online phd art history programs

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PhD Art History Online Programs are becoming increasingly popular. With the advent of online learning and more diverse course offerings, students now have more opportunities than ever to get their PhD in Art History.

But with all these choices, how do you know which program is right for you? This guide to PhD Art History Online Programs explores why art history phd programs online are becoming popular, job market prospects for graduates of PhD Art History online programs, some of the best programs in this field, and future trends for online phd art history.

Art history is the study of art and its development over time, a look at objects of art in their historical context. It is the academic discipline that deals with the history of art and the practices that produce and interpret works of art.  Art historians examine items such as paintings, sculptures, architecture, and other forms of art to understand how they have been created and what they mean.

Art history can also involve the study of different cultures and their art. In short, Art history is a broad field that covers a wide range of topics. It can be divided into several subfields, such as Renaissance art, baroque art, and modern art. Art historians often specialize in one particular period or style of art. It’s indeed a fascinating subject that can offer insights into the past and the present.

In contrast, history is the study of all past events. It is not limited to works of art, but encompasses everything from political events to natural phenomena.

So often, the value of art history is overlooked. In a world that seems to be increasingly focused on the present and the future, it can be easy to forget the importance of understanding the past. But the study of art history is essential for understanding the world we live in today. It helps us to see how the events of the past have shaped the present, and how the artist’s view of the world has changed over time.

By understanding art history, we can gain a deeper view and appreciation of the cultures that have shaped our world. We can see how the human experience has been expressed through art, and we can learn to appreciate the beauty and significance of works of art that we might otherwise take for granted. Art history is important not only for those who study it professionally, but for everyone who wishes to understand the world we live in today.

Why are PhD art history online PhD programs becoming popular?

There are several reasons why PhD programs in art history are becoming increasingly popular. For one, the job market for graduates of these programs is very good. According to the most recent reports from governments, private companies and academia, the unemployment rate for art and design majors is lower than the overall unemployment rate in the United States, for example,  which can sometimes be alarming. What’s more, job prospects for graduates with a PhD in art history are even better. In fact, many museums and galleries are now looking for employees with advanced degrees in art history.

Another reason for the growing popularity of online PhD art history programs in particular is that they offer a lot of flexibility. Students can often choose the courses they want to take, and they can complete their degree at their own pace. Finally, online PhD art history programs are affordable and convenient. They allow students to learn from anywhere in the world and without having to leave their jobs or families.

So, if you’re thinking about pursuing a PhD in art history, an online program may be a great option for you.

The average time it takes to complete a PhD in history including online PhD in art history is between five and seven years. This includes time spent completing coursework, writing and revising the dissertation, and passing oral and written exams. Of course, the actual time to completion can vary depending on the individual student’s research topic, teaching responsibilities, and other factors.

Students who are able to devote themselves full-time to their studies may be able to finish somewhat sooner than those who have to balance their academic work with other obligations. However, even full-time students should expect it to take at least five years to complete all the requirements for a PhD in art history.

PhD Art History Online Program Rankings

There are many great programs to choose from, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. To help you make your decision, we have compiled a list of the top PhD Art History Online Programs based on internal analysis as well as rankings from independent sources.

The first and most important criterion in coming up with this ranking is the quality of the faculty. The second criterion is the quality of the curriculum. The third criterion is the program’s student support services. The fourth criterion is the program’s graduation rate. And the fifth criterion is the employment rate of the program’s graduates. All of these factors are important in determining the quality of an online PhD Art History program.

The Bristol University Distance learning online Art History PhD Program is a three-year, full-time program that finishes with an 80,000 word thesis. The program begins with a September or January intake. Application should always be submitted one month before the intake month.  For example if you intend to start the program in January, you need to apply by December.

The program offers students the opportunity to research a range of topics related to art history, including modern and contemporary art, Renaissance and Baroque art, global art history, and museum studies. In addition to this, students are also required to complete the 80,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choosing.

The course is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in art history or a related discipline. Applicants are also required to have an impressive IELTS score or an equivalent score in a different language test.

Birmingham University is home to one of the most highly respected art history PhD programs in the world. The program is available to students all over the globe, with no need to relocate. The program can be completed online, making it the perfect option for busy professionals or those with family and work obligations.

The coursework is rigorous and challenging, but it is also tailored to meet the unique needs of each student. Graduates of the Birmingham University Art History PhD Program are highly sought after by top employers in a variety of industries. The program has a proven track record of preparing students for successful careers in academia, museum work, and more.

The future of online education is constantly evolving, and Birmingham University is at the forefront of this movement. In addition to this course, the university offers a wide range of online programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, making it one of the most well-rounded online universities in the world.

The History of Art history program at the University of Leicester was the first program in history of art to be offered in the United Kingdom. The program is designed for students who want to specialize in the history of art, but who also want the flexibility to study at home.

The program is taught by a team of highly respected and experienced historians of art, who are dedicated to providing students with a world-class education. The core traditional program has been running since 2001 and has a strong track record of preparing students for successful careers in the arts.

The History of Art program at York University started in 1990 as a way to offer a comprehensive and interdisciplinary program that would explore all aspects of the history of art. The program is designed for students who want to pursue graduate studies and careers in the arts, museum, and educational fields.

The online format was introduced recently as a way to offer the same high-quality program to students anywhere in the world. The art history PhD online program is taught by faculty who are experts in their field, and students have access to all the same resources as on-campus students.

Graduates of the PhD Art History Online Program have found success in a wide range of careers, including teaching, curating, writing, and consulting. The future trends for online phd art history look very promising, and we expect this university to continue being a leader in offering the very best in art history education.

Earning a PhD in art history online is a great way to gain the skills and knowledge you need to pursue a career in this field, without the usual hustle and expenses of on-campus programs. As more and more schools begin to offer online PhD art history programs, it’s becoming increasingly popular for students to pursue their degree in this way. And with the job market for art history graduates becoming more competitive, earning a PhD will give you a competitive edge. So if you’re interested in pursuing a career in art history, an online PhD program will most likely be the right choice for you.

PHD in Economics, Associate Professor, Department of Business Process Management, Faculty of Market Technologies IOM

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Art History, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Art History (+Dual Ph.D.)

TODO FIXME : DRAFT : WORK IN PROGRESS

Become a professional in the field advance your career with an advanced degree..

Advanced study of visual arts spanning periods, cultures, and geographies. The Art History Ph.D. program can deepen your expertise and advance your Art History career.

Program Application Deadline

The deadline for applications for AY 2024–25 is January 15, 2024.

To be assured full consideration, please review all details on program and admission requirements, and ensure that you apply by this deadline.

Earn a Ph.D. in Art History at Penn State

Our Ph.D. students and alumni have earned Fulbright and Getty Fellowships, the Rome prize, tenure-track positions, and curatorial fellowships and jobs. For more than fifty years, our graduates have been writing books, organizing exhibitions, teaching college and pre-collegiate students, and ensuring the preservation and understanding of our cultural heritage. Join us!

The Ph.D. in Art History program will prepare you to broadly influence art and culture through careers as scholars and educators, as museum curators, as public advocates of cultural heritage, and as arts administrators, to name just a few of the professions that recent program alumni have entered. Breadth of knowledge is as essential for museum professionals as it is for academic researchers. For this reason, advanced study of the visual arts and material culture from diverse periods and geographies is required of all graduate students, with Ph.D. candidates attaining deep expertise in at least one field of art historical research. The department’s faculty includes specialists in African, Asian, and European art and the arts of the Americas.

Graduate faculty members and advisors are leading scholars in their fields. Our interdisciplinary program challenges you to think critically and creatively in order to make a meaningful contribution to the field. The Ph.D. in Art History program also offers dual-title Ph.D. options in Asian Studies or Visual Studies.

Nancy Locke

• Associate Professor of Art History
• Director of Graduate Studies in Art History

[email protected]

814-865-4877

Is the Ph.D. in Art History right for you?

A Ph.D. makes possible the highest level of career success in art history. Our program has a track record of excellent outcomes in diverse career paths, with particular success in placing students in academic and museum careers.

We help you ask and answer the big questions in your area of study. Our graduate students have opportunities to teach, research, and work on digital humanities projects with our Visual Resource Centre. The Palmer Museum of Art also provides internships to prepare you for curatorial work.

Engage with a dynamic cohort of fellow students and a supportive community of scholars.

Degree Options

Dual-title degree options add a significant interdisciplinary breadth to your Ph.D. scholarship. These two dual-title programs develop context through which you can learn to synthesize knowledge within and across disciplinary boundaries in both scholarship and teaching.

Dual Ph.D. and Asian Studies

The primary objective of the dual-title degree program in Asian Studies is to engage critically and substantively with the teaching, research, and scholarship of Asia, a diverse area with a population of some 4.5 billion. The program integrates knowledge and methodology across disciplines of Asian Studies and Art History.

Graduate students are trained in such a way that you will be equipped to represent, understand, analyze, and appraise the crucial and current scholarly issues in Asian Studies in the context of your art discipline focus.

The program aims to produce doctoral graduates with a competitive advantage for employment that relates to Asia in academia, museum, curatorial, and other professional fields.

Graduate Bulletin Links

• Asian Studies Bulletin page
• Graduate Studies information related to the dual-title Ph.D in Art History + Asian Studies .

Dual Ph.D. and Visual Studies

Humanistic study. Technological dynamics. Analyze images, physical and virtual environments, and visual sign systems; histories of visual modes of communication, apprehension, and aesthetic pleasure; and conceptions of the nature of visuality itself. Challenge boundaries. Challenge yourself.

The dual-title Ph.D. in Visual Studies fosters an interdisciplinary approach to humanistic study, which, spurred by technological dynamics that increasingly integrate text and image, engages analysis of specific images, physical and virtual environments, and visual sign systems; histories of visual modes of communication, apprehension, and aesthetic pleasure; and conceptions of the nature of visuality itself. Students in this program analyze and assess visual media that, integrated with texts, are integral to humanistic scholarship and pedagogy today.

Dual-title degree programs increase the intellectual rigor and breadth of graduate work and provide a context in which students learn to synthesize knowledge within and across disciplinary boundaries in both scholarship and teaching. Drawing from knowledge and practices produced across the humanistic disciplines while responding to ongoing challenges to conventional disciplinary boundaries, this degree highlights existing strengths of graduate training in the humanities at Penn State, structures the continuing development of these programs, and credentials our graduates’ training and work with visual forms, environments, and media.

• Visual Studies Bulletin page
• Graduate Studies information related to the dual-title Ph.D in Art History + Asian Studies

Professional Development

Our department is regularly invited to select graduate students to participate in major graduate student symposia, including the Middle Atlantic Symposium in the History of Art at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Graduate Symposium on the History of Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Penn State art history graduate students often present papers at scholarly conferences/symposia across the United States and abroad (for which the department provides partial financial support).

Financial Support

• George Dewey and Mary J. Krumrine Endowment This endowment helps support publication projects of art history faculty and graduate students.
• Graduate Assistantships There are about nineteen graduate assistantships filled by graduate students in the Department of Art History each year.
• University Fellowships and Awards Qualified incoming graduate students may also be nominated by the department for University Fellowships, Bunton-Waller Graduate Awards, Graham Fellowships, and other awards. The department also has funds to help support graduate students in their research and travel related to their theses. The department awards dissertation fellowships and travel/research grants totaling over $60,000 to graduate students each academic year.

Summer Opportunities

• Summer Abroad program in Todi, Italy The Department of Art History is a co-sponsor of Penn State’s Summer Abroad program in Todi, Italy, in which graduate students may choose to participate.
• Annie Gooding Sykes Internship This internship is a twelve-week internship offered during the summer. Interns work with museum staff on a variety of curatorial projects, with a particular focus on American works on paper. Students who have completed the ARTH 409 “Museum Studies” course are preferred. One internship with a stipend is offered each summer.
• Silver Trout Curatorial Graduate Internship Program This internship program is a twelve-week internship offered during the summer. Interns work with the museum staff on curatorial projects and initiatives. Graduate students in art history or art education are eligible for the Silver Trout Curatorial Graduate Internship Program. Students who have completed the ARTH 409 “Museum Studies” course are preferred. Two internships with a stipend are offered each summer.

Ph.D. Students

Students currently enrolled in the Ph.D. in Art History programs.

Arunima Addy Degree: PhD in Architecture Research Focus: South Asian architectural and urban history Dissertation title: Diaspora of Indian Temple Architecture Academic Adviser: Madhuri Desai [email protected]

Arunima Addy is currently a PhD candidate in Art History with dual title in Asian Studies. She has been a practicing architect in India, before joining the graduate program at Penn State. Arunima has her research interests in the relationship between the politics of religion and the construction of national identity, specifically with the rising sentiments of Hindu nationalism in India. She looks at visual representations in the built environment to understand how through architectural establishments religion is being used as a political tool to frame an image of the nation. For her dissertation, she is investigating the relationship between the politics of religion and nation-building particularly with respect to changing dynamics of Indian temple architecture in the neoliberal perspective where religion is becoming a global commodity.

Han Chen Degree: PhD in Art History and Asian Studies Research Focus: Modern and Contemporary Chinese and East Asian Art, history of collecting and exhibiting Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Chang Tan [email protected] | CV

Han Chen is a PhD student specializing in the history of collecting and exhibiting Chinese and East Asian art in the Euro-American context from the late nineteenth-century to the present day. She received her B.A. in 2016 and M.A. in 2019 from China Academy of Art. In 2021, she received her second M.A. from Penn State where she wrote her thesis entitled, “Selling China: A neglected encounter between Huo Mingzhi and France in the early twentieth century.” She has worked for the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State and the Freer and Sackler Gallery of Art as a curatorial intern. Her current interest lies in employing machine learning to realize the image inpainting of photographs of Chinese antiques.

