Programs by Campus
Bloomington
Fine Arts
College of Arts and Sciences
Studio Art Departmental E-mail: faoffice [at] indiana [dot] edu
Art History Contact Information: www.indiana.edu/%7earthist/contact.shtml
Fine Arts Departmental URL: http://www.indiana.edu/%7efinaweb
(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin. Requirements may or may not be reflected identically in departmental URLs.)
Curriculum
Degrees Offered
Master of Arts (History of Art), Master of Arts for Teachers, Master of Fine Arts (Studio), and Doctor of Philosophy (History of Art)
Special School Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
Master’s Degrees
Master of Arts Degree (History of Art)
Admission Requirements
Bachelor’s degree with a major in the history of art or its equivalent. GPA of 3.0 expected. Appropriate level of achievement on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Three letters of recommendation. Writing sample.
Grades
A minimum grade point average of 3.5 must be maintained. Only those art history courses in which a B or higher has been earned will count towards the degree. A student who has a GPA of less than 3.5 may be placed on probation.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 32 credit hours. No fewer than three seminars in two areas; four lecture courses at the 400 and 500 levels in no fewer than three areas, at least two of which must be in Western art; one of either A500, Historiography, or A510, Critical Theories and Methods in Art History, ca.1900-Present.
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in one language; usually German or French is selected. Proficiency must be demonstrated by the beginning of the third semester of study.
Essay
Required.
Master of Arts for Teachers Degree
Contact the department to receive approval to apply for the M.A.T.
Admission Requirements
Bachelor’s degree with an undergraduate major GPA of 3.0; at least 24 credit hours in undergraduate fine arts courses; portfolio of work showing reasonable skill and creative ability. Students without certification must fulfill certification requirements as well as requirements for the M.A.T.
Course Requirements
A total of 36 graduate-level credit hours of which 20 credit hours must be in studio courses approved by student’s advisor, and 6-9 credit hours in art history (in at least two areas). 7-11 credit hours may be taken outside of the department and may consist of up to 6 credit hours of undergraduate studio courses not listed in the Graduate Bulletin, with department and dean approval. Only those courses listed in this University Graduate School Bulletin have been approved for graduate credit.
Final Examination
Oral: review of studio work by the student’s committee.
Residence
Many students attempt to complete this degree in summer sessions only. The department strongly recommends that at least one semester should be completed on the Bloomington campus during the regular academic year.
Dual Master of Arts and Master of Library Science Degrees
This program permits the student to coordinate a Master of Arts degree in fine arts (history of art major) with a Master of Library Science degree. The dual program requires the completion of 60 credit hours as opposed to the 70 credit hours that would have to be taken if the degrees were pursued independently.
Admission Requirements
Students must apply for admission to both the School of Fine Arts and the School of Library and Information Science and meet the admissions requirements established by each.
Requirements
Thirty (30) credit hours in the School of Fine Arts, including A575, and no fewer than two seminars in two areas and four lecture courses at the 400 and 500 levels in no fewer than three areas, at least two of which must be in Western art. Thirty (30) credit hours are required in the School of Library and Information Science, including L503, L505, L507, L520, L524, L528, L596, L623, and L630, and at least one elective chosen from L526, L570, and L583.
Master of Fine Arts Degree (Studio)
Admission Requirements
A bachelor’s degree with a fine arts major in studio courses or a B.A. in another field with substantial coursework in studio art. A portfolio of work (color slides or a CD of images – refer to area requirements) showing a high degree of skill and creativity. Fall admission only.
Grades
A grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be maintained.
Course Requirements
A total of 60 credit hours at the graduate level, with emphasis in one chosen area of studio work. Only those courses listed in this bulletin have been approved for graduate credit. The distribution of course work, including art history courses where appropriate, to be determined in consultation with the student’s major advisor.
Thesis
An exhibition of a group of works of art in the chosen studio area preceded by an oral qualifying examination, which will be given at least one semester before the exhibition. The qualifying examinations are designed to test the ability of students to speak articulately about the ideas and directions of their work, their ability to express themselves clearly in analyzing other works of art, and their general knowledge of the history of art.
Periodic Review
Student’s eligibility to continue in the M.F.A. program will be subject to a periodic review of their progress.
Residence
This degree requires a minimum residency of two to three academic years to be determined in consultation with the advising faculty. Summer residency will not be counted in the fulfillment of this requirement.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours including a core of four lecture courses and three seminars (28 credit hours) in the major field, 16 credit hours in an inside minor, 12 credit hours in a second minor. An additional 18 credit hours of art history courses and seminars, or in some cases courses from other departments, will be chosen in consultation with the student’s major field advisor. Up to 16 credits may be taken as dissertation credit hours. The major fields are Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, Modern, Islamic, Asian, and African/Oceanic/Pre-Columbian Art. A minimum of three seminars in the major field is required. The 16 credit hours for the inside minor must include a minimum of two seminars (600 level); reading courses and studio courses do not satisfy the inside minor requirement. The second minor may be taken in another department, which defines its own requirements (usually 9-12 credit hours), or in the history of art (12 credit hours).
Areas
Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, Modern, Islamic, Asian, African/Oceanic/Pre-Columbian
Grades
A minimum grade point average of 3.5 is required in the major field and the departmental minor(s). Only those art history courses in which a B or higher has been earned will count towards the degree. A student who has a GPA of less than 3.5 may be placed on probation.
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in two languages (usually French and German). An additional foreign language may be required by the major field advisor.
Qualifying Examination
Three written examinations in the major field; oral examination at discretion of department.
Final Examination
Oral, covering the dissertation.
Ph.D. Minor in Art History
A Ph.D. minor in art history is available to students outside the School of Fine Arts. Normally, it consists of a minimum of two graduate-level courses and one seminar in a single area (12 credit hours) or four graduate-level courses (16 credit hours). All programs must be determined in consultation with the art history graduate advisor. A grade point average of 3.5 is required.