Art (Creative) and Art History (MA)

Master of Arts in Art (Creative) and Art History 
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (GA)
Department: Art and Design
Program Webpage
Academic Plan Code(s): See Concentration Requirements tab.

Program Information

The Department of Art and Design, endowed as the Hite Institute of Art and Design, offers a Master of Arts in Art degree with concentrations in Art History and Critical & Curatorial Studies. The program consists of 31 credit hours of graduate study divided between work in the Core Curriculum and work in either the Art History or the Critical & Curatorial Studies concentration.

The Master of Arts (MA) in Art concentration in Art History provides advanced expertise in the history of art. This course of study prepares students with the course work, language skills, and research experience needed for further graduate study or work in a museum or educational setting. Students in this concentration may select in-depth courses in Renaissance and Baroque Art in Italy, Spain, and Northern Europe; Mexican Art; 19th and 20th Century Architecture; American Art; Film; Modern, Contemporary western, and Contemporary Art and Theory; and Asian and Non-western Art and Architecture.

The Master of Arts (MA) in Art concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies combines critical theory, contemporary art and exhibition history, and practical exhibition experience to prepare students for work in the expanding fields of contemporary exhibition development and art writing.

Students in the MA program benefit from the Hite Institute of Art and Design’s substantial resources, which include multiple galleries on campus and in downtown Louisville, partnerships with local art museums and galleries, as well as an active speaker and colloquia schedule featuring internationally prominent curators, gallery directors, and artists.

Degree Summary

Accelerated BA/MA in Art History
Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Art History can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master’s degree through the Accelerated BA/MA program in Art History.

Interested students will apply through the department for admission into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the BA program. 

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program will take three 500-level graduate courses (nine (9) credit hours) as an undergraduate during their final year of undergraduate studies that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master’s degree. 

Students must have at least a 3.0 university grade point average when they apply to the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program and must maintain a 3.0 once accepted. PATHWAY students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and are interested in moving into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the Accelerated Master’s program in their last semester before they graduate.  Acceptance into the PATHWAY program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.  

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program then graduate with a bachelor’s degree and move straight into the Accelerated MA in Art History.  Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least twelve (12) credit hours of their 31 credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours. 

Accelerated BA/MA in Critical & Curatorial Studies
Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Critical & Curatorial Studies can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master’s degree through the Accelerated BA/MA program in Critical & Curatorial Studies.

Interested students will apply through the department for admission into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the BA program. 

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program will take three 500-level graduate courses (nine (9) credit hours) as an undergraduate during their final year of undergraduate studies that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master’s degree. 

Students must have at least a 3.0 university grade point average when they apply to the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program and must maintain a 3.0 once accepted. PATHWAY students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and are interested in moving into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the Accelerated Master’s program in their last semester before they graduate.  Acceptance into the PATHWAY program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.  

Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program then graduate with a bachelor’s degree and move straight into the Accelerated MA in Critical & Curatorial Studies.  Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least twelve (12) credit hours of their 31 credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours. 

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the MA program, students must submit the following credentials to the Graduate School:

• A formal Application for Graduate Admission, including a  nonrefundable application processing fee,
• Official transcripts of all colleges attended (undergraduate or graduate),
• Two letters of recommendation specific to the program,
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores,
• A statement of about 500 typed words detailing the applicant’s educational and professional goals,
• A writing sample (normally an advanced-level Art History paper).

Program Requirements

¹

‘Outside the concentration’ means outside the area of focus, e.g.: students in the Art History concentration must take a course in Studio Art or Curatorial Studies; students in the Curatorial Studies concentration must take a course in Studio Art or Art History. 

Concentration Requirements 

All students must complete one of the following fifteen (15) credit hour concentrations in addition to the sixteen (16) credit hour program core (see Degree Requirements tab).

Concentration in Art History

Academic Plan Code(s): ARTCMA_HIS

Upon admission to the program, students in the Art History concentration are expected to demonstrate competence in the history of art, equivalent to an undergraduate major.

Reading knowledge of one foreign language is required for the completion of the Art History concentration. This requirement should be met during the first year in the program, but must be met before enrolling for Thesis Guidance (ARTH 645/ARTH 646). Proficiency can be demonstrated in one of two ways:

1. Taking an examination administered by the department, scheduled in the fall and spring semesters; or
2. Completing the intermediate level of the language at the University of Louisville with a grade of B or better.

A minimum of twelve (12) credit hours in the concentration, exclusive of Thesis Guidance, must be at the 600-level, of which at least nine (9) credit hours must be in Art History.

The concentration in Art History will conclude with a written thesis.

The thesis consists of a research paper demonstrating critical knowledge of relevant sources, skill in analysis and interpretation, and the ability to present the results in a well-organized and intelligent manner. The thesis must be defended in an oral examination. 

Concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies

Academic Plan Code(s): ARTMA_CCS

Upon admission to the program, students in the Critical & Curatorial Studies concentration are expected to demonstrate competence in the history of art, studio art, or arts management equivalent to an undergraduate major and an interest in museum theory and work.

A minimum of twelve (12) credit hours in the concentration, exclusive of Thesis Guidance, must be at the 600-level

The concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies will conclude with a thesis exhibition or curatorial project. The exhibition or curatorial project may be produced in cooperation with the university's galleries, the Speed Art Museum, or other appropriate institutions authorized by the department. It should be a culminating experience occurring in the final year of study.

To fulfill this requirement, the candidate must submit a prefatory project proposal with the approval of their graduate advisor, produce or implement the thesis practicum proposed, and appropriately document the exhibit or project. This documentation will include exhibition or project materials such as press releases, announcements, wall texts, brochures and/or catalogs, and digital and/or photographic documentation of the exhibition or project as well as other corollary documentary materials. The thesis project will also include a written portion, in addition to the practicum and documentation, that will provide a narrative basis in critical theory and current professional curatorial practice detailing the planning, implementation, and documentation of the project. The written thesis will be submitted in conformity with the regulations governing the form and presentation of the written master's thesis.