Melanie Clark

Olivia Crawford Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Nineteenth-century European Art and Architecture, Post-colonial Studies, Jewish Studies, Middle Eastern and North African Studies. Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Nancy Locke [email protected]

Olivia Crawford received her B.A. in Art History and French and Francophone Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2016 and her M.A. in Art History from Penn State University in 2018. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Department of Art History at Penn State.

Her current research examines representations of colonial and metropolitan Jewish communities in French Orientalist art and architecture. Her dissertation prospectus is forthcoming.

Crawford lives and works in Knoxville, TN.

Noah Dasinger Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Fifteenth-century Italian sculpture Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Daniel M. Zolli [email protected] | LinkedIn

Noah Dasinger is a first-year Ph.D. student studying Italian Renaissance art and architectural history with a focus on fifteenth-century sculpture. Noah is an Alabama native, and in 2020, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, with a Bachelor of Arts. He then obtained a Master of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, Athens. Upon graduation, he received high honors for his thesis, “Symbolic Epigraphy and the New Rome: Humanist Capital Letters on the Tomb of Leonardo Bruni.”

Noah also has extensive training in archival research and early modern Italian paleography both in the United States and abroad. He was a curatorial intern at the Georgia Museum of Art and a research intern at the Medici Archive Project. His current research examines the development, display, and materials used for fifteenth-century Italian tomb sculpture. Noah’s research also investigates early modern workshop practices, materials, processes, and their relationship to commemorative sculpture.

Arielle Fields

Katherine Flanagan

Laura Freitas Almeida

Emily Hagen Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Seventeenth-century Italian architecture Dissertation title: Pietro da Cortona’s Santi Luca e Martina: Rediscovered Relics and the Spectacle of Reform in Seventeenth-Century Rome Academic Adviser: Robin Thomas [email protected] | CV

Emily Hagen is a Ph.D. candidate in art history studying early-modern Italian architecture with an interest in digital humanities. Her research focuses on churches devoted to martyrs’ relics in seventeenth-century Italy and investigates how architecture amplified the fiction of rediscovery in the context of early-modern Catholic reform.

Katherine Koltiska Banerjee

Kyle Marini Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Pre-Contact and Early Modern Latin America, Andean Textiles Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Amara Solari [email protected] | Instagram | LinkedIn

Kyle is a PhD student in pre-contact and early modern Latin American art history. He specializes in the techniques of production, ritual use, and iconography of Inca textiles. He primarily researches ceremonial objects that have been destroyed to recover a more representative view of Inca visual culture before Spanish occupation of the Andes. This approach is in effort to decolonize modern understandings of the Inca developed from the study of objects that survived arduous extirpation campaigns throughout the Viceroyalty of Peru. By emphasizing objects erased from the archive, he reconstructs a history through the most integral Inca artifacts that ceased to exist precisely because of their visual power. Kyle is also a practicing artist, and he uses remaking as a methodology to envision these lost works and the technical processes used by their creators.

Keri Mongelluzzo Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: History of Photography; Modern Art Dissertation title: Bauhaus/Dream House: The Uncharted Surrealism of New Vision Photography Academic Adviser: Nancy Locke [email protected] | CV | LinkedIn | Academia.edu

Keri Mongelluzzo is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in the history of photography and modern art in Europe. Her dissertation, “Bauhaus/Dream House: The Uncharted Surrealism of New Vision Photography,” examines how French Surrealist sensibilities gained traction with transient artists associated with the Bauhaus, an innovative school of design in interwar Germany. Tracking key Bauhaus figures as they moved throughout Europe and across the Atlantic, “Bauhaus/Dream House” exposes their messy motivations for evoking surrealist themes amidst surges of nationalism and the rise of fascism. To date, Keri’s dissertation research has been supported by the Department of Art History and the Max Kade German-American Research Institute.

Keri’s broader research and curatorial interests in the histories and theories of photography span the medium’s history. She has written steadily on prominent photographers of the twentieth century, like Man Ray and Eugène Atget, presenting papers at the inaugural conference of the International Society for the Study of Surrealism at the Bucknell Humanities Center and the 24th Annual Graduate Student Symposium on the History of Art at the Barnes Foundation. In addition to curating a number of exhibitions of photography at the Palmer Museum of Art, including Myth Meets Modernism: The Manuel Álvarez Bravo Portfolio (2019) and Framing the City (2018), Keri piloted the museum’s first-ever virtual exhibition, Photography = Abstraction , using Google Slides at the onset of the pandemic and presented her work on this and her collaboration on subsequent virtual exhibitions and tours at the College Art Association Annual Conference in February 2021.

Amy Orner Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Eighteenth-Century British Architecture and Urbanism Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Robin Thomas [email protected]

Amy is a PhD student specializing in eighteenth-century British architecture and urbanism, with a focus on Empire and its effects on architecture. Her research questions consider the social and political influences on architecture, as well as the influence of Empire on Scottish town planning. She received her B.A. in Museum Studies/Art History from Juniata College in 2017, before working as a School Programs Educator for The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. Amy received her M.A. in Art History from Penn State University in 2022 with her thesis titled, “The Palette, the Patron, and the Hand of the Artist: Artemisia Gentileschi in London.” During her time at Penn State, Amy has worked with the Palmer Museum of Art, the Matson Museum of Anthropology, and as a research fellow in the Center for Virtual/Material Studies.

Alicia Skeath Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Adam Thomas

Kenta Tokushige Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Sixteenth-century Italian Military Architecture Dissertation title: Being a Military Architect: Building Fortifications in Cosimo I de’ Medici’s Realm Academic Adviser: Robin Thomas [email protected]

Kenta Tokushige is a Ph.D. candidate in Art History at The Pennsylvania State University. His dissertation entitled, Being a ‘Military Architect’: Building Fortifications in Cosimo I de’ Medici’s Realm, studies the geopolitical role of fortification building under Cosimo I de’ Medici in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in the latter half of the Cinquecento by looking at the design process of a fortification as a collaborative project by people of various social status and the way it was represented in multiple forms of art upon its completion. His research traces the correspondence between the patrons, local governors, and architects regarding the decision-making process and examines the intentions of each individual. Additionally, he is exploring the representation and the circulation of information after the completion of the fortification in relation to the espionage of military information.

His research has been supported by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and the Susan W. and Thomas A. Schwartz Endowed Fellowship for Dissertation Research.

He completed his B.Arch. and M.A. in Architecture at Waseda University and Master of Architectural History at University of Virginia.

Holli Turner Degree: PhD in Art History Research Focus: Art of Early Modern Southern Europe and Colonial Latin America, the materials and materiality of art, technical art history, theories and practices of conservation, race, and representation in art, decolonial practices in art history Dissertation title: TBD Academic Adviser: Daniel Zolli [email protected]

Holli M. Turner is a doctoral student specializing in early modern art, with a focus on the art of Italy, Spain, and the Americas. Her dissertation will examine the colonial implications of color – broadly understood – in the Venetian artist Titian’s paintings for the Spanish monarchy. This project knits together several core concerns of her work: the materials and materiality of art; the representation of race and ethnicity in art; and the interpretive importance of invisible labor, and laborers, to art’s history. In Summer 2021, Holli is serving as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Research Fellow in Penn State’s Art History department, where she is developing a digital humanities project that tracks Titian’s pigments and their origins.

Holli is a Virginia native that was trained in art history and graphic design before embarking on doctoral study. Her research interests also stem from her own artistry. In her spare time, she paints, illustrates, and creates works through traditional and digital media.

Guides and Resources

• Art History Graduate Handbook

Alumni Success

95 percent of those who earned their Ph.D. since the year 2000 are employed in art history or a related field.

• Of these, 71 percent are teaching at the college level.
• The other 29 percent hold such positions as museum curator or lead historian at a historic center.
• Of those teaching at the college level, 67 percent hold tenure-track or tenured positions.

Legal Statements

• Non-Discrimination
• Equal Opportunity
• Accessibility
• The Pennsylvania State University © 2024

MA or PhD in Art History

The graduate Art History programs at UT, comprising the MA in Art History and the PhD in Art History, are among the nation’s largest and most distinguished, with nearly twenty full-time faculty members who are leading scholars in their fields and represent a diversity of critical and methodological outlooks. Students in Art History are regularly honored with prestigious awards and fellowships, and alumni from this program lead successful careers at colleges, universities, and museums worldwide.

The programs’ expansive scope comprises courses covering a wide range of periods and cultures of art, while areas of special concentration are represented by several active research centers. Interdisciplinary study and collaboration play a vital role in the program. Additionally, research is enhanced by access to the many resources available across campus including the Blanton Museum of Art, one of the country’s leading university art museums; the university’s notable library system; and cultural archives such as the Harry Ransom Center.

Eligibility

Applicants to the Master of Arts Program are expected to have completed a broad range of undergraduate coursework in art history (18 hours in art history are recommended) and related fields. MA students will be required to demonstrate proficiency in reading/translating one contemporary language other than English prior to beginning the fourth semester in residence.

Program Tracks

Four MA tracks are offered:

• General (allows students to cover diverse historical areas of art history)
• Ancient (Western and Non-Western)
• Medieval to Early Modern

Program of Work — General Track

Program of Work — Specialized Track

Specialized tracks.

Example Program Plan

Language Requirement

MA students must have reading/translation competence in at least one modern language in addition to English. The additional language will be relevant to the student’s areas of study and will allow the student to understand the scholarship of their field. The language will be determined in consultation with the Graduate Adviser and the choice is subject to ratification by the Graduate Studies Committee.

The choice of language is flexible but must be decided in consultation with one’s advisor/committee chair or the Graduate Adviser if an advisor has not yet been selected. Language courses cannot count toward fulfillment of the requirement for six hours of coursework taken outside the department (supporting work or Minor).

The language exam requirement must be fulfilled in one of the following ways:

• 4 semesters of college-level language courses passed at grade B or above. Advanced placement credit can count towards the required number of courses.
• Departmental exam to test translation proficiency in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese (and other languages as petitioned by students) administered 3 times each year (beginning and end of fall semester, and once during spring semester). Exams are graded by at least 2 faculty members. Language exams will be administered to students who wish take it in a given semester. The exam proceeds simultaneously, in a single location and time that works for all. This requirement can be fulfilled in one of the following ways, and must be satisfied by the end of the third long semester in residence.
• To compensate for the exceptional difficulty involved, students who plan on qualifying in a language other than the traditional European languages may be allowed to do so. Permission may be granted after consultation with the Graduate Adviser and after petitioning the faculty to substitute an instructional course in that language in place of a supporting (i.e. out-of-department) course.

Thesis Colloquium

During the semester of enrollment in Thesis research (ARH 698A, 3 hours), usually in the third semester of residence and after the completion of 18 hours of coursework, the student presents a topic for faculty approval in a Thesis Colloquium. Enrollment in ARH 698B Thesis (3 hours) may take place only after an approved presentation.

• In the first year, no later than the end of the Spring semester, the student will contact an Art History faculty member about supervising the thesis and initiate a discussion about possible topics.
• Students are encouraged to interview faculty in their area of specialization in order to find a faculty supervisor/committee chair. Students and supervisors must be in alignment to accommodate their professional goals. Failing to find a supervisor will result in termination from the program.
• The wise Art History Master’s student will take advantage of the summer following the first year to develop and research a topic or possible topics with the goal of being ready to schedule the colloquium in the early part of the Fall semester.
• If the colloquium is not held, a grade of Incomplete is assigned; a final grade will be assigned when the colloquium is held during the next long semester.

Refer to the handbook for details regarding the processes involved with submitting the final thesis and applying for graduation.

Program Handbook

Applicants to the Doctoral Program must have an MA in art history or an MA in a related field with substantial coursework in art history at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants completing the second year of a Master’s program are also eligible to apply.

Program of Work

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires at least thirty hours of coursework beyond the MA degree. Course requirements include:

• A minimum of five graduate seminars in at least two of the department’s chronological groupings of western and non-western art: Ancient; Medieval to Early Modern; and Modern
• Nine hours of supporting work, normally consisting of two graduate seminars outside the Department of Art and Art History in areas related to the major field, and one graduate reading course outside the Department of Art and Art History often taken in the context of preparation for the qualifying examination. All of these courses must be taken for a letter grade.
• A minimum of six hours of dissertation research and writing

Further requirements include reading/translation competence in at least two contemporary languages in addition to English, a dissertation colloquium, written and oral qualifying examinations that admit the student to doctoral candidacy, the dissertation, and the oral defense of the dissertation. PhD students who are employed as Teaching Assistants must enroll for one term in ARH 398T Supervised Teaching in Art History , a pedagogy seminar that meets one hour per week. This course does not count toward completion of the degree.

Doctoral students must have reading/translation competence in at least 2 modern languages in addition to English. These languages will be relevant to students’ areas of study and will allow individuals to undertake primary research and understand the scholarship of their chosen field.

Language courses cannot count toward fulfillment of the requirement for 9 hours of coursework taken outside the department (supporting work or minor). Each language requirement can be fulfilled in one of the following ways, and must be satisfied before advancing to doctoral candidacy:

• Four semesters of college-level language courses passed at grade B or above. Advanced Placement credit can count towards the required number of courses.
• Departmental exam to test translation proficiency in French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Portuguese (and other languages as petitioned by students) administered twice per semester. Exams are graded by at least two faculty members. Language exams will be administered to students who wish take it in a given semester. The exam proceeds simultaneously, in a single location and time that works for all. The choice of language is flexible but must be decided in consultation with one’s adviser.
• Confirmation of completion of a modern language requirement from the student’s Master’s program.

To compensate for the exceptional difficulty involved, students who plan on qualifying in a language other than the traditional European languages may be allowed, after consultation with the graduate advisor and after petitioning the faculty, to substitute an instructional course in that language in place of a supporting (i.e. out-of-department) course.

Dissertation Colloquium

The Colloquium is intended to be an informal conversation with the faculty concerning the topic, its feasibility, and potential pitfalls that might affect the student’s ability to complete it successfully.

