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
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Program Core and Electives | 16 | |
| Concentration Coursework | 15 | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 31 | |
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. Students accepted into the Accelerated BA/MA program take three 500-level graduate courses [nine (9) credit hours] as an undergraduate that apply toward both the bachelor's degree and the eventual master's degree.
Interested students must apply to the program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the program. Students must have at least a 3.0 university grade point average when they apply and must maintain a 3.0 once accepted. Once admitted to the accelerated BA/MA program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours.
Once accepted into the program, students complete nine (9) credit hours of 500-level graduate coursework during their final year of undergraduate studies. They then graduate with a bachelor's degree and move straight into the University of Louisville Master of Arts program. Students in the accelerated program must meet all of the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least 12 credit hours of their 31 credit hour program in 600-level courses.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the MA program, students must submit the following credentials to the Graduate School:
- Transcripts of all colleges attended (undergraduate or graduate)
- Two letters of recommendation specific to the program
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Coursework | 16 | |
| Graduate Seminar (or CCS 600 - first semester) | ||
| Theories & Methods in the Visual Arts (to be taken in first semester) | ||
Art History Elective (500 or 600 level) | ||
Elective - Outside the Department of Art & Design (500 or 600 level) (with approval of advisor) | ||
Elective - Outside the concentration (500 or 600 level) 1 | ||
| Thesis Guidance (or CCS 645) | ||
| Concentration | 15 | |
| Students complete one of the following (see Concentration Requirements tab for specific coursework): | ||
Concentration in Art History | ||
Concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 31 | |
| 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 15 credit hour concentrations in addition to the 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:
- Taking an examination administered by the department, scheduled in the fall and spring semesters; or
- Completing the intermediate level of the language at the University of Louisville with a grade of B or better.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ARTH Pre 1750 - 3 credit hours, select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Special Topics | ||
| Topics in Ancient Art | ||
| Ancient Painting | ||
| Ancient Cities | ||
| Studies in Medieval Art | ||
| Studies in Renaissance Art | ||
| Studies in Baroque Art | ||
| ARTH After 1750 - 3 credit hours, select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Studies in Modern Art | ||
| Representations of Trauma in the Visual Arts | ||
| Studies in Contemporary Art | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Studies in Modern Architecture | ||
| Studies in American Art Topics in American Art | ||
| Studies in Photographic History | ||
| Topics in Modern Art | ||
| History of Performance Art | ||
| Topics in Urban History | ||
| ARTH NonWestern - 3 credit hours, select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Studies in Asian Art | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Pan-African Art: Form and Content | ||
| Contemporary Trends in African-American Art | ||
| ARTH Elective | 3 | |
| ARTH Elective | 3 | |
| ARTH 643/644 | Independent Study (one optional independent study course is permitted) | optional |
| Language (fulfillment of the language requirement is required during the first year in the program) | ||
Thesis | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 15 | |
A minimum of 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.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CCS 647 | Introduction to Critical and Curatorial Studies I | 3 |
| CCS 648 | Critical and Curatorial Studies II | 3 |
| CCS 649 | Curatorial Internship | 3 |
| ARTH (500 or 600 level) | ||
| Select one of the following 600-level Public Administration courses: | 3 | |
| Foundations of Public Administration | ||
| Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation | ||
| Nonprofit Management | ||
| Grantsmanship and Fundraising | ||
| Written Thesis with Exhibition or Curatorial Project | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 12 | |
A minimum of 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 catalog, 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.
