Art History
Degree Requirements
Plan I: Thesis Track
Courses
Plan I students must complete 24 semester hours in art history.* For breadth of knowledge, students must take at least one Western and one non-Western course, and take courses in both modern and pre-modern time periods. A maximum of 3 semester hours of independent study will be permitted. Each student must take ARH 680, which should be taken in the first semester of enrollment in the M.A. program, as well as ARH 652 Advanced Research Seminar, which should be taken in the final semester of coursework. Each student must take at least 6 semester hours of coursework at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa).
- *
Note: A maximum of 6 of the required hours in art history may be taken in a related field with the concurrence of the joint faculty.
Foreign Language Requirement
By the completion of 15 hours of coursework towards the M.A., students should have met the language requirement of a reading knowledge of one foreign language relevant to the student’s area of study, approved by the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor. Students may demonstrate language competency by passing a translation exam administered by the Department of Foreign Languages (French or German) or by attaining at minimum a B in a 200-level course (e.g. FR 201 or FR 202 or GN 201 or GN 202). For other languages, students must consult with the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor and arrange an appropriate translation exam or course to fulfill the language requirement. Students may not enroll in ARH 652 until the language requirement is completed. A reading knowledge of a second foreign language is strongly recommended. Students may not advance to candidacy until the language requirement is completed.
Thesis
The student must present a thesis under the direction of a member of the joint art history faculty. Each student will register for ARH 699 for 6 semester hours of credit. Students must be registered for at least 3 hours of thesis credit (ARH 699) in the semester of graduation.
Plan II: Non-Thesis Track
Courses
Plan II students must complete 24 semester hours in art history**. For breadth of knowledge, students must take at least one Western and one non-Western course, and take courses in both modern and pre-modern time periods. A maximum of 3 semester hours of independent study will be permitted. Each student must take ARH 680,which should be taken in the first semester of enrollment in the M.A. program, as well as ARH 652 Advanced Research Seminar, which should be taken in the final semester of coursework. Each student must take at least 6 semester hours of coursework at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa).
It is recommended that Plan II students take ARH 585 Special Topics: Museum Studies as one of their art history electives in the first 24 hours of coursework.
- **
Note: A maximum of 6 of the required hours in art history may be taken in a related field with the concurrence of the joint faculty.
Foreign Language Requirement
By the completion of 15 hours of coursework towards the M.A., students should have met the language requirement of a reading knowledge of one foreign language relevant to the student’s area of study, approved by the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor. Students may demonstrate language competency by passing a translation exam administered by the Department of Foreign Languages (French or German) or by attaining at minimum a B in a 200-level course (e.g. FR 201 or FR 202 or GN 201 or GN 202). For other languages, students must consult with the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor and arrange an appropriate translation exam or course to fulfill the language requirement. Students may not enroll in ARH 652 until the language requirement is completed. A reading knowledge of a second foreign language is strongly recommended. Students may not advance to candidacy until the language requirement is completed.
Final Coursework and Capstone Presentation to Faculty
The final two courses (6 hours) are geared toward professional study:
3 hours: ARH 592 Museum/Gallery Internship or ARH 598 AEIVA Internship
3 hours: ARH 585 Special Topics Museum Studies*** or ARH 698 Independent Studies or MPA 600 Administrative Ethics or MPA 602 Scope of Public Administration or MPA 671 Marketing and Fundraising or MPA 672 Nonprofit Management or MPA 684 Grants Management
The specific courses will be determined by the Graduate Program Director in consultation with the student.
Upon the successful completion of their coursework, Plan II students will make a capstone presentation to the faculty (summary and analysis of major project undertaken as part of internship or other professional or practicum-based class). This presentation should be completed by the last day of the classes in the student's final semester, before the start of final exam week.
- ***
ARH 585 may be repeated once for credit.
