thesis | 3 |
| or ARH 614 | Terminal Project | |
| GCMS requirement | ||
| PPPM 571 | Cultural Policy 6 | 4 |
| Fifth Year - Spring | ||
| MA requirement | ||
| ARH 557 | Contemporary Art: [Topic] 7 | 4 |
| ARH 571 | Latin American Art History: [Topic] 8 | 4 |
| ARH 503 | Thesis | 3 |
| or ARH 614 | Terminal Project | |
| Total Credits | 64 | |
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Or equivalent course, which may be offered as a 400/500-level methods course; MA core req; also fulfills BA req.
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GCMS core req; also fulfills BA req.
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Or another ARH 500-level GCMS-qualifying course; also fulfills MA and BA req.
- 4
Or another ARH 500-level GCMS-qualifying course that fulfills "Practice" distribution req.
- 5
Or another non-ARH 500 or 600-level course that fulfills GCMS non-major req and "Topics" distribution req.
- 6
Or another non-ARH 500 or 600-level course that fulfills GCMS non-major req.
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Or another ARH 500- or 600-level GCMS-qualifying course.
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Or another 500- or 600-level ARH course.