Art (Art History), MA
Explore visual art and material culture from around the world and across time. You work closely with faculty mentors at every stage of your thesis research, including methodological training, comprehensive literature review and original scholarly contributions.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Art (Art History) master's description
The Master of Arts program in art with a concentration in art history is a comprehensive graduate offering that fosters a critical understanding of visual art and material culture, and engages you in a rich and diverse curriculum. Inherently interdisciplinary, art history intersects with a variety of fields, including museum studies, archaeology, anthropology, media and performance studies, gender and ethnic studies, history, literature, philosophy and economics. Faculty members apply critical methodologies in their teaching of art history, encompassing transcultural exchange and technologies of production and reception. Faculty mentor you in the application of theoretical and methodological approaches to scholarly research, advise on your comprehensive literature review, and guide you as you determine your individual contribution to the field, culminating in a master's thesis. You take advanced seminars that engage with critical issues in art history, preparing you to develop your research with a particular focus in the discipline of art history.
In addition to art history courses, the program includes coursework in other disciplines across the university, especially in museum studies. The program is further augmented by internships offered by a wide variety of arts organizations, visiting artist and scholar lectures and public exhibitions supported by the School of Art galleries, the ASU Art Museum, the Ceramics Research Center and Archive and Pyracantha Press. These events and activities offer you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and appreciation of contemporary art and culture while building a professional network. The program is enriched by close proximity to cultural institutions in the Phoenix metropolitan area and nearby regions, such as the Phoenix Art Museum, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and the Heard Museum.
Successful applicants are considered for financial aid in the form of a graduate assistantship position or scholarship.
You should visit the art history areas of study page to learn more about the program and the faculty. If you want to engage the creative community you should subscribe to the School of Art newsletters and follow the school on social media.
Why specialize in art history at ASU?
You'll study in the Herberger Institute, the largest comprehensive design and arts school in the country. Faculty members are recognized internationally in fields spanning ancient, African, Asian, Baroque, contemporary, Latin American, medieval, modern and Native American art.
The celebrated ASU-LACMA Master's Fellowship reflects the concentration's national standing and commitment to diversifying the museum profession. You'll benefit from internship access at partner institutions, including the Heard Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, ASU Art Museum and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
The Council of Graduate Art Historians connects art history students, faculty and the broader creative community through its annual Art History Graduate Symposium. This event, often held at the ASU Art Museum, features paper presentations, critical discussions and guest speakers. You'll also have access to research and professional development resources in the School of Art galleries, the Ceramics Research Center and Archive, and Pyracantha Press.
Additional details
Metro Phoenix is an ideal setting for scholarship and professional networking.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours, a thesis and a foreign language exam
Required Core (3 credit hours) Concentration (3 credit hours) Focus Area Coursework (12 credit hours) Electives (3 credit hours) Research (3 credit hours) Culminating Experience (6 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information Four courses in the areas shown below are required, and two of these courses must be outside the student's geographical area of specialization: For elective coursework, students may choose to take either 500-level courses in art history or related areas, such as anthropology, history, museum studies or religion, or up to six credit hours of the following omnibus courses: ARS 584 Internship Students must have a reading knowledge of one research language in addition to English. The selected language needs to be appropriate to the area of research concentration and must be approved by the faculty mentor. This requirement can be met by taking a language for reading knowledge course in the School of International Letters and Cultures with a grade of "B" or higher or by passing the Graduate Foreign Language Examination offered by SILC, which requires a fee.
ARA 589 Writing Art and Design Criticism (3) or
ARS 586 Theories of Contemporary Art (3)
ARS 501 Methodologies and Art History (3)
seminars (12)
ARS 592 Research (3)
ARS 599 Thesis (6)
This program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours in art history, with at least 12 of these earned in 500-level seminars.
ARS 590 Reading and Conference
ARS 592 Research
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Students will propose original research within their focus area.
- Verbally communicate knowledge in the analysis of images and objects
- Will be able to write a thesis paper up to program capstone standards, which includes the development of a thorough bibliography and the extended examination of a single subject, conceptualized as a research question that engages with their field
Students will propose original research within their focus area.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. In addition, applicants must have an undergraduate major or minor in art history or at least four upper-division art history courses in which a GPA of 3.00 or higher was maintained. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The statement of intent should be one page and indicate the objectives for graduate study.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Explore expanded study opportunities
More and more ASU graduate students are pursuing Global Education opportunities. Although participating in a Global Education program as a graduate student presents distinct challenges, it has the potential to deepen the student's educational experience, connecting a meaningful international opportunity with their career aspirations.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this art history concentration prepares you for
A master's degree is essential for many professional roles in museums, specialized nonprofit and commercial art galleries, foundations, archives and libraries, and auction houses. It is also important for editorial work and for teaching positions at the community college and university levels. Teaching some specialized high school curricula may require an MA in art with a concentration in art history.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Art
|
ART 102
soaadmin@asu.edu
480-965-8521
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
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ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