The Dissertation Colloquium is held during the third or fourth term of the student’s residence and after the completion of at least 18 hours of coursework. A week before the scheduled Dissertation Colloquium, the student presents to the Graduate Adviser for Art History and the faculty a written prospectus, prepared with the help of the dissertation adviser.

The topics for the qualifying examination are also set at the Colloquium, and the examining committee is determined. At this time, the composition of the dissertation committee is also discussed. The student must complete the Qualifying Examination by the end of the next long semester following the Colloquium.

Qualifying Examination

The student will be examined in four areas: at least two broad areas of expertise and one or two focused areas with the possibility of one area being directed by a faculty member outside the Department. All of these exams will be written and must be completed within a one-week period. In consultation with each faculty member on their examination committee, students will schedule three-hour time periods during which they will take the written exams.

At least two weeks before the examination, the student will confirm with the Graduate Coordinator the date and time of each examination and the name and email address of any examiner not on the Art History faculty. The student will determine the order of the questions. The Graduate Coordinator will solicit questions from each examiner.

Within several days of the completion of the last written examination, a two-hour oral examination on the same topics will follow with the entire examining committee. During this exam the examining committee will question the student about the exam questions. To schedule the oral examination, please use the same process used for scheduling the Colloquium. The student's performance on these exams will be ranked "Pass" or "Failure." For additional details and procedures, please refer to the Graduate Handbook.

Once the student has completed all program requirements and passed the qualifying exams, the committee supervising the dissertation is formalized in the doctoral candidacy application process.

Learn more about completing the Application for Doctoral Candidacy →

• After admission to Candidacy for the doctoral degree, the student must stay in continuous enrollment in dissertation hours each spring and fall until the degree is completed.
• Students doing research abroad while in doctoral candidacy may be eligible for Independent Study and Research status.

Example Topics

Below are examples of past qualifying examinations topics. Please note that these can include both general subjects and topics related to a particular student’s dissertation research:

Medieval Art

• Northern Renaissance Art
• French Court Culture and Patronage (possibly an outside the Department question)
• Fourteenth-Century Manuscript Illumination

Modern/Contemporary European Art

• European Art, 1890–1945
• Art of the United States, 1945–1985
• Art and Philosophy of Language (Examiner: Art History Dept.)
• Little Magazines and Literary Modernism (Examiner: English Dept.)

Dissertation

The dissertation must make an original contribution to scholarship. It normally requires fieldwork of at least a year’s duration. The Dissertation Committee directs the student during the completion of the dissertation. Defense of the dissertation (Final Oral Examination) before at least four members of the Dissertation Committee is a University requirement; the dissertation supervisor must be physically present for the defense to take place.

Learn more about submitting the request for the Final Oral Examination →

Refer to the handbook for details regarding the processes involved with submitting the final draft, defending, and applying for graduation.

• Current Graduate Students

Funding resources at the MA level, such as scholarships and in-state tuition waivers, are limited and awarded on a case-by-case basis. Each semester, MA students may apply for positions as a Grader for a large introductory/survey or upper-division class. Once assigned to grade for a course, the Grader must attend all lectures and grade all exams and assignments for the course. The number of Grader positions varies each year, and the salary is based on the number of students in the class. A few MA students also may be awarded Teaching Assistant positions, when these are available, again on a case-by-case basis.

The faculty’s goal is to support all admitted PhD students with a combination of Teaching Assistantships, Assistant Instructor positions, Graduate Research Assistant positions and scholarship funds so they can earn their degree with as little outside cost as possible.

A limited number of Graduate Research Assistant positions may be available each semester to both MA and PhD students.

All applicants are considered for financial support; it is not necessary to apply or request separately.

FAQ Visit Apply

Program Contacts

[email protected] Graduate Program Coordinator

Dr. Nassos Papalexandrou   Graduate Advisor

Department of the History of Art

• Financial Support
• PhD Requirements
• Graduate Courses
• Graduate Teaching and Museum Opportunities

The graduate program is designed to give students working toward the PhD degree an encompassing knowledge of the history of art and a deep understanding of the theories and approaches pertaining to art historical research. The program emphasizes collaborative working relationships among students and faculty in seminars. Each PhD student benefits from supervision by a primary adviser in their field of study, while continuing to work closely with other department faculty. Students will routinely avail themselves of faculty expertise in other departments, dependent on their area of study.

The program also fosters a close familiarity with the outstanding art in the Baltimore–Washington area relevant to the student’s area of study. In addition to the rich holdings of the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University (which include collections of rare books at the Garrett Library, Special Collections at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, and the George Peabody Library) graduate students have access to world-renowned collections and research facilities in Washington D.C.

Our recent PhD students have gone on to academic, administrative, and museum positions at institutions around the world including Aarhus University, American University of Paris, Arcadia University, Baylor University, Columbia University, DePaul University, Florida State University, Howard University, King’s College London, Marshall University, National Museum of Denmark, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Oberlin College, Portland State University, University of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, University of San Francisco, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Wellesley College. 

PhD Program

The UCLA Department of Art History offers a two-stage graduate program toward the PhD. Students are not admitted for a terminal master’s (MA) degree. The MA is awarded in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD and is granted with the successful completion of the first stage of the program, typically at the end of the second year, 6th quarter, in residence. Normative time to degree for the PhD is seven years from the term of admission. For students entering with a MA in hand, the normative time to degree is five years from the term of admission.

All students are required to complete the M.A. requirements in the department. The Graduate Review Committee may waive the M.A. requirements, at the time of admission, for students matriculating with a M.A. degree in Art History or adjacent discipline from another institution. Following Academic Senate policy on duplication of degrees, a student who enters the program with a M.A. degree in Art History from another institution is not eligible to receive a second M.A. degree in Art History from UCLA.

Please see here for the official UCLA Art History Graduate Program Requirements published on the Graduate Division website.

• The student is assigned a faculty mentor upon admission to the program. The mentor is responsible for the student’s course of study and must be consulted at least once each quarter. A change of faculty supervision and/or change in field(s) must be approved by the Graduate Review Committee.
• The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) offers intellectual guidance, approves any exceptions to the program requirements, and adjudicates disputes between a student and his/her faculty mentor. The DGS further serves as Chair of the Graduate Review Committee, which governs the admissions process.
• The Student Affairs Officer (SAO) assists students with all the administrative aspects of moving through the program.
• Each spring quarter, the entire faculty reviews the status of each graduate student to ensure appropriate time-to-degree progress.

Toward the MA

Requirements for the MA

• Satisfaction of the first language requirement.
• Successful completion of AH 200 with a grade of “B+” or better.
• Nine graduate and upper division courses (36 units) completed while in the program. At least six of those courses (24 units) must be at the graduate level, including four graduate seminars. AH 200 may be counted towards the required six courses.
• Successful completion of a qualifying paper (approximately 30 pages) according to the standards and procedures outlined below.

* Typically the above requirements are completed within the first two years of study (6 quarters).

Distribution of Coursework

The nine required courses must include at least two courses from Group A and two courses from Group B noted below.

Qualifying Paper for the MA

• The qualifying paper is a revised and expanded version of a paper written for a class from the first year of coursework. It should be approximately 30 pages in length (excluding footnotes, images, and bibliography) and should demonstrate the student’s ability 1) to formulate a thesis, 2) to present an extended argument, and 3) to conduct original research. Quality of the writing will also be evaluated.
• By the end of the fall quarter of the second year, student selects a class paper from the first year in consultation with his or her advisor to revise and expand as the qualifying paper.
• In the following winter quarter, student enrolls for 4 units of 598 (RSRCH-MASTER THESIS) to work on the paper under the supervision of advisor.
• Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) will contact each student during the winter quarter (usually early February) to appoint a committee of three faculty readers for the qualifying paper, one of which is the student’s advisor. At least one of the faculty readers will have had no classroom contact with the student. All students may suggest potential readers; however, the DGS will balance the student’s request against equity of faculty workload.
• On the first day of instruction of the spring quarter, students submits three copies of the qualifying paper to the Student Affairs Officer (SAO) along with a list of the three readers assigned to review the paper.
• The qualifying papers will be distributed to the three assigned faculty readers and each reader will complete an evaluation form and submit it to the SAO within three weeks of receipt of the paper.
• By the fourth week of the spring quarter, the SAO will make available the papers with reader’s comments to the student and these papers will be added to the student’s permanent file.
• The Graduate Review Committee, taking into consideration the faculty reader evaluations, will determine whether the student will be awarded the MA and permitted to proceed into the PhDprogram. In some cases, the Committee may recommend that the student receive the MA degree but discontinue further graduate study. It is also possible (although very rare) that the student’s work may not be judged adequate to receive the MA.

Completion of the MA

• Prior to the third week of the spring quarter in the second year, the student should complete the “Petition for Advancement to Candidacy for the Master’s Degree” (provided by and returned to the SAO).
• Once the Department has accepted the qualifying paper, the student must file it with Graduate Division by the Monday of the tenth week of the spring quarter, formatted as a thesis.
• Graduate Division guidelines for formatting MA theses are available  here . Workshops on thesis formatting are offered at the beginning of each fall and winter quarters. See the Grad Division website for more information.
• Following the Department’s annual spring review of graduate students, the student must submit a completed form for transfer from the MA to the PhD program (provided by and returned to the SAO).

Toward the PhD

Upon the completion of the MA or starting with a MA from another institution, the student begins the PhD program having chosen a major field of study within art history, often known at the time of application. By the end of the second quarter of residence at the PhD stage, the student also selects a minor field, which may be outside the department (e.g. Architecture, History, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Archaeology, etc.). The major and minor advisors are responsible for the student’s course of study and completion of requirements within the selected field. Graduate Review Committee must approve any change of advisor(s) or the major and minor fields.

Requirements for the PhD

• Satisfaction of language requirements (minimum 2, including 1 from MA stage; more may be required depending on field of study)
• Completion of 8 graduate and upper division courses (32 units)
• Written comprehensive exams in major and minor fields
• Dissertation prospectus and oral qualifying exam
• Doctoral dissertation

• A total of 8 graduate and upper division courses are required, of which at least 4 must be art history courses at the graduate level.
• Of the nine courses (36 units) required for the MA, students may use a maximum of two of these (8 units) to count towards Ph.D. coursework. Students may also apply courses taken in excess of MA requirements towards fulfilling Ph.D. course requirements. (This does not apply to students who received their MA from other institutions/departments.)
• 5 courses in one field are required to claim it as the major field; 3 courses in one field are required to claim it as the minor field. The minor can also be from outside the department (e.g. Architecture, History, Anthropology, Comparative Literature, Archaeology, etc.).
• Students entering the PhD stage deficient in Art History 200 (Art Historical Theories and Methodologies) or its equivalent must add this to the total requirements. In some cases, Art History 201 (Topics in Historiography of Art History) may be required by faculty/advisor recommendation. Any additional coursework required by the Graduate Review Committee at time of admission must be completed during the first two quarters of residence and may not count toward the minimum course requirements for either the MA or PhD degree.

Written Comprehensive Examinations

• Upon completion of coursework and fulfillment of language requirements, the student takes the PhD written comprehensive examinations in the major and minor fields of study, designed and evaluated by the student’s major and minor advisors respectively.
• The purpose of the examinations is to test the student’s breadth and depth of knowledge in his/her fields of study. If a student fails to pass the examination or part thereof, the failed portion may be repeated once no later than the subsequent quarter of residence. No further repetition will be allowed. The written comprehensive examinations may be taken during any two-week period of the Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Typically, students take these exams during the winter quarter of the second year in residence, 5th quarter, in the PhD program.
• The Department offers two formats for the major and minor written exams, the details of which must be worked out in advance between the student and the examiner. Format A: Take-home. 2-3 essay questions to be completed in 1 week (for the minor exam, 1-2 questions to be completed in 3 days). Format B: Sit-down. 2-3 essay questions to be completed in 6 hours (for the minor exam, 1-2 questions to be completed in 3 hours). Many faculty incorporate designing of a syllabus as an exam question and the formats above do not preclude this possibility. Such an assignment would count as one question/essay.
• The specific format and dates for the major and minor exams must be submitted to the Student Affairs Officer at least three weeks in advance using the appropriate departmental form.

Doctoral Committee

• Upon passing the written comprehensive examinations in major and minor fields of study, the student selects a dissertation topic and nominates the members of his/her Doctoral Committee in consultation with his/her advisor.
• This committee minimally consists of the major advisor, now serving as committee chair, two additional members of the art history faculty (normally, but not necessarily, including the student’s minor advisor), and one member from another UCLA department. For details on the acceptable status of these members and for minimum university standards of the doctoral committee,  please see page 14-17 in the Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study manual .
• The student and committee chair must agree on all committee members. Any changes in committee constitution after formal nomination must be reported to and approved by the Graduate Division; replacing the committee chair can only occur by consent or if the faculty member leaves UCLA.
• Please note that the Graduate Division generally approves Committee nominations within 2-3 weeks, and the oral qualifying exam may not be taken before official approval has been received.

