Graduate Programs
MA in Art History
The MA in Art History at San Diego State University provides advanced study of histories and theories of art and visual culture across global traditions and periods. Situated on the US-Mexico border and the Pacific Rim, the program reflects the School of Art and Design’s commitment to transnational and cross-cultural inquiry, with faculty specialists in the art of the Americas, Asia and the Asian diaspora, the African diaspora, and Europe. As part of an interdisciplinary School, students will engage not only the histories of art, but also of architecture, craft, design, and new media, alongside thematic strengths in contemporary art, performance, feminist practices, and technology.
The minimum 30-unit curriculum integrates graduate seminars, lectures, and professional training in research, teaching, and curatorial practice, culminating in a substantial written thesis focused on a specialized area of research that is designed to prepare students for doctoral programs or careers in museums, galleries, education, and other cultural institutions. As a Hispanic-Serving and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, SDSU advances diversity and access through affordable public graduate education, sustained mentorship, and graduate assistantships that provide financial support and pedagogical experience. Embedded in a dynamic regional arts community, the program offers opportunities for collaboration and professional development while cultivating rigorous scholarship grounded in critical, global perspectives.
The MA in Art History at SDSU is currently the only standalone MA degree in art history offered in San Diego County. MA students work closely with faculty mentors, developing independent research projects and receiving individualized guidance throughout the program.
MA in Art
The School of Art and Design offers graduate study leading to the Master of Fine Arts degree in Art. The objective of this program is to provide the essential theoretical education, technical training, and creative experience necessary for professional activity and college-level teaching in the visual arts. Students in the degree program are supported by dedicated and engaged faculty members with a broad range of research interests, explored through art history, ceramics, exhibition design and curatorial practice, furniture design and woodworking, graphic design, interactive design, interior architecture, jewelry and metalwork, multimedia, painting and printmaking, photography, sculpture, and socially-engaged art and design practice.
The Master of Fine Arts degree is a 60-unit program. The program includes professional seminars and interdisciplinary critiques that provide an opportunity for more in-depth study leading to an exhibition of an original body of creative work defended during an oral examination and accompanied by a written report. Candidates in the MFA program are expected to achieve a high level of excellence and distinction in their creative practice.
The School of Art and Design has expansive facilities offering students studio space and state-of-the-art equipment. In addition, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego Museum of Art, Stuart Collection, and the Timken Museum of Art offer a range of contemporary and global historic art, as well as specialized libraries for art and design research. All venues are convenient to public or personal transportation. Numerous community college and commercial galleries also provide a wide variety of exhibition offerings.
