Accelerated Master of Arts in Art History (European and American/Global Modern and Contemporary)
Only current KU undergraduate students with a major GPA of at least 3.50 and cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 are eligible to apply to the Accelerated M.A. program. If you are not a current undergraduate student at KU, please review the M.A. and Ph.D. program catalog pages.
The Accelerated M.A. program enables qualified KU students to earn B.A./B.G.S. and M.A. degrees in art history in 5 years. 12 hours of 500-level-or-above coursework in the major completed in Year 4 of study count towards both the B.A./B.G.S. and M.A. degrees. The M.A. degree is completed in Year 5 with 18 additional hours of coursework.
The M.A. provides students with a broad and deep knowledge of the visual arts, as well as study of the basic concepts, theories, and methods of the discipline. The M.A. may be pursued as a terminal degree or as preparation for subsequent doctoral studies.
Only current KU undergraduate students with a major GPA of at least 3.50 and cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 are eligible to apply to the Accelerated M.A. program. If you are not a current undergraduate student at KU, please review the admission requirements for History of Art’s M.A., M.A./Ph.D., and Ph.D. programs.
Application Deadline
Careful course selection (e.g. prioritizing 500-level courses taught by faculty members in Art History by the second semester of the sophomore year) and steady progression through the undergraduate career is necessary to ensure all requirements for both the B.A./B.G.S. and M.A. degrees may be completed within 5 years. All prospective students should discuss their interest in applying to the Accelerated M.A. program with both the Undergraduate Advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies no later than the first semester of the student’s Junior year.
Prospective students must apply to the Accelerated M.A. program by May 15th of their Junior year. The following program requirements must be met by this time:
- Major GPA of at least 3.50 and cumulative GPA of at least 3.00
- On track to complete the fourth semester of a language by the spring semester of the Senior year
- On track to complete all requirements for a B.A. or B.G.S. degree in History of Art from KU by the spring semester of the Senior year
Required Application Materials
- Three letters of recommendation (preferably from professors in the major). You will be asked to enter the names and e-mail addresses for your recommenders while completing the online application.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae
- A statement of personal and educational interests and career objectives. Address how the graduate program/faculty in Art History at KU would help you to achieve your goals. Please do not exceed 750 words.
- A writing sample, preferably from an art history course, of between 5-10 pages of text (not including the bibliography, endnotes, or images following endnotes) that you feel best represents your research, writing, and critical thinking skills.
Upon review of the Application for Admission, the History of Art Department will notify the student of their eligibility to begin graduate-level coursework. Final admission to the graduate program for Year 5 will be contingent upon the following:
- Successful completion of all requirements for the bachelor’s degree
- Grades of B+ or above in all Art History graduate-level coursework taken during the student’s Senior year. Accelerated M.A. students are graded at the graduate level in their double-counting classes in Year 4.
The course requirements for this accelerated program are fulfilled by a combination of graduate-level courses taken for both undergraduate and graduate credit in Year 4, and graduate credit courses taken in Year 5. Numerous graduate-level courses are regularly offered that fulfill distribution requirements for both the B.A./B.G.S. and M.A. degrees.
The student must be approved to begin coursework toward the Accelerated M.A. prior to enrolling in any 500 level or above courses that are to count for both undergraduate and graduate credit.
Requirements for the B.A. or B.G.S. Major
Please review the requirements outlined in the B.A. or B.G.S. Major section of the Academic Catalog. Twelve hours of graduate-level coursework taken in Year 4 of the undergraduate degree will double count toward the M.A. These courses, selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, fulfill 12 hours of the M.A. Plan of Study requirements outlined below.