Dissertation Prospectus and Oral Qualifying Examination

• The dissertation topic should be identified in discussions with the advisor. These discussions usually evolve organically through the course of study and are highly individualized. Typically, the oral examination is scheduled during the quarter following the successful completion of the written examinations.
• Once the Doctoral Committee has been officially approved by Graduate Division, and after having conducted considerable exploratory research and preparation for his/her dissertation, the student submits to each member of the Doctoral Committee a dissertation prospectus. The prospectus should not be distributed to the full committee without the approval of the student’s committee chair.
• The dissertation prospectus should not exceed 20 pages and include a statement of purpose regarding the art historical topic/problem being addressed (what is at stake in the study), tentative chapter outlines, working bibliography, research plan, methodological strategies, and preliminary schedule for completion.
• Students should submit the prospectus to committee members 2-3 weeks before the oral examination date to allow sufficient time for the prospectus to be reviewed. If any member of the Doctoral Committee finds the prospectus inadequate, he or she must notify the committee chair at least one week prior to the oral examination date. In some cases, the prospectus must be revised and/or the examination date postponed.
• The student is responsible for scheduling the oral exam, consulting with committee members well in advance regarding the date and time of availability of each faculty member. The SAO helps the student reserve an appropriate space for the exam.
• The purpose of the oral examination is to assess the validity and feasibility of the proposed dissertation topic and its methodologies, as well as the soundness of the student’s projected approach to completing the project.
• At the end of the examination, each committee member reports the examination as “passed” or “not passed.” A student may not pass and may not be advanced to candidacy if more than one member votes “not passed” regardless of the size of the committee, or if the major advisor so votes. Upon majority vote of the committee, the oral qualifying examination may be repeated once. Students upon passing the oral examination are formally advanced to candidacy by the Graduate Division.
• At the time of the exam, the Doctoral Committee decides, by unanimous agreement, whether or not to waive the final oral examination (not normally required) and selects, again by unanimous agreement, a minimum of three members, two from the art history faculty and one from an outside department, who will read, approve, and certify the final draft of the dissertation. For details regarding the acceptable status of these certifying members, consult the publication, Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.
• Upon passing the oral examination, the student is officially Advanced to Candidacy (ATC).

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination (if required)

• After advancing to candidacy, the student works on the dissertation in consultation with his/her advisor, committee chair, as well as Doctoral Committee certifying members according to the rules laid out in the above named publication. Upon completion of the dissertation or individual chapters thereof, and with  approval  of the committee chair, the student circulates a copy of the dissertation  in Week 1 of the quarter  for comments and suggestions from the certifying members of the Doctoral Committee.  Each  reader is allowed  four  weeks in which to read it and make corrections and comments, and the student is allowed  three  weeks in which to respond and revise the dissertation. It is incumbent upon the student to communicate in a timely manner with all certifying members of the Doctoral Committee to ensure adequate time for review. Committee members must be consulted as each reader may require more time.  PLEASE REVIEW the timeline for dissertation completion  which clearly outlines the schedule for submission during the student’s final quarter.
• After incorporating into the final draft of the dissertation the recommended changes, the student will circulate the dissertation again among the certifying members of the Doctoral Committee. This draft should be circulated sufficiently in advance of the deadline for filing the dissertation so that each reader is allowed at least two weeks in which to reread it (see quarterly Schedule of Classes for filing deadlines).
• Each certifying member of the committee then decides whether or not to approve the dissertation. In cases where less than the entire committee acts as certifying members, approval of the dissertation must be unanimous. If the entire committee acts as certifying members, the dissertation is considered approved with one negative decision so long as that negative decision is not that of the committee chair. After final approval by the Dean of the Graduate Division, the student files the required number of copies of the dissertation with the Manuscript Advisor of the Office of University Archives. Deadlines for filing the dissertation fall approximately two weeks before the date the degree is to be awarded.
• Note: A final oral examination is not normally required for Art History, but in some cases it may be requested by the Doctoral Committee (determined at the oral qualifying exam), and is held prior to filing the dissertation. All members of the committee must attend and vote. A student may pass with one negative vote so long as that vote is not that of the committee chair. In case of failure, the Doctoral Committee decides, by unanimous agreement, whether or not the candidate may be re-examined.
• Upon filing the dissertation, the student receives the Ph.D.

Language Requirements

The completion of the PhD requires reading knowledge of a minimum of two foreign languages relevant to the student’s field of study (more than two may be required in some cases and must be determined in consultation with the faculty advisor). Applicants are expected to already possess reading proficiency in at least one of the two languages for which they will be responsible. New students shall sit for at least one language exam upon arrival at UCLA.

Students at the MA stage are expected to satisfy their first foreign language requirement by the end of the 3rd quarter in residence. It is highly recommended that they complete the second language requirement by the end of the 6th quarter in residence.

Students at the PhD stage are expected to satisfy their second foreign language requirement by the end of the 1st quarter and any additional languages by the end of the 3rd quarter in residence (or in consultation with the major advisor).

Fulfilling the Language Requirement

Option 1: Pass the Departmental Foreign Language Exam.

The language exam consists of translation of a text of 300-700 words chosen by the examiner to be translated into English in three hours (use of a non-electronic dictionary is allowed). Specific qualities of the language and expected level of proficiency in the field will impact the choice and length of the selected text. The Department expects accurate rendition in English rather than a strict translation, word for word, and values the quality of the translation over the completion of the exam.

Language exams are scheduled four times a year, approximately three weeks prior to finals week during the regular academic quarters. Entering students must sit for the first language exam in the first week of the fall quarter. Exam results will be sent out by email within three weeks of the exam date. If feedback on the exam is desired after the results have been announced, students are welcome to contact the examiner. If a student fails the exam and wants to appeal, he or she should contact the Chair of the Language Committee or Director of Graduate Studies.

Option 2: Complete UCLA courses  French 6, German 6, Italian 6, Spanish 25, or other relevant language classes with a minimum grade of “B”.

The following is a general guideline for language requirements in relation to specific fields of study. The final selection and number of languages is to be determined in consultation with the primary advisor.

African Indigenous African languages, Arabic, French, German, Portuguese Ancient/Mediterranean/Near East Akkadian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Latin Chinese/Korean/Japanese Two East Asian languages, for pre-modern studies additionally literary Chinese or Japanese Byzantine/Western Medieval French, German, Greek, Latin, Italian, Slavic Languages, Turkish, Spanish Indigenous Americas One European language, one indigenous language (e.g., Quechua, Nahuatl, Maya), one other language (depending on topic) Islamic Arabic, Turkish/Ottoman, Persian, French, German Latin America Spanish (mandatory), French, German, Portuguese Modern & Contemporary Europe & America French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian Renaissance/Baroque/Early Modern Italian, French, Spanish, German, Latin, Dutch, Slavic Languages, Latin and/or Greek (depending on topic) South Asia Sanskrit, Hindi/Urdu, Persian Southeast Asia Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian

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General Information

The PhD program in the Division of Art History prepares graduates for university-level teaching, curator positions at major museums, and independent research in the field. Before beginning work for the PhD, students should have completed a master's degree in art history. Requirements for the degree include 60 credits of coursework beyond the master's degree and research capability in at least two foreign languages.

Preparation

Applicants to the PhD program must have a master's degree in art history or a related field combined with course work in art history. Applicants need not have an undergraduate major in art history but should have a solid record of art history course work. In our program we define a “solid record” for our undergraduate majors as 55 quarter credits of art history classes distributed among major fields of study offered in our department. This figure should serve only as a general reference point, however; we do not expect all applicants to have exactly the same background and course distribution as our undergraduate majors. Studio art classes and work experience in art-related fields can enhance your application but, in most cases, will not substitute for a good background in art history course work.

Financial Support

Each year the Division of Art History offers two fully funded five-year PhD packages, which are typically comprised of a combination of fellowship support and teaching assistantships.

Information about other financial support opportunities can be found under Graduate Support .

More about the Art History PhD

• Degree Requirements
• Dissertation
• Links to Graduate Showcase websites

History of Art, PhD

Zanvyl krieger school of arts and sciences.

The graduate program is designed to give students working toward the PhD degree an encompassing knowledge of the history of art and a deep understanding of the theories and approaches pertaining to art historical research. The program emphasizes collaborative working relationships among students and faculty in seminars. Each PhD student benefits from supervision by a primary advisor in their field of study, while continuing to work closely with other department faculty. Students will routinely avail themselves of faculty expertise in other departments, dependent on their area of study.

The program also fosters a close familiarity with the outstanding art in the Baltimore–Washington area relevant to the student’s area of study. In addition to the rich holdings of the Sheridan Libraries of Johns Hopkins University (which include collections of rare books at the Garrett Library, Special Collections at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, and the George Peabody Library) graduate students have access to world-renowned collections and research facilities in Washington D.C.

Our recent PhD students have gone on to academic, administrative, and museum positions at institutions around the world including Aarhus University, American University of Paris, Arcadia University, Baylor University, Columbia University, DePaul University, Florida State University, Howard University, King’s College London, Marshall University, National Museum of Denmark, Notre Dame University of Maryland, Oberlin College, Portland State University, University of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, University of San Francisco, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Wellesley College. 

Admission Requirements

Admission and financial aid.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program in History of Art should upload and submit all required application materials and supporting documents through the online application. For information about applying to the Ph.D. program in History of Art, please see the department's website . Applications must be completed by December 15.

To foster close student-faculty relationships and provide for the greatest flexibility in developing each graduate student's individual curriculum, the department strictly limits the number of students it admits each year.

All graduate students entering the program are guaranteed five years of support, contingent upon satisfactory progress year by year. This support covers the individual’s full tuition costs and health insurance, and includes a stipend annually. Student stipends are guaranteed at the level stated in the letter of offer (for incoming students) and in the renewal letter (for continuing students) for the duration of the applicable period.  

Outstanding graduate applicants from underrepresented communities are regularly nominated for the Kelly Miller Fellowship , named for the first African-American to attend Johns Hopkins, as a graduate student in the Department of Mathematics in 1887. The fellowship provides additional funding to support student research, travel, and study during the student’s graduate career. In addition to the financial award, Kelly Miller Fellows benefit from quarterly programming designed to enhance the graduate experience and ensure professional success.   

All ABD students (those who have completed all requirements but the dissertation, something that usually happens in year three) are strongly encouraged to apply for external grants and fellowships to support their dissertation research and writing. The department also has internal fellowships to support students beyond their fifth year. Funds to support s ummer and conference travel are also available through the department, the Dean’s office, and cross-disciplinary programs. The Dean’s Teaching Fellowship enables advanced students to propose, design, and teach an undergraduate seminar course and provides one semester of support. Further details available via our website .  

PhD Requirements

In discussion with major and minor field advisors, History of Art Ph.D. students develop areas of concentration and courses of study to suit their intellectual interests and commitments. The art history faculty also encourages students to take full advantage of offerings in other departments, and students may, if they choose, develop a minor field in another discipline.

All students entering the Ph.D. program, regardless of the degree they hold, must complete four full semesters of coursework and pass the required language exams before being approved to take their qualifying exams (also known as the Ph.D. exams). In the first year, students normally take three courses at the graduate level per semester; in the second year, when students generally assume Teaching Assistant assignments , the student will normally take two courses at the graduate level per semester. As part of the coursework requirement, students must satisfactorily complete and submit all assigned papers and projects associated with the courses they have taken before being approved to take their qualifying exams.

All qualifying exams, regardless of the fields in which they are taken, are comprised of two written exams (one major field and one minor field), followed by an oral defense before the advisors and other department faculty. Exams should take place during the student’s third year; in some instances (e.g. the need for additional specialized language training beyond the modern language requirement or additional coursework) the exams may be taken later.

After the successful completion of qualifying exams, it is expected that students will be ready to begin work towards the dissertation by formulating a proposal. The dissertation proposal should be approximately 6–8 pages in length (10 pages will be the maximum), with a list of works cited and a very selective sample of figures appended. Simple parenthetical references to the works cited list are preferable to footnotes. Each proposal must contain a relatively straightforward description of the principal object of study and the defining questions the work seeks to answer, as well as a working title that captures the subject and the theme. The body of the proposal often also includes discussion of the current state of research, the intended contribution of the work to the field, and a preview of the research agenda and its challenges.

Students, having ideally secured outside research funding, then proceed to pursue dissertation research and writing. When the dissertation is complete, the student must successfully defend the dissertation before a Graduate Board Orals committee consisting of three internal (departmental) readers and two external readers. Successful defense of the dissertation and electronic submission of the work, complete in all its components, marks the fulfillment of the program’s degree requirements. 

Art History Fields

The department affords students of ancient art the opportunity to work with a faculty that includes experts in Greek, Roman, Mediterranean, and Ancient Near Eastern art and architecture. Students also benefit from close and long-standing relationships with the Departments of Classics and Near Eastern Studies, which provide training in the languages, literatures, and histories of the ancient world. Facilities of special relevance to students of ancient art include the Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum , located on campus inside Gilman Hall, and the extraordinary holdings of the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art .

Since its founding in 1947, the department has given special emphasis to the study of medieval art, and that tradition continues with a new generation of faculty bringing expertise in Early Medieval, Gothic, Islamic, Italian, and Mediterranean art and architecture to the program. Students also avail themselves of local expertise through the departments of History , English , and Modern Languages and Literatures , and frequently consult with curators at the Walters Art Museum, several of whom participate as adjunct faculty. The extraordinary collections at the Walters Art Museum and at Dumbarton Oaks are especially valuable for students interested in manuscript illumination and the portable object.

Early Modern and Renaissance 

Another signature strength of the Department of the History of Art is its expertise in the Early Modern period, encompassing the art, architecture, and culture of Italy, the Spanish Empire, the Islamic world, and Northern Europe from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century.  Graduate students in these areas participate in the programs of the Charles Singleton Center for the Study of Pre-Modern Europe , which sponsors collaborative research abroad and brings a steady stream of world-class lecturers to Baltimore. Students also benefit from the excellent collections of Islamic art, Italian and Northern Renaissance art, and the art of the Spanish Empire at the Walters Art Museum, the National Museum of Asian Art, the National Gallery, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

At Hopkins a diverse and challenging curriculum in modern art and criticism is offered by a research faculty of international prominence, supplemented by occasional visiting scholars and museum curators. Students oriented toward the study of criticism and aesthetic theory can also broaden their perspective and develop their critical skills by taking courses offered through the Comparative Thought and Literature , Philosophy , History , English, Modern Languages and Literatures, Political Science , and Anthropology , and with faculty affiliated with the programs in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Africana Studies, Latin American Studies, and Islamic Studies. Distinctive collections at the Baltimore Museum of Art and at multiple institutions in Washington, D.C., (the Hirshhorn Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Museum of Asian Art, the Phillips Collection, and others) provide unparalleled resources for students of modern art at all levels.  

