Art (Creative) and Art History (MA)
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the MA program 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 college work.
- Two letters of recommendation specific to the program, addressing the applicant's academic and/or artistic achievements and potential.
- A statement of purpose (approximately 500 words) outlining the applicant’s educational and professional goals in their chosen field (Art History or Curatorial Studies).
- A writing sample, typically an advanced-level Art History paper.
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 fulfilled 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 - WR | ||
| Topics in Ancient Art | ||
| Ancient Painting | ||
| Ancient Cities | ||
| Studies in Medieval Art | ||
| Special Topics in Renaissance Art | ||
| Studies in Baroque Art | ||
| ARTH After 1750 - 3 credit hours, select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Special Topics in Modern Art | ||
| Representations of Trauma in the Visual Arts | ||
| Special Topics in Contemporary Art | ||
| Special Topics - WR | ||
| Special Topics in Modern Architecture | ||
| Special Topics in American Art Special Topics in American Art | ||
| Special Topics in Photographic History | ||
| Special Topics in Modern Art | ||
| History of Performance Art | ||
| Topics in Urban History | ||
| ARTH NonWestern - 3 credit hours, select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Special Topics in Asian Art | ||
| Special Topics - WR | ||
| 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 15 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 is a research paper that demonstrates critical knowledge of relevant sources, skill in analysis and interpretation, and the ability to present findings in a well-organized, coherent 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 art history, studio art, or arts management, equivalent to an undergraduate major, as well as an interest in museum theory and practice.
| 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) | 3 | |
| Select one of the following 600-level Public Administration courses: | 3 | |
| Foundations of Public Administration | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Nonprofit Management | ||
| Grantsmanship and Fundraising | ||
| Written Thesis with Exhibition or Curatorial Project | ||
| Minimum Total Hours | 15 | |
A minimum of 15 credit hours in the concentration, exclusive of Thesis Guidance, must be at the 600-level
The concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies culminates in a thesis exhibition or curatorial project. This project may be produced in collaboration with the university’s galleries, the Speed Art Museum, or other appropriate institutions authorized by the department. The exhibition or project should take place in the final year of study.
To fulfill this requirement, the candidate must:
- Submit a project proposal, approved by their graduate advisor;
- Produce or implement the proposed thesis practicum; and
- Document the exhibition or project.
The documentation should include materials such as press releases, announcements, wall texts, brochures, catalogs, and digital or photographic records of the exhibition or project, along with other relevant documentary materials.
In addition to the practicum and documentation, the thesis will include a written component that connects the project to critical theory and current curatorial practice. This written portion will detail the planning, implementation, and documentation of the project and must comply with the regulations governing the format and presentation of the written master’s thesis.
