Art History
View MFA in Art
MA in Art with a concentration in Art History
The School of Art and Design offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree in Art with a concentration in Art History. The program provides advanced academic training that prepares students to continue their studies at the doctoral level or to pursue careers related to the history of art and design. Graduates of the program may become art professionals working in the gallery and museum field (including curation, exhibition design, and museum education), or they may engage in art writing and publishing.
Students in the Master of Arts degree program are supported by dedicated and engaged faculty members with expertise in a range of global research, writing, and curatorial interests. The faculty offers a 30-unit curriculum that includes lecture courses, professional seminars, and additional educational opportunities. The program culminates in rigorous, analytical research that informs an original, professional-level written thesis that exemplifies the student’s achievement of excellent communication skills and thoughtful consideration of their chosen subject matter.
The School of Art and Design plays a vital role within the San Diego visual art community. Neighboring institutions include the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Art, the Stuart Collection, and the Timken Museum of Art, which together offer a range of contemporary and global historic art, as well as specialized libraries for art and design history research. Numerous community colleges and commercial galleries also provide a wide variety of exhibition offerings. All venues are convenient to public or personal transportation.
Art, Art History Concentration, M.A.
(Major Code: 10031) (SIMS Code: 660517)
In addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the university, students wishing to be admitted to the art history graduate program with a classified graduate standing must complete the equivalent of the graduation requirements as specified in the current General Catalog (a minimum of 39 units of art history to include ART 593).
Students who do not meet the requirements for admission to the graduate program in art history but meet the requirements for graduate admission to the university, may, at the discretion of the art history faculty, be accepted with conditional standing.
Classified graduates should contact the graduate adviser to discuss their individual graduate programs before the third week of their first semester.
Before advancement to candidacy, classified graduate students working for the Master of Arts degree with a concentration in art history must pass a qualifying examination in art history. Classified graduate students must have completed three semesters of college level French or German or, on the advice of the art history faculty, the language necessary for thesis research. Alternately, with the consent of the art history faculty, students may demonstrate a reading knowledge of the appropriate language by passing the Graduate School Foreign Language Examination (the French MLA examination is given by the Testing Services Office during the beginning of each semester; contact the School of Art and Design for permission to take the examination). The language requirement must be met before the add/drop date of the student’s first semester as a classified graduate student, or the student must enroll for appropriate language courses.
In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the master’s degree as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees, students must complete a graduate program of a minimum of 30 units which includes at least 24 units in art from courses listed below as acceptable for master’s degree programs in art, of which at least 16 units must be in 600- and 700-numbered courses.
A written thesis is required as fulfillment of ART 799A. Master’s candidates in art history will also be required to give an open lecture on their thesis subject, to be scheduled with the approval of the thesis chair.
Those electing art history must complete at least 15 units from the 600- and 700-numbered courses to include
ART 799A - Thesis or Project Units: 3 selected in consultation with the art history adviser.
Students May Select Up to 15 Units
Students may select up to 15 units of 500-level courses in art, 12 units of which must be in art history and approved by the graduate adviser. The additional three units must be selected in consultation with the graduate adviser, to include
ART 578 - Seminar in History of Museums and Exhibitions Units: 3
ART 593 - History and Methodology of Art History Units: 3 if these courses are not already completed.
Thesis and Projects in Art
The project required for the Master of Arts degree with a concentration in studio arts and the Master of Fine Arts degree is an original body of creative artwork accompanied by a written report. Written reports accepted in satisfaction of a requirement for the master’s degree are cataloged and maintained in the SDSU library. A softbound copy of the report accompanying a master’s thesis exhibition must be provided by the candidate and will be retained in the School of Art and Design graduate advising office.