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• Ph.D. in Art History & Visual Culture

The Ph.D. Program in Art History & Visual Culture is committed to preparing you for advanced research in the global visual cultures of the past and present. The Department recognizes that visual literacy plays an increasingly important role in contemporary society. Art, architecture, mass media (television, video, film, internet), and urbanism all work through reference to visual and spatial conventions. We strive to provide you with the necessary tools to understand objects and archives and with the skills to interpret visual and material culture for the benefit of the broader community. We invite applications from highly qualified students interested in careers in research, teaching, and criticism.

Requirements for a Ph.D.

• 12 to 15 courses (excluding language courses), of which at least 10 are taken from the Art, Art History & Visual Studies department
• 2 to 4 courses taken from other departments at Duke
• Language proficiency in at least two foreign languages
• Preliminary exam
• Note the former Ph.D. track in Visual & Media Studies has now been replaced by a new Ph.D. program in Computational Media, Arts & Cultures (CMAC)
• Also review Ph.D. Program Guidelines attached below
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Department of Art History

The doctoral program in art history typically involves two years of coursework, the completion of a qualifying paper, preliminary exams in three fields, a dissertation prospectus, and a dissertation. Following their coursework, students also learn to teach by serving as a teaching assistant for faculty-taught undergraduate courses and taking the department’s teaching colloquium. After advancing to ABD status, students research and write their dissertation, usually combining time in Chicago with traveling abroad.

Course Requirements

In general terms, the doctoral program requires two years of full time coursework. Students typically enroll in three courses each quarter during their first two years, and courses are selected with the guidance of the student’s doctoral advisor and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies in the department.

All students take the Proseminar and the COSI Objects & Materials seminar in the Autumn and Winter Quarters, respectively, of their first year. Among the other 18 courses required for the doctoral degree are two courses each for distribution requirements and for the student’s minor field. The qualifying paper, completed by the end of Winter Quarter of the second year, is researched and written within the framework of two Qualifying Paper Reading Courses typically supervised by the doctoral advisor and/or another faculty member. Finally, students enroll in a Preliminary Exam Directed Reading Course in the Spring Quarter of their second year.

All students must demonstrate competency in languages determined by their chosen field. Depending on the language and level, up to three language courses may be counted toward the total number of courses required for the degree.

Given the department's strong history of and continuing commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and intellectual formation, the doctoral program allows for as many as 8 of the total 18 courses required for the PhD to be taken outside the Department of Art History.

In their third year, students are required to take the Teaching Colloquium and Dissertation Proposal Workshop offered yearly by an art history faculty member. These courses do not count toward the 18 courses required for the PhD. Students also prepare for and take their preliminary exams, and typically hold their first teaching assignments in their third year.

Upon successful completion of all coursework requirements, the qualifying paper, the relevant language requirements, and the preliminary exams, each student prepares a dissertation proposal that must be approved by three committee members. Upon that approval and an administrative review of the student's file, the student formally advances to the status of “PhD Candidate” and “ABD” status.

In subsequent years, students research and write the dissertation while further developing their teaching skills (in keeping with the doctoral program’s teaching requirement). Following the submission and successful defense of the dissertation, the doctoral degree is conferred. The current expectation, in general terms, is that completion of the PhD in Art History requires approximately seven years, but time to degree will vary: some students may graduate in less than seven years, others may find they need an additional year.

While all doctoral students must fulfill the requirements sketched above, the different fields of art historical study that are represented in the Department of Art History each have their own particular scholarly requirements. With the aim of providing graduate students with the most rigorous formation in their chosen area of specialization, the department has made various structural provisions to ensure that students can receive the additional training required by their chosen field (including additional language study, training in specialized research skills, and curatorial formation). As these scholarly requirements vary from field to field, so too—within limits set by the Department of Art History and the Division of the Humanities—the pace of each student’s progress through the doctoral program will necessarily be shaped by the requirements of his/her chosen area of study, in consultation with the art history faculty.

Students should refer to the Graduate Student Handbook   for details on all requirements.

Joint and Dual PhDs

Select students may pursue joint PhD degrees with art history and another department or program. Joint PhD programs at the University of Chicago are of two types, "standing" and "ad hoc."

A standing joint degree program has been established between Art History (ARTH) and the Committee on Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS). It allows students to complement their doctoral studies in Art History with a program of study in TAPS that reflects their particular training and interests, encompassing both academic and artistic work. Students apply to this standing program at the time of their application to the University, which is submitted to the art history department.

Students may petition for an ad-hoc joint PhD with another department or program according to guidelines set by the Humanities Division . Generally, admitted students must separately meet the requirements of both programs, but any overlapping requirement need only be met once if each department would otherwise consider it met were that student not in the joint degree program. Recent art history students have completed joint PhDs with Cinema and Media Studies and with Social Thought.

Under a new initiative , some students may simultaneously pursue PhD studies at the University of Chicago and at a degree-granting institution of higher learning in France, leading to two PhD degrees – one from each of the two institutions. Students approved for this initiative pursue a specific course of study depending on their research and professional interests, must satisfy all the requirements of both doctoral programs, and must write and defend a single dissertation that meets the requirements for each degree.

Master of Arts Program in Humanities

Masters-level study in Art History is offered through the  Master of Arts Program in Humanities . Sstudents build their own curriculum with graduate-level courses in any humanities department (including in the Department of Art History) and complete a thesis with a University of Chicago faculty advisor. Typically a one-year program, some students pursue the “Two Year Language Option” or TLO to pursue additional foreign language study. 

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The doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania provides students with broad training in the history of art and its critical approaches, yet also focused training in their selected fields.  Students completing the Ph.D. are well prepared for teaching positions at the university and college level and for curatorial positions in museums and galleries.  Faculty work closely with Ph.D. students to outline an appropriate course of study and mentor students while preparing them for assistantships, curatorial internships, and other career orientations.

Admission to the program is by application to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, which administers full fellowship packages to all admitted students.  (See the "Admissions" page on this site.)  Both B.A. and M.A. students are eligible to apply.  Students normally pursue coursework over their first three years and, once admitted to Ph.D. candidacy (following their area exams), devote their time thereafter to dissertation research and writing.  Students entering the program with an M.A. may chose to accelerate their coursework at Penn to gain candidacy to the Ph.D. more quickly.

Students generally take three seminars in each semester; some of that coursework includes also pedagogical instruction when the student serves as a Teaching Assistant. To ensure a broad understanding of art's history, the Department asks students to take three seminars focusing on periods prior to 1750 and three after.

Further details regarding the graduate program may be found in the  Graduate Bulletin .

History of Art PhD

The Department of History of Art offers a two-stage integrated master's and doctoral program (MA/PhD) in preparation for college teaching, writing, and specialized curatorial careers. Students are not admitted to work for a terminal MA degree, though students may apply for the MA after meeting Stage I requirements toward the PhD. Students work closely with faculty in courses, seminars, and on independent research projects to develop independent thought and a thorough knowledge of the field and its critical methods. Cross-disciplinary work in Berkeley's distinguished departments of languages and literature, philosophy, rhetoric, film studies, women's studies, history, and the social sciences is strongly encouraged. A student may opt for a more formal relationship with other departments through Designated Emphases programs, including film studies; folklore; women, gender, and sexuality; and critical theory.

Contact Info

[email protected]

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Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 4, 2023

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

Department of the History of Art

You are here.

Welcome to our webpage for graduate studies. Here you will find practical information about our PhD program, including details about departmental course and language requirements, faculty expertise and publications, graduate students and their projects, and more. (Please note that Yale’s History of Art program does not include an MA-only option.) For more specific questions regarding departmental requirements, timelines, and procedures, please click on “Description of Graduate Studies ( Red Book ).” If you should have in-depth inquiries pertaining to your intended field of specialization, I recommend that you contact the relevant faculty member via e-mail. If you have questions about the department generally, you are welcome to e-mail me as Director of Graduate Studies . 

If you are interested in making a visit to campus prior to applying, please contact the individual professor(s) in your preferred field(s) of study directly via e-mail to arrange a suitable day and time. Such visits should take place in the fall semester, before the applications are due. Please keep in mind that there is no requirement that applicants visit campus; some professors prefer to communicate with prospective students only via e-mail or a phone call. Even complex questions can be answered via e-mail.

We hope that you find the material contained here on the website illuminating and helpful. And we thank you for your interest in the Ph.D. program in the History of Art at Yale University.

For more information regarding requirements and admission see  Graduate Handbook: Red Book . 

Our graduate students also have access to the   GSAS Professional Development for: leadership and communication, mentorship, training, negotiation and people skills, practical interships, and advice on preparing for diverse Careers and the  Office of Career Strategy (OCS) for: diverse career exploration, networking, resumes and cover letters, interview prep, employer events, job hunting and intership resources, negotiation and decision-making.

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• Ph.D. in Fine Arts

School of Art Fine Arts Doctoral Program (Art)

Fine arts doctoral program (art).

The Art track of the Fine Arts Doctoral Program centers on art praxis, which we define as theoretically informed action aimed at creating change in academic, social, and community contexts. We have chosen the word "praxis" instead of "practice" to signal a different relationship to theory than assumed by the theory-practice binary, and to indicate a fundamental difference between MFA programs in studio practice and the PhD. For Aristotle, praxis meant an action that is valuable in itself, as opposed to that which leads to creation, and for scholars of modernity from Marx to Lefebvre, praxis was, and remains, infused with an ethical and political imperative, and designated a more grounded and intentional mode of social and political transformation.

The Art track is part of a College-wide Fine Arts Doctoral Program , which includes students focusing on music, theatre, dance, and visual art. All areas of the Fine Arts Doctoral Program require a series of core courses that bring together students from across the College for innovative interdisciplinary and collaborative inquiry. These core courses support the art area's commitment to blurring disciplinary boundaries through original modes of investigation.

Students conduct interdisciplinary research integrating methodologies from a home discipline related to Art with methodologies from disciplines of Music, Theatre, and Dance housed at other Schools in the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual and Performing Arts or the University at large. Such interdisciplinarity is not simply additive, but transformative, blurring the chosen disciplines and even fundamentally altering them.

This program is for

• studio artists who want to transform their approach to making into a methodology for research,
• scholars who want to intervene in their home discipline by proposing novel ways of conducting research,
• curators and cultural practitioners who want to do community-engaged projects, and
• educators who want to rethink inquiry and develop meaningful practices organized around art and images that transform engagement through interdisciplinary initiatives.

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How to apply.

Interested candidates applying for admission to the Fine Arts Doctoral Program for Fall 2023 can do so through the Texas Tech University Graduate School portal.

A complete application - via the Graduate School application portal - will include the following:

• Official transcripts of all previous college-level study
• Official G.R.E. score report (The GRE score requirement has been waived for Fall 2024-entering applicants)
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Current resumé or curriculum vitae
• A scholarly writing sample (10-30 pages of academic writing)
• Art portfolio (optional)
• Statement of intent (800 words maximum; see tips on writing statements of intent). Please indicate in your statement the faculty members in the FADP(Art) program (see below) with whom you would like to work.
• For international students: passport and additional documents that prove your eligibility to study in the United States
• Registration fee

ENTRANCE QUALIFICATIONS

For acceptance into the doctoral program, the applicant must have completed a master's degree, or its equivalent, with emphasis in some area of the visual arts. Every effort is made to select candidates who show strong scholarship and professional competence.  Applicants who have not taken at least 15 hours of art history, art criticism, art education, arts administration, aesthetics, and/or visual culture courses at the college level may be required to meet the 15-hour minimum in the form of leveling courses taken here at TTU, which will not count toward the 60-hour minimum in the doctoral degree plan.

While the Fine Arts Doctoral Program (Art) takes applications year-round, please take into consideration the following dates:

JANUARY 15th for Fall semester entry, with full financial consideration.

OCTOBER 15th for Spring semester entry, with available/limited financial consideration.

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Degree handbook.

• PhD Handbook

ONLINE CATALOG INFORMATION

Student success, school of art alumni.

Class of 2012

Sara Peso White

Class of 2015

Bryan Wheeler, dissertation: “Painting ‘Section' or Painting Texas: Negotiating Modernity and Identity in the Texas New Deal Post Office Murals.” Lecturer in the School of Art and College of Media and Communication.

Class of 2016

Yuan-Ta Hsu

Lina Kattan, dissertation: “Conflicted Living Beings: The Performative Aspect of Female Bodies' Representations in Saudi Painting and Photography.” Associate Professor of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Class of 2017

Norah Alqabba, dissertation: “Globalization and the Role of the Sharjah Biennale in the Transformation of Saudi Contemporary Sculpture”

Class of 2019

Kimberly Jones, dissertation: “Women in Contemporary Israeli Cinema”

Katharine Scherff, dissertation: “The Virtual Liturgy: An Examination of Medieval and Early Modern Ritual Objects as Media Technology.” Full-time Lecturer at TTU, Art History and Global Art Program, Affiliated Faculty Medieval and Renaissance Studies Center.

Jared Stanley, dissertation: “Working Through Grief: Continuing Bonds in the New Golden Age of American Television.” Division Chair, Division of Art and Design, School of Fine Arts and Communication, Bob Jones University.

Class of 2020 

Niloofar Gholamrezaei, dissertation: “Photographic Images, Distanced Realism, and the State of Being Modern in the Works of Mohammad Ghaffari and Otto Dix.” Assistant Professor of Visual Arts and General Education, Regis College.

Class of 2021

Ahmad Rafiei, dissertation: “Objects in Motion: Global Interactions and Cross-Cultural Exchange from Safavid to Twentieth-Century Iran.” Curatorial Fellow, Toledo Museum of Art, 2021-2024.