Master of Arts in Art History
Plan I: Thesis Track
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARH 680 | Methods and Approaches to the History of Art | 3 |
| Select courses from two of the six areas | 21 | |
Medieval Art | ||
| The Art of Rome | ||
| Arts of Death in the Middle Ages | ||
Early Modern Art | ||
| The Art of Rome | ||
| Graduate Research in Italian Renaissance Art | ||
| The Invention of Painting in Renaissance Europe | ||
| Study Abroad: European Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Eighteenth-Century Art in Europe | ||
| Graduate Research in Seventeenth Century European Painting | ||
| Arts of Power in Early Modern Europe | ||
| Special Topics: Early Modern Art | ||
| Special Topics: Gender and the Visual Arts | ||
| Seminar: Early Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Early Modern Art | ||
Eighteenth-Century/Nineteenth-Century Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Nineteenth Century Art I: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism | ||
| Graduate research in Nineteenth-Century Art II: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism | ||
| Graduate Research in American Art and Material Culture | ||
| Special Topics: Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Modern Art | ||
Twentieth-Century/Contemporary Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Twentieth Century Art to 1945 | ||
| Graduate Research in Modern Design | ||
| Graduate Research in Art Since 1945 | ||
| Aspects of Contemporary Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Modern Architecture | ||
| Graduate Research in Race and Representation | ||
| Special Topics: Contemporary Art | ||
| Special Topics: Museum Studies | ||
| AEIVA Internship | ||
| Seminar: Contemporary Art | ||
East Asian Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Arts of the Afterlife in East Asia to ca. 1300 | ||
| Graduate Research in Japanese Prints and Printmakers | ||
| Graduate Research in Landscape and Image in East Asia | ||
| Graduate Research in Japanese Art | ||
| Buddhist Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Topics: East Asian Art | ||
| Seminar: East Asian Art | ||
South Asian Art | ||
| Topics in Asian Cinema | ||
| Graduate Research in Art in India to 1200 | ||
| Graduate Research in Piety and Power: Art in India after 1200 | ||
| Study Abroad: Art and Culture of South Asia | ||
| Special Topics: South Asian Art | ||
| Foreign Language Competency 1 | ||
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| Admission to Candidacy 2 | ||
| Thesis 3 | ||
| ARH 699 | Thesis Research | 6 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Demonstrate language competency by passing a translation exam. French & German studies must pass FR 201, FR 202 or GN 201, GN 202. Students must consult with the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor.
- 2
For admission to candidacy, the student must pass a comprehensive examination.
- 3
Students must present a thesis. Each student will complete 6 hours of ARH 699 and be registered for at least 3 credits in ARH 699 in the semester of graduation.
Plan II: Non-Thesis Track
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ARH 680 | Methods and Approaches to the History of Art | 3 |
| Select courses from two of the six areas | 21 | |
Medieval Art | ||
| The Art of Rome | ||
| Arts of Death in the Middle Ages | ||
Early Modern Art | ||
| The Art of Rome | ||
| Graduate Research in Italian Renaissance Art | ||
| The Invention of Painting in Renaissance Europe | ||
| Study Abroad: European Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Northern Renaissance Art | ||
| Eighteenth-Century Art in Europe | ||
| Graduate Research in Seventeenth Century European Painting | ||
| Arts of Power in Early Modern Europe | ||
| Special Topics: Early Modern Art | ||
| Special Topics: Gender and the Visual Arts | ||
| Seminar: Early Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Early Modern Art | ||
Eighteenth-Century/Nineteenth-Century Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Nineteenth Century Art I: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism | ||
| Graduate research in Nineteenth-Century Art II: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism | ||
| Graduate Research in American Art and Material Culture | ||
| Special Topics: Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Modern Art | ||
| Seminar: Modern Art | ||
Twentieth-Century/Contemporary Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Twentieth Century Art to 1945 | ||
| Graduate Research in Modern Design | ||
| Graduate Research in Art Since 1945 | ||
| Aspects of Contemporary Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Modern Architecture | ||
| Graduate Research in Race and Representation | ||
| Special Topics: Contemporary Art | ||
| Special Topics: Museum Studies | ||
| AEIVA Internship | ||
| Seminar: Contemporary Art | ||
East Asian Art | ||
| Graduate Research in Arts of the Afterlife in East Asia to ca. 1300 | ||
| Graduate Research in Japanese Prints and Printmakers | ||
| Graduate Research in Landscape and Image in East Asia | ||
| Graduate Research in Japanese Art | ||
| Buddhist Arts of East Asia | ||
| Special Topics: East Asian Art | ||
| Seminar: East Asian Art | ||
South Asian Art | ||
| Topics in Asian Cinema | ||
| Graduate Research in Art in India to 1200 | ||
| Graduate Research in Piety and Power: Art in India after 1200 | ||
| Study Abroad: Art and Culture of South Asia | ||
| Special Topics: South Asian Art | ||
| Foreign Language Competency 1 | ||
| Comprehensive Examination | ||
| Capstone Presentation & Internship | 3 | |
| Museum/Gallery Internship | ||
| AEIVA Internship | ||
| Professional Coursework | 3 | |
| Special Topics: Museum Studies 2 | ||
| Independent Studies | ||
| Administrative Ethics | ||
| Scope of Public Administration | ||
| Marketing and Fundraising | ||
| Nonprofit Management | ||
| Grants Management | ||
| Capstone Presentation 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Demonstrate language competency by passing a translation exam. French & German studies must pass FR 201, FR 202 or GN 201, GN 202. Students must consult with the Graduate Program Director and Faculty Advisor.
- 2
ARH 585 may be repeated once for credit.
- 3
Students must make a capstone presentation to faculty (summary and analysis of major project undertaken as part of internship or other professional or practicum-based class).