Programs by Campus

Bloomington

Fine Arts
College of Arts and Sciences

Studio Art Departmental E-mails:

Studio Art: faoffice [at] indiana [dot] edu

Art History: fflinn [at] indiana [dot] edu or www.indiana.edu/~arthist - click on "contact us" button

Fine Arts Departmental URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~finaweb/

(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.)

Curriculum

Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

Degrees Offered

Master of Arts (History of Art), Dual Master of Arts (History of Art) and Master of Library Science, 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. Students with majors in other disciplines with a demonstrable background in art history are also welcome to apply. GPA of 3.5 expected. Appropriate level of achieve­ment on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (160). Statement of Purpose, C.V., writing sample, three letters of recommendation.

Grades

Students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5.  Only those art history courses completed with a grade of B or higher will count towards the degree.  A student with a G.P.A. of less than 3.5 may be placed on probation.  


Course Requirements

A minimum of 36 credit hours. No fewer than four seminars (600-level) in three areas, two lecture courses (500-level) in two areas.  FINA-A500: Historiography of the History of Art and FINA-A510: Theory and Methods of the History of Art.  FINA-A595: M.A. research.

Foreign Language Requirement

Reading proficiency in one language.  Usually German or French is selected; however, students may choose another language with the approval of the faculty. Proficiency must be demonstrated by the end of the second semester of study.

Essay

Required. Students must apply to work with an individual faculty member on the essay no later than the end of the first semester of their second year.  

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 Department of Information and Library Science and meet the admissions requirements established by each.

Requirements

A minimum of 32 credit hours in the History of Art, including FINA-A500 Historiography or FINA-A510 Critical Theories and Methods in Art History, and no fewer than three seminars in two areas and four lecture courses at the 500 level in no fewer than three areas, at least two of which must be in Western art.  Thir­ty (30) credit hours are required in the Department of Information and Library Science, including 18 credut hours of M.L.S. Foundation courses, 9 credit hours of Z521, Z605, and 3 credit hours of Information and Library Science (ILS) electives selected with the ILS advisor.

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.

The aeas of study in studio work are drawing, painting, graphic design, digital imagery, jewelry design and silver-smithing, hand papermaking, sculpture, computer art, printmaking, ceramics, woven and constructive textile design, photography, and printed and dyed textile design.

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 (Western and Medieval Mediterranean, Renaissance and Baroque, Modern (Nineteenth-Twentieth Century) American, Contemporary, 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 (Western and Medieval Mediterranean), Renaissance and Baroque, Modern (Nineteenth-Twentieth Century) American, Contemporary, Islamic, Asian, and African/Oceanic/Pre-Columbian, American, European, General.

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). Additional foreign languages 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 defense 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.

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

Click here for the PDF version.