Sylvia Weintraub, dissertation: “Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Online: Why Making Matters on Pinterest.”

Assistant Professor of Art Education in the department of Visual and Theatre Arts at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Class of 2022

Corina Carmona, dissertation: “Re-membering a Coyolxauhqui Pedagogy: Creative and Cultural Praxis at the Intersection of Ethnic Studies and Fine Art”

Deepika Dhiman, dissertation: “Using Autoethnography and Visual Storytelling to Examine How Identity is Informed by Social Normative Behavior in India and the United States”

Class of 2023

Kathryn Kelley: “Creatives Engage with Spontaneous Self-Affirmation as a Part of Their Writing Practices”

Quest ions?

Contact the interim coordinator.

Andrés Peralta, PhD Interim FADP Coordinator

Fine Arts- Art Doctoral Program Faculty

Klinton Burgio-Ericson, PhD

Kevin Chua, PhD

Theresa Flanigan, PhD

Rina Little, PhD

Jorgelina Orfila, PhD

Andrés Peralta, PhD

Maia Toteva, PhD

Heather Warren-Crow, PhD

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PhD by Distance

All PhD programmes at ECA have the PhD by Distance option, with full-time or part-time study.   

The programmes are: 

• PhD in Architecture   
• PhD in Architecture by Design    
• PhD in Architectural History    
• PhD in Art    
• PhD in Creative Music Practice    
• PhD in Cultural Studies    
• PhD in Design    
• PhD in History of Art    
• PhD in Landscape Architecture    
• PhD in Music    
• PhD in Musical Composition   

How you will study

The PhD by Distance mode is available to all applicants for eligible ECA PhD programmes, who will apply via the Postgraduate Degree Finder. Applicants will select between on-campus and distance options, as well as between part-time and full-time options. 

Students enrolled on the PhD by Distance mode will not be expected to come to Edinburgh to study but visits for particular activities (tutorials, annual reviews, research training courses, workshops, etc) can be considered on a case-by-case basis and within UKVI visa regulations. 

• View UKVI visa regulations   

It is however expected that PhD by Distance students will come to Edinburgh for their oral (viva voce) examination, although options for online vivas may be considered on a case-by-case basis. For practice-based students, how practical work will be shared with supervisors will be explored in detail at the point of application by both subject area PGR Director and potential supervisor(s); in-person presentation of work (such as a musical performance) may occasionally be necessary. Access to studios and workshops for PhD by Distance students will be limited, as these require to be prioritised for on-campus students. 

PhD by Distance students will receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students but with supervisory sessions taking place via Teams, Zoom, or another video conferencing platform, rather than on-campus and in-person. The frequency with which students will meet with their supervisors will be provisionally agreed at the point of application and confirmed during induction. Supervisors (and examiners) will not make site visits to PhD by Distance students.  

There are no mandatory courses for ECA PhD students. A range of generic and specific research methods and skills training courses are available online from university.  

PhD by Distance students will have access to all University of Edinburgh support services and will be able to access online library resources/support and home use software through University site licenses in the same way that all students can. 

Please be aware that some scholarships and funding are not open to PhD by Distance applicants, for example AHRC regulations currently state that students must live within a reasonable distance from their University so are only eligible for applicants to on-campus PhD programmes.

How to apply and entry requirements

If you'd like to study on a postgraduate research programme at Edinburgh College of Art, you must apply through EUCLID, our online application system. You can find out how to do this on the University of Edinburgh website, where you'll also be able to: 

• see detailed entrance requirements for each programme on the Degree Finder  
• get information on what to expect after you apply  
• find out about study modes, start dates and fees  
• find out if, and how, you need to submit a portfolio, showreel or research proposal  
• find out where to go for further advice and guidance 

Application process

Before you apply  .

Students are assigned two research supervisors, the second of which may be from another discipline within ECA, or from somewhere else within the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (CAHSS) or wider University. 

Please ensure that at least one member of staff (see below) maintains an active research programme that aligns with the themes of your proposed project.  

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to make contact with the relevant member(s) of staff via email to explain your research interests prior to submitting an application. Please note that we only accept applications and review application materials submitted through the official EUCLID application portal.

After you apply 

Once your application has been submitted for consideration, it will be sent to a team of academic reviewers for their attention. They will then make a decision about your application and research topic, and decide whether it is possible to make an offer of a place to study with us. You may be asked to attend a brief online interview but if this is the case, you will be notified in advance. 

Apply through the Postgraduate Degree Finder on the University of Edinburgh website

Complete the distance learning application form (Word document download)

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Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Admissions

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Ph.D. in Art, Art History and Visual Studies

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 20
• Students: 26
• Part time study available: No
• Application Terms: Fall
• Application Deadline: December 14

Stanley Abe Director of Graduate Studies Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies Duke University Box 90766 Durham, NC 27708-0764

Phone: (919) 684-2224

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  https://aahvs.duke.edu

Program Description

The program, which is designed for a small group of students, emphasizes the study of art, architecture and visual culture within a theoretical and historical frame. The Department of Art, Art History and Visual Studies offers an interdisciplinary program of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. (No M.A. is offered. Please find more information on the Digital Art History/Computational Media M.A. tracks).

We invite applications from dedicated students interested in careers in research, criticism, teaching, and museum work. Admission is highly competitive and limited to an average of four new students per year. The Department makes every effort to offer full funding to all admitted candidates. Students are trained for teaching by serving as graders and teaching assistants.

Duke University is now in the forefront of academic institutions supporting interdisciplinary and theoretical initiatives in the humanities. Art History and Visual Studies have a unique contribution to make to these efforts and all members of the faculty are engaged in innovative teaching or research projects involving faculty from other departments and programs. All members of the graduate faculty team-teach courses or have courses cross-listed in other departments (African and African-American Studies, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Classical Studies, Economics, Literature, Germanic Languages and Literature, Religion) or programs (Documentary Studies, Women's Studies, International Comparative Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies). Students have a minor field outside the department.

The department works cooperatively with the art history program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as with the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh.

Program Statistics

• Art, Art History and Visual Studies: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
• Art, Art History and Visual Studies: PhD Completion Rate Statistics
• Art, Art History and Visual Studies: PhD Time to Degree Statistics
• Art, Art History and Visual Studies: PhD Career Outcomes Statistics

Application Information

Application Terms:  Fall

Application Deadline:  December 14

Graduate School Application Requirements See the  Application Instructions  page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required (see department guidance below)
• Résumé: Required
• GRE Scores: GRE General - Optional
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English * test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Department-Specific Application Requirements (submitted through online application)

Writing Sample A 10-page writing sample is required with your application.

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying:  Departmental Application Guidance

List of Graduate School Programs and Degrees

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PhD in History

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• Dual MA Art History and Arts Management
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• BA in History
• BA in Art History
• Minor in History
• Minor in Art History
• Minor in Ancient History and Mediterranean Archaeology
• Minor in Digital Humanities
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One of the greatest strengths of our PhD program is its high success rate in terms of career outcomes for our students.

Our innovative doctoral program combines traditional historical research and teaching methods with the advanced and in-demand skills of the digital humanities. As a result, our Ph.D. program prepares students for careers not only in university teaching, but also in digital media, publishing, educational administration, library science, archival preservation, and public history.

Core curriculum in our doctoral program includes both conventional historical methods and advanced training in the latest web-based technologies. Major fields include U.S. history, European history, and world history; minor fields are chosen by the student and may include such areas as cultural history, military history, religious history, political history, and new media and information technology

We regularly offer courses about museums and historical memory. In addition, our location in the metropolitan Washington D.C.  area gives students wonderful opportunities for internships and research at such institutions as the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the Navy and Marine Corps museums, and George Washington's Mount Vernon as well as George Mason’s Gunston Hall. 

Mason's Ph.D. in History program is especially well-known for its strength in Applied History including public and digital history. Our faculty affiliated with the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media , are renown, international, leaders in the field of digital humanities.

This success rate is directly related to our program's design to support career diversity in the profession–for example, preparing students for digital history, public history and military history careers, rather than focusing only on tenure-track teaching careers.

*To Learn more about our Alumni career outcomes, please navigate to the "Meet an Alum" tab and also visit this link . 

*To view the frequently asked questions and answers on admissions to the PHD in History program, please see our "Why Study Here" menu by clicking {here} . 

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PhD Art History

The doctoral program in the History of Art at Stanford is relatively small, affording graduate students the opportunity to work intensively with individual members of the faculty.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is taken in a particular field, including Film & Media Studies, supported by a strong background in the general history of art. Doctoral candidates also undertake collateral studies in other graduate departments, or in one of the University's interdisciplinary programs. The Department of Art & Art History offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees, although the Master of Arts in Art History is only available to doctoral students in Art and Art History, as a step toward fulfilling requirements for the Ph.D. The Department does not admit students who wish to work only toward the M.A. degree. 

Size of the Program

The Department admits approximately 4 to 7 students each year to the Ph.D. program. 

Time to Completion

The Ph.D. student's formal progress to degree is reviewed at the end of the second year (first year for those entering with an M.A.). By the end of the third year, a dissertation topic should be selected and a proposal written. After all course requirements are met and the proposal is approved, the student begins research and writing of the dissertation. The dissertation must be completed within five years from the date of the student's admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

Financial Aid

Art History Ph.D. students normally receive a financial support package covering five years of graduate study.  Funding sources include departmental fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships. Additional funding covers summer language study as well as summer research.  Students manage an individual research and travel fund provided by the department.  Advanced students are encouraged to apply for outside grants and fellowships as well as for assistantships and other professionally valuable opportunities at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center, Anderson Collection and elsewhere on campus. Information on language study grants, pre-doctoral grants, and funds for special research and travel connected with the writing of the dissertation may be obtained from the Student Services Manager. Additional information about graduate financial aid, including a student budget and tuition calculator, is available at  financialaid.stanford.edu/grad .

More Information

PhD Admission Degree Requirements Knight-Hennessy Scholars

ARTHS-PHD - Art History (PhD)

Program overview.

Doctor of Philosophy in Art History

Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the PhD. An expanded explanation of department requirements is given in the Art History Graduate Student Handbook.

Admissions Information

In addition to university requirements, the department requires a research paper of approximately 15-20 pages as part of the application, preferably in or near the student’s field of primary interest and demonstrating the student’s capacity to pursue an independent investigation of an art historical problem. All applicants must have been awarded a BA, BFA., or BS from an accredited university.

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Art Education (MA, PhD, Online)

The MA program in Art Education gives students the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be well-informed and reflective practitioners, teachers, and researchers. The program consists of a coherent pattern of courses and other educational experiences, either a research thesis or a final project, and a final oral examination.

The Online Master's Degree Program in Art Education at The Ohio State University is the first and premier online art education offering in the United States. The program has served art(s) educators teaching in a variety of settings, including public and private schools, community arts centers, museums, residential facilities, and colleges and universities.

Online Ph.D. Programs and Doctorates

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Online Ph.D. programs and doctorates can be challenging — but they're often worth the cost and effort , especially if you have a clear passion and career path in mind. With a doctorate, you can become an expert in your field and qualify for leadership roles in academia, research, professional settings, and the government sector.

Whether you're considering a doctorate in nursing , computer science, education, or business, an online program can help you maintain flexibility while achieving your goals.

Keep reading to learn about the different types of doctorates and Ph.D. programs available online. We'll cover popular subjects you can study and what jobs you can get after earning your degree.

Doctorate vs. Ph.D.: How Do They Differ?

Many people use the terms "Ph.D." and "doctorate" interchangeably, but they don't necessarily mean the same thing.

A doctorate, or doctoral degree, is the highest educational credential you can achieve. Typically, a doctorate takes 4-7 years to earn, though this length can vary depending on your field and program.

Doctorates come in many forms. Professional doctorates are geared toward specific roles and industries. For example, an aspiring business professional might earn a doctor of business administration (DBA), while a budding physician would need to enroll in a doctor of medicine (MD) program.

A doctor of philosophy, or Ph.D., is a specific type of doctorate focused primarily on academic research. Ph.D. students are expected to conduct original research and add to their field's discourse. Most Ph.D. programs also require you to write and defend a dissertation .

All Ph.D.s are doctorates, but not all doctorates are Ph.D.s.

Online Doctorate Programs That Might Interest You

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Explore Online Ph.D. Programs and Doctorates by Subject

Select the jump links below to learn more about the different subjects you can study in an online doctoral program.

Earning an online doctor of business administration (DBA), Ph.D. in business, or Ph.D. in accounting can give you the credibility and expertise needed to expand into managerial roles at companies and organizations.

In addition to qualifying you for promotions to C-suite positions like CEO and CFO, a doctorate in business allows you to teach at the college level, go into research, or even become president of a college. Most DBA and Ph.D. in business programs require 3-6 years of study.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), chief executives earned a median salary of nearly $190,000 in 2022.

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Criminal Justice & Legal

In an online Ph.D. in criminal justice program, you can choose from concentrations in areas such as forensic science , homeland security, criminal justice policy, criminology , and juvenile justice.

Typically, you'll spend 4-8 years completing degree requirements. Potential careers with a doctorate in criminal justice include criminal justice professor, forensic scientist, law enforcement leader, and policy analyst.

If you're interested in law , you can also get a juris doctor (JD). This professional degree is the minimum requirement to become a lawyer . According to the BLS, lawyers earned a median salary of $135,740 in 2022.

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Interested in education administration or other education leadership roles? Then you might want to consider getting an online doctor of education (Ed.D.) or Ph.D. in education .

These programs can prepare you to develop curricula, oversee a school or school district, conduct research on educational theory, or teach the next generation of educators at a college or university. Unlike other doctoral programs, you can complete an Ed.D. in as little as two years.

One of the highest-paying roles you can get with an Ed.D. or Ph.D. in education is postsecondary education administrator. These professionals take home a median salary of $99,940 (BLS, May 2022).

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Healthcare plays a large role in the economy, and the number of jobs in this sector continues to increase. Earning an online doctorate in healthcare can put you on the path to becoming a medical provider or securing leadership roles at hospitals, clinics, and more.

If you want to become a medical provider, such as a physical therapist , you'll likely need to complete any clinical or practicum requirements in person. In contrast, a doctorate in a subject like healthcare administration or healthcare management can qualify you for high-level positions without necessarily requiring in-person training.

Healthcare roles are some of the highest-paid jobs in the U.S., according to the BLS. For example, physical therapists and occupational therapists both earned median salaries of over $90,000 in 2022.

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Humanities & Social Sciences

The humanities and social sciences cover a wide array of subjects, including English literature, anthropology, political science, communication, public administration, and economics.

Earning a Ph.D. in one of these fields usually means you plan to work in academia or research, though some graduates find work in professional or government roles. Most online humanities and social sciences Ph.D. programs take 5-7 years to complete and require you to submit a dissertation.

College professors earned a median salary of $80,840 (BLS, May 2022). Some of the highest-paid humanities and social sciences professors are economics teachers and anthropology teachers.

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Looking to advance your nursing career? With a doctorate in nursing, you can move into advanced practice, leadership, and academic roles.

A graduate degree in nursing pays off for many students. Nurses with a doctorate often work in high-paying, in-demand advanced practice roles. With a doctor of nursing practice (DNP), you can become a nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner .

These in-demand nursing careers report a median annual salary of $125,900 (BLS, May 2022). Advanced practice nurses also benefit from high demand, with 38% projected job growth from 2022-2032.

By pursuing a Ph.D. or other doctorate in nursing, you can also qualify for roles like nursing professor and nurse researcher.

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Best online nursing ph.d. programs, psychology & counseling.

If you have a passion for mental health, an online doctorate in psychology or counseling could be right for you. Earning a Ph.D. in one of these subjects qualifies you to work with clients of various ages, identities, and backgrounds.

To become a clinical psychologist , you must have a Ph.D. in psychology or a doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) degree, in addition to getting state licensure. You can choose from many types of psychology for your degree, such as forensic, school, or clinical psychology.

Psychologists take home a median salary of $85,330 (BLS, May 2022). Jobs for psychologists are also projected to grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032, which is faster than average.

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Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Prepare for cutting-edge STEM careers with a doctorate in a science, technology, engineering, or math field.

As a doctoral student, you can advance your expertise in areas such as biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence , and materials science. You'll take advanced coursework in your specialty and conduct original dissertation research to earn your STEM degree .

With a doctorate, you can become a computer scientist , mathematician, or college professor. And STEM professors tend to earn high salaries . Engineering professors, for example, earn a median annual salary of $103,550, while earth and space professors make $97,770 (BLS, May 2022).

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Social Work

A doctorate prepares you for top careers in social work . While you need a master's degree to become a licensed social worker , a doctorate can advance your policymaking, research, and leadership abilities.

A Ph.D. in social work prepares graduates for academic and research roles, including as a college professor. Meanwhile, a doctor of social work (DSW) emphasizes clinical practice and prepares graduates for leadership roles.

With a DSW, you can lead social work organizations and mentor clinical social workers. You can also play a key role in setting policy. Social and community services managers report a median salary of $74,240 , with a faster-than-average projected job growth (BLS, May 2022).

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The cost of an online doctorate can add up, especially when you're typically spending at least three years in your doctoral program.

On average, graduate tuition and fees cost around $20,510 in 2021-2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

But tuition costs vary widely, with public schools averaging $12,600 per year in tuition and fees and private nonprofit institutions averaging $29,930. When factoring in other expenses, the total cost for a doctorate can increase to over $40,000 per year .

Several factors can affect costs, including the program length and school; however, you'll likely have many funding options in an accredited doctoral program. In fact, according to numbers shared by the Urban Institute, over 70% of doctoral students receive grant aid .

You might also qualify for scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships to cover costs. And don't forget: You can take out federal loans as a doctoral student.

What Can You Do With an Online Ph.D. or Doctorate?

Earning an online Ph.D. or doctorate signals to employers your industry expertise and commitment to developing your skills and knowledge. It can also lead to rewarding leadership roles, many of which boast above-average salaries .

Here are some popular roles you can get with an online doctorate.

Is an Online Doctoral Degree Worth It?

For many students, earning an online doctorate is worth it for several reasons.

In addition to opening the door to professional leadership opportunities, these degrees routinely provide a pathway to higher salaries. Online programs can also offer increased flexibility for students with full-time jobs, children, or other commitments.

According to the BLS, people with a bachelor's degree as their highest credential earned a median salary of around $74,000 in 2022, while those with a master's degree earned a median salary of around $86,000.

However, people with a doctoral degree earned much more, with a median annual salary of around $108,000. This means doctorate-holders earn about $22,000 more each year than those with master's degrees — and a whopping $34,000 more than those with bachelor's degrees.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Ph.D. Programs and Doctorates

• Collapse All

Can you do a Ph.D. completely online?

Yes, you can earn a Ph.D. in a fully online format. Many doctoral programs in business, education, healthcare, and STEM use an online learning format. In these programs, you'll complete coursework in a virtual learning environment while meeting any hands-on or clinical requirements in your local area.

Online doctorates from accredited programs meet the same high academic standards and licensure requirements as in-person doctoral programs.

Are online Ph.D. programs and doctorates respected?

Yes, online doctorates are respected. These degrees feature the same curricula and content as on-campus programs. However, since online degrees can't always provide the same type of instruction and interaction as on-campus programs, some fields — particularly medical ones — do not provide 100% online options.

How long do online Ph.D. programs take?

The typical online Ph.D. program takes 4-7 years to complete. Depending on your course load and schedule, the program may extend beyond that timeline. You may take longer to complete your research and dissertation, for example.

What is the easiest Ph.D. to get?

All Ph.D. and doctoral programs require dedication and stamina to make it through advanced academic courses. That said, Ed.D. programs tend to take less time than other doctorates, meaning you can put your degree to work more quickly.

The difficulty of a doctoral degree ultimately depends on your skills, interests, and career goals, as well as on the specific requirements of each program.

Which Ph.D. is most in demand?

According to BLS data, many positions in healthcare, business, and technology are projected to rank among the fastest-growing jobs in the coming decade . Professionals with advanced degrees in these areas will be needed to fill a large number of open roles.

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• · Rating 4.02 out of 5   1,059 reviews
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Rice University

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• · Rating 4.09 out of 5   1,122 reviews
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Acceptance Rate : 9% ,

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The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

• New York, NY ·
• · Rating 3.74 out of 5   100 reviews
• Acceptance rate 22%
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Acceptance Rate : 22% ,

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University of Alaska Fairbanks

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• Cambridge, MA ·
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SAT Range : 1490-1580 ,

Rhode Island School of Design

• Providence, RI ·
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University of Pennsylvania

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Tufts University

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Dartmouth College

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University of California - Los Angeles

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Duke University

• Durham, NC ·
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New York University

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Carnegie Mellon University

• Pittsburgh, PA ·
• · Rating 3.71 out of 5   1,483 reviews
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PITTSBURGH, PA ,

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Northwestern University

• Evanston, IL ·
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Net Price : $22,095 ,

Georgetown University

• Washington, DC ·
• · Rating 3.8 out of 5   1,278 reviews
• Net price $35,566
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WASHINGTON, DC ,

1278 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Amazing campus, beautiful area surrounding campus with lots of connections to history! GU boasts a strong reputation for academic rigor and excellence across various disciplines, including law,... .

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Net Price : $35,566 ,

SAT Range : 1410-1560 ,

Bowdoin College

• Brunswick, ME ·
• · Rating 4.11 out of 5   730 reviews
• Net price $22,776
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BRUNSWICK, ME ,

730 Niche users give it an average review of 4.1 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Amazing food, great dorms, and professors that changed my whole perspective on life. I got very sick of the institutional bureaucracy but that might have been true at any college I went to. Other... .

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Net Price : $22,776 ,

SAT Range : 1460-1560 ,

California Institute of the Arts

• Valencia, CA ·
• · Rating 3.87 out of 5   289 reviews
• grade  B Overall Niche Grade
• Acceptance rate 25%
• Net price $55,225

#22 Best Colleges for Art in America .

VALENCIA, CA ,

289 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Freshman says Enrollment has been great, admissions office has been super helpful. Amazing experience so far! The courses are condensed and they offer certifications! .

Read 289 reviews.

Overall Niche Grade : B ,

Acceptance Rate : 25% ,

Net Price : $55,225 ,

University of Virginia

• Charlottesville, VA ·
• · Rating 3.92 out of 5   2,419 reviews
• Acceptance rate 19%
• Net price $19,469
• SAT range 1400-1540

#23 Best Colleges for Art in America .

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ,

2419 Niche users give it an average review of 3.9 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says I entered the school wanting a medium-sized town-and-gown experience and got what I wanted. The lack of diversity or meaningful connection to a typical metropolitan population was shocking at first.... .

Read 2419 reviews.

Acceptance Rate : 19% ,

Net Price : $19,469 ,

SAT Range : 1400-1540 ,

Vanderbilt University

• Nashville, TN ·
• · Rating 4.02 out of 5   1,351 reviews
• Net price $25,606

#24 Best Colleges for Art in America .

NASHVILLE, TN ,

1351 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says My time at Vanderbilt University was truly enriching. The academic atmosphere fostered a culture of excellence and intellectual curiosity that I found invigorating. The professors were not only... What stood out to me was Vanderbilt's commitment to diversity and inclusion, creating a welcoming environment for students from all walks of life. However, one area that could be improved is the... .

Read 1351 reviews.

Net Price : $25,606 ,

Davidson College

• Davidson, NC ·
• · Rating 3.99 out of 5   347 reviews
• Net price $26,704
• SAT range 1350-1500

#25 Best Colleges for Art in America .

DAVIDSON, NC ,

347 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Junior says I’m a junior at Davidson, and I still have absolutely no regret about my decision years later. The campus is stunning and located in a beautiful, quaint town. It is not too far outside of... .

Read 347 reviews.

Net Price : $26,704 ,

SAT Range : 1350-1500 ,

Central Michigan University

• MOUNT PLEASANT, MI
• · Rating 3.74 out of 5   3,029

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

• EDINBURG, TX
• · Rating 3.83 out of 5   2,874

CUNY LaGuardia Community College

• LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
• · Rating 3.77 out of 5   1,116

Showing results 1 through 25 of 1,684

The Best Colleges for Art

If you’re thinking about pursuing an art degree, Niche can help you find the best art schools in the country and pinpoint the best options based on available majors, student life, and acceptance rate. For prospective art majors, attending the best colleges for art can make a world of difference. Niche can show you why colleges focused on art can help grow your talent and skill as an artist, no matter your medium of choice .

What Do You Learn at Art School?

Attending any of the best colleges for art will give you access to all sorts of opportunities, equipment, and expansive knowledge. Depending on what medium of art you’ll focus on, your courses and curriculum will differ. Still, you’ll learn the following when you become an art major:

• Technique:  The classes you attend will be structured depending on the art medium you are going to school for. For example, if you are attending school for photography, you’ll learn the principles of lighting, camera mechanics and settings, digital and film photography development, and more. Technique courses help improve your skills and build on your knowledge. Exploring all the different techniques will help you become a better artist, allowing you to find your specific niche.
• Theory and History:  All art majors will take courses that will dive into the history and theories of their respective mediums. For example, if you are an art major focusing on sculpting, you will learn all about the history of sculpting and even analyze the practices of great sculptors like ​​Michelangelo. These courses will study past works and see how they have evolved with different eras and periods of art.
• Practice and Application:  Art majors will be given the opportunity to practice their craft and apply what they learn to their work. Whether it’s in a thesis, project, or workshop, there will be ample opportunity for hands-on experience to improve your skills and boost creativity. This time will help you create your professional portfolio to use during your academic career and after graduation .

Is Art School Worth It?

People will tell you it is hard to have a successful art career. But success is what you make of it. If art is your passion and you want to build on your skills and learn everything you can, art school is very worth it. Colleges for art will give you opportunities and learning experiences nearly impossible to find elsewhere.

The professors and instructors that you’ll encounter as an art major aren’t simply teachers but seasoned professionals that will guide and mentor you throughout your journey. Depending on which art school you attend, you’ll be able to interact with an extensive alumni network that can give you the opportunity to grow and connect with people in the art world. You’ll be able to network and give your art the exposure to flourish after graduation.

The best art schools  also have state-of-the-art equipment that becomes easily accessible to you as an art major. There’s no limit to what you can create when you have the right tools. Whether you’re used to working in your room or crowded public spaces, art schools have dedicated spaces campus-wide for you to produce art.

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Home » Academics

Academy of Art University offers over 129 art degree programs including Certificates, Associate degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, and Master’s degrees. Designed to equip aspiring artists and designers with a comprehensive toolbox of knowledge and marketable skills that you will use in your future career. In addition, we offer non-degree art programs, like the FREE Pre-College Art & Design Experience (PCADE) for high school students, and continuing education courses for adults. Our programs are available on our campus in San Francisco and online at the Academy of Art University .

Undergraduate

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• Bachelor of Science (BS)
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch)
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Architecture (M.Arch)

Acting AA BFA MA MFA

Advertising AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Animation & Visual Effects AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Architecture B.Arch BA M. Arch M. Arch2 MA MA2

Art Education BFA CRED CRED2 MA MA2 MAT MAT2

Art History BA BFA MA

Communications & Media Technologies BA MA

Fashion AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Fine Art AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Game Development AA BFA BS MA MFA

Graphic Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Illustration AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Industrial Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Interaction & UI/UX Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Interior Architecture & Design AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Jewelry & Metal Arts AA BFA MA MFA

Landscape Architecture AA BFA MA MFA

Motion Pictures & Television AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media AA BFA MA MFA

Photography AA BFA Certificate MA MFA

Visual Development AA BFA MA MFA

Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media BFA MFA

No results match your selection.

Not sure which program is right for you.

Contact us and find out more about art degree paths at the Academy of Art University .

Liberal Arts Program

The Liberal Arts Program provides students with a holistic education covering the arts, humanities, and sciences. Courses highlight connections between the subject of study and the major fields of art and design, providing context to the larger world of art and design.

Foundations

The Foundations curriculum heightens perception and understanding of visual structure through the study of drawing, modeling of form, value structure, perspective principles, color, and design theory.

Short-Term Education

We offer options for non-degree studies. Brush up on your art and design skills, study overseas, learn social media, or get a head start on college.

Enrollment is now open!

The next semester is just around the corner.

Online Education

Our revolutionary online courses provide the same rigorous education that we offer on campus with greater flexibility. Study on your own time, at your own pace. Combine online and on-site classes.

Financial Aid

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step in a student being considered for federal and state education aid programs.

Everything that I learned at the Academy really helped put me above the competition in the field that I’m in. It is the school that is going to push you to be the best artist that you can be. Every time I shoot, there’s something that I’m using.

It’s a community. Being an alumna of Academy of Art University, you always have that community with you.

The reason I chose the Academy was games and architecture. It’s very rare to find a school that does both.

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Master’s Degrees

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Enroll in flexible, 100% online master's degree programs. Set your own schedule to balance your work and personal commitments and complete coursework at your own pace.

Quality learning from world-class universities

Unlock your potential and pave the way to a successful career by earning a master's degree from an accredited university. Learn from expert faculty passionate about helping you achieve your goals.

Start making progress toward a degree today

Discover flexible degree pathways that enable you to build new skills and gain career certificates while making progress and earning credit toward eligible degree programs.

Each university determines the number of pre-approved credits that may count towards the degree requirements according to institutional policies.

Gain admission without an application

Complete university-approved content to qualify for performance-based admission to select master's degree programs and earn credit toward your degree. No application or prior work experience is required to start these degree pathways.

Each university determines the grades required to qualify for performance-based admission. Review the admissions process for each degree program for more information.

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Getting a bachelor's degree is the first step in how to get a master’s degree. Once you’ve decided that it’s the right choice for you, check out this guide, which covers everything from getting into graduate school to earning that advanced degree.

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Is a Master's Degree Worth It?

Learn more about evaluating whether a master's degree is the right decision for your future.

Frequently asked questions

What does an online master’s degree cost.

The cost of an online master's degree will depend on the program you’re interested in attending. You’ll find a range of flexible options on Coursera, where many master’s programs offer pay-as-you-go tuition. That means you only pay for the courses you take, so if you need to take a term off, you won't be charged during that time.

There are many ways to pay for graduate school . You may be eligible for scholarships, financial aid, or employer tuition benefits to help cover the cost of your degree. To learn more about these options and tuition costs, please visit the degree page for your program of interest. If you need additional funding, you can explore the resources on our Financial Resources Hub .

How long does an online master’s program take?

Flexibility is a priority on Coursera given the competing responsibilities many learners may have as they embark on their graduate education. Some master's programs, such as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Master of Science in Management , can be completed in as little as one year. Other master’s degree programs may take two years or more to complete .

You can find more information about the program duration by visiting the degree page for the program you’re interested in.

How is an online master’s degree different from an on-campus degree?

Master’s degrees on Coursera come from accredited universities, which ensures the standard and quality of your education. The education you receive in an online degree program may match that of an in-person degree program. The difference is in how you learn—aka the learning modality.

Coursera’s degree partners may offer an array of modalities, including live video lectures that encourage collaborative discussion and asynchronous courses that allow for independent exploration. Throughout your learning journey, you'll have access to a dedicated support team, course facilitators, and a network of peers to help you achieve your academic goals.

Do you need a bachelor’s degree to get a master’s degree? And does it have to be in the same field?

Yes, typically a bachelor’s degree is required to pursue a master’s degree , though it doesn’t have to be the same subject or field.

However, some master’s programs on Coursera do not require a bachelor’s degree for admission. These include the University of Colorado Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering , Master of Engineering in Engineering Management , and Master of Science in Data Science , which offer performance-based admission.

How do I choose the best online master’s program for me?

There are a range of different reasons to pursue a master’s degree. A master’s degree can be an opportunity to advance your knowledge of a subject or gain the necessary knowledge and skills to pivot to a new career.

It may be helpful to think about your interests, career goals, and resources while exploring potential master’s degree programs. Take time to review the curriculum you’ll study, the way you’ll learn (the modality), the program’s cost, and how flexible it is. These factors can help you determine which online master’s program is best for you.

How do I apply for an online master’s degree?

Each master’s program on Coursera sets different application requirements and may expect materials like a bachelor’s degree , GRE scores, a graduate school resume , or a letter of intent . It’s a good idea to visit the degree page for the program you’re interested in to get more information. Click “Apply Now” if you’re ready to begin the process.

On Coursera, certain institutions do not require an application, like the University of Colorado Boulder's Master's of Science in Data Science . You can qualify for performance-based admission by passing three courses in either its Statistics or Computer Science pathway.

How do employers view graduate degrees earned online?

A master’s degree can be a valuable education unto itself—and a respected credential to feature on your resume. An online degree only describes how you earned your master’s degree, and often that qualifier is not part of the official degree you receive upon graduation.

Earning your master’s degree and including that detail on your resume tells employers about the advanced knowledge and skills you’ve developed. It can also be a signal about your dedication to building on your education.

Is earning a master’s degree online worth it?

Yes, a master’s degree can be worth it—depending on your goals. A master’s degree can lead to higher salaries, more senior-level opportunities, advanced knowledge and skill sets, and exciting networking opportunities, among other benefits. Learn more about whether going back to school is the best option for you and whether a master’s degree is worth it .

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Best Online Art Schools for Creative Thinkers

Take our quiz and we'll do the homework for you! Compare your school matches and apply to your top choice today.

Want to hone your creative skills? Interested in art and design careers? Then online art school might be the right path for you. Many art and design jobs require a bachelor’s degree — and online art schools offer a flexible path to an art degree.

What can you do with an online art degree? How do you get into art school? And is online art school worth it? Our resources, including a ranking of the best online art schools, can help you learn more and make an informed decision.

What Is an Online Art Degree Exactly?

Online art schools emphasize visual design, digital media, and creative studies. Students who enroll in art programs online complete graduation requirements in a virtual classroom. You’ll collaborate on projects, critique work, and build a portfolio in online classes.

You can earn an online art degree in many fields, including animation, fine arts, music, and photography.

Many online art schools also offer design majors like graphic design, web design, fashion design, game design, and interior design. Alternatively, you can study art education or art history.

In the performing arts, you can complete some coursework online while also taking in-person classes.

Common Types of Online Art Degrees

Explore our featured art programs today, did you know, top 10 online art schools to check out, university of florida.

• Campus + Online
• In-State $4,477
• Out-of-state $25,694
• Retention Rate 97%
• Acceptance Rate 31%
• Students Enrolled 53,372
• Institution Type Public
• Percent Online Enrollment 92%
• Accreditation Yes

Liberty University

• In-State $14,791
• Out-of-state $14,791
• Retention Rate 81%
• Acceptance Rate 50%
• Students Enrolled 93,349
• Institution Type Private
• Percent Online Enrollment 93%

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

• In-State $10,710
• Out-of-state $10,820
• Retention Rate 0%
• Acceptance Rate 73%
• Students Enrolled 53,993
• Percent Online Enrollment 0%

Eastern Illinois University

• In-State $9,036
• Out-of-state $11,231
• Retention Rate 74%
• Acceptance Rate 56%
• Students Enrolled 8,626
• Percent Online Enrollment 63%

University of Denver

• In-State $52,596
• Out-of-state $52,596
• Retention Rate 84%
• Acceptance Rate 61%
• Students Enrolled 13,856
• Percent Online Enrollment 89%

University of Northern Iowa

• In-State $7,665
• Out-of-state $19,949
• Retention Rate 86%
• Acceptance Rate 79%
• Students Enrolled 9,507
• Percent Online Enrollment 83%

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

• In-State $5,180
• Out-of-state $15,968
• Retention Rate 76%
• Acceptance Rate 95%
• Students Enrolled 11,447
• Percent Online Enrollment 91%

Winthrop University

• In-State $15,306
• Out-of-state $29,636
• Retention Rate 70%
• Acceptance Rate 64%
• Students Enrolled 5,576

Radford University

• In-State $7,922
• Out-of-state $19,557
• Retention Rate 75%
• Students Enrolled 10,695
• Percent Online Enrollment 87%

SUNY Empire State College

• In-State $7,070
• Out-of-state $16,980
• Retention Rate 65%
• Acceptance Rate 0%
• Students Enrolled 10,724
• Percent Online Enrollment 78%

Does Accreditation Matter for Online Art School?

When you’re earning a degree, accreditation matters. Accreditation indicates that a school or program meets certain standards of educational quality.

What’s more, only accredited colleges can distribute federal financial aid. And many employers only hire graduates from accredited institutions.

Some art programs will be programmatically accredited. Here are some of the major art and design accreditors to look for:

What Are the Requirements for Online Art School?

While admission requirements can vary, most online art schools require you to submit:

• An online application
• A portfolio
• Transcripts
• Test scores
• Letters of recommendation
• A personal statement

Online art schools often require a final project such as a portfolio, thesis, performance, or exhibition in order to graduate.

Due to the field’s hands-on nature, many online art programs incorporate some on-campus components, such as summer studio intensives.

What Can I Do With an Online Art Degree?

Artists play a critical role in many industries .

Designers, illustrators, and graphic designers often work in advertising, manufacturing, publishing, and entertainment. Art education majors may work as teachers in art departments.

Art history students, meanwhile, may be interested in becoming museum curators.

Although many art positions don’t require a degree, a college education can help you stand out from other candidates when applying for jobs.

Source: BLS

Q&A With a Real Artist and Art School Graduate

Q: why did you decide to go to art school.

“I’ve been a 2D artist since I was a child, but as I got into high school, I saw on the internet how I didn’t quite compare to the best out there. I was introduced to 3D modeling and animation by my sister. I tried a Maya class in my community college, loved it, and got my associate of arts in art and new media. I eventually searched for ways to get my bachelor’s [in 3D modeling].”

Q: How did you choose your art program?

“I considered a few schools. I ended up choosing Gnomon [School of Visual Effects] because the student reels looked like professional work.”

Q: What surprised you the most about earning an art degree?

“I was surprised at how much a school’s name can get you in the door. … The job department was excellent and would follow up with studios after I applied to make sure I got that extra edge. I also had interviewers tell me that since I went to Gnomon, they knew I was capable and would be able to perform their work.”

Q: How did art school help you reach your personal or professional goals?

“The biggest way art school helped me was to give me access to industry professionals. Getting critique from them really helped me bring my work to another standard. They taught me techniques and skills that I would never have been able to learn otherwise. They also helped me look at my own work with a critical eye, which helps me in my personal work.”

Is Online Art School Worth It?

Whether online art school is worth it depends on your interests, circumstances, and goals. For some, an art degree can open doors. Others, however, might benefit from a different major or delivery format.

Carefully consider the pros and cons of online art schools before you apply.

Online Art School May Be Worth It If …

Online art school may not be worth it if …, frequently asked questions about online art school, can you learn art online.

Yes, you can learn art online. Many art programs offer online options in areas like animation, design, and drama. For example, you can earn a game design or interior design degree online. You can also study web design, art history, music, and art education online.

Some fields require in-person study. If you’re a performance-based major, you might consider a hybrid program that blends in-person and online coursework.

Are art jobs in demand?

Many creative careers are projected to grow over the next decade. For instance, jobs for fine artists are projected to grow by 6% from 2021-2031 according to the BLS, while jobs for special effects artists and animators are projected to grow by 5%.

Jobs for fashion designers and graphic designers are also projected to grow in the next decade.

Currently, the fastest-growing creative field is digital design , which includes web developers. According to the BLS, this field is projected to grow at a 23% rate, with around 21,800 job openings each year between 2021 and 2031.

What type of artist gets paid the most?

The highest-paid art career is art director , according to the BLS. These creative professionals typically work in advertising, publishing, or public relations. Art directors create a visual style for product layouts, packaging, media productions, and magazines.

In May 2023, art directors reported a median annual salary of $106,500.

Other high-paying art and design careers include animation, fashion design, and industrial design. These careers all reported median salaries of over $75,000 per year in May 2023.

What is the best degree for art?

Many art and design jobs require a bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions. A bachelor’s can lead to opportunities as a graphic designer, animator, fashion designer, or interior designer.

Roles like digital designer also typically require a bachelor’s degree.

If you’re considering an online degree in art, research the program’s graduation and job placement rates. You should also ask about internships and experiential learning opportunities. Finally, look for programs that offer career advising and support.

What is the cheapest art school?

The cheapest art schools are public and private schools that offer low tuition rates and/or plenty of financial aid support. For example, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in art or design at a public university for around $9,000 per year .

While private art schools usually charge higher tuition rates, many offer scholarships and discounts for fully online students.

When researching the best online art schools, check tuition rates. Reach out to schools and ask about financial aid opportunities. And don’t forget to calculate the total cost of the degree to determine your potential return on investment.

Best Accredited Online Ph.D. Programs 2024

Online Ph.D. programs provide students with flexible schedules and affordable tuition. Check out the top-ranked programs in this comprehensive guide.

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Shape your future with an online degree.

Connect with a community of peers, and find a program that will allow you to continue your education in a fast and flexible way.