Requirements for the M.A.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| HA 719 | Art Histories: Theory and Methodology | 3 |
| M.A. Plan of Study | ||
| Undergraduate Course Work Counting Towards M.A. (Year 4) | 12 | |
| Graduate Course Work Counting Towards M.A. (Year 5) | 15 | |
| The student develops a unique plan of study in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies according to the established distribution requirements. The full 30 hours must include at least 4 graduate courses (12 credit hours) at the 500 level or above, at least 4 graduate seminars (12 credit hours) at the 700 level or above, and at least 2 graduate seminars (6 credit hours) at the 800 level or above. HA 719 counts toward the seminar requirement. | ||
| The student must take at least 1 art history course numbered 500 or above in 3 of the following 4 areas. A course cannot fulfill multiple distribution requirements. | ||
| 1. 400-1400: Europe | ||
| Special Study: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Early Medieval and Romanesque Art | ||
| Gothic Art | ||
| Medieval Manuscripts and Early Printed Books | ||
| Special Study in Medieval Art: _____ | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Franklin Murphy Seminar in Art History: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in Medieval Art: _____ | ||
| 2. 1300-1700: Europe and/or Americas | ||
| Special Study: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| The Spatial Arts of Urban Italy | ||
| Art of the Early Modern Hispanic World | ||
| Renaissance Architecture in Italy | ||
| Art in the Age of Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer: Northern Baroque | ||
| Special Study in Baroque Art: _____ | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Franklin Murphy Seminar in Art History: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in 17th Century European Art: ______ | ||
| 3. 1700-1900: Europe and/or Americas | ||
| Special Study: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Rococo to Realism: Painting in Europe c. 1750-1848 | ||
| Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: 1848-1900 | ||
| Art of the United States | ||
| Art and the Sea | ||
| History of Photography | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Franklin Murphy Seminar in Art History: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in 19th Century European Art: _____ | ||
| Seminar in American Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| 4. Post-1900: Global Modern and Contemporary | ||
| Special Study: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| African American Art History | ||
| Special Study in 20th/21st-Century Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Manga: Histories and Theories | ||
| European Art, 1900-1945 | ||
| Contemporary Art | ||
| History of Photography Dependent on the topic of the research paper | ||
| Modern and Contemporary Visual Arts of Japan | ||
| Special Study in Asian Art: ______ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Proseminar in Korean Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Proseminar in Japanese Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Franklin Murphy Seminar in Art History: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Directed Readings Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in American Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in Japanese Art: _____ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Seminar in Korean Art: ______ Dependent on the topic of the course | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Progression Requirements
Given the accelerated nature of this program, each student’s progress will be closely monitored at various points during the program:
1. The student applies to the Accelerated M.A. program by May 15 of Year 3. In anticipation of being approved to begin graduate coursework, the student meets with the DGS during the second semester of Year 3 to discuss their potential program of study for Year 4.
2. At the end of the final semester of undergraduate study (Year 4), the department will review the student’s performance in graduate-level HA courses taken in Year 4. The student, who has been graded at the graduate level, must earn a grade of B+ or better in each of these courses to be eligible for regular admission to the M.A. degree in Year 5. In anticipation of being admitted, the student meets with the DGS during the second semester of Year 4 to discuss their potential program of study for Year 5. The student will not be permitted to enroll in additional courses for graduate credit toward the M.A. degree until the B.A./B.G.S. degree has been conferred.
3. For those students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 in the first semester of Year 5, the department may, at its discretion, devise a plan of study to address the student’s deficiencies, or may dismiss the student from the M.A. program.
4. The student must pass the M.A. Exam in January or May of Year 5 to graduate with the Accelerated M.A. within the 5-year period.
Students should complete all requirements for the Accelerated M.A. within one year of receiving the B.A./B.G.S. degree. If unforeseen circumstances prevent the timely completion of the M.A. degree, the student must consult with the Director of Graduate Studies to develop an alternative plan for completion.
Foreign Language Requirement
Proficiency in a foreign language is required for the M.A. degree. Students in the Accelerated M.A. program should complete at least the fourth semester of a relevant foreign language (normally a modern European language) with a grade of B or better by the end of Year 4 or be prepared to demonstrate proficiency by passing the department's language proficiency exam at the beginning of Year 5. Should the student not pass the proficiency exam, they will be expected either to enroll in the appropriate level of language study or establish a plan for passing the language exam at the start of the second semester of Year 5.
Written M.A. Examination
A general written examination in European and American/Global Modern and Contemporary art must be passed to earn the M.A. degree.
The student will write answers to two essay questions and is expected to incorporate discussion of the relevant art-historical scholarship and/or debates. The successful essay will respond thoughtfully to the question and present examples that display the student's breadth and depth of art-historical knowledge.
The M.A. exam is graded independently by three faculty readers without knowledge of the student's identity. Each essay will be graded for its accuracy, clarity, ingenuity, and cogency. The student must pass both essays to pass the exam.
Handbook for Graduate Students
A detailed presentation of departmental degree requirements and regulations is included in the department’s Graduate Student Handbook.
Graduate Policy
Students are encouraged to review Graduate Studies' policies that apply to M.A. degree programs for information about other requirements that may apply.
| Year 4 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HA 500+ Breadth Course (MA Requirement)2 | 3 | HA 500+ Course | 3 |
| HA 500+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement/MA Requirement)2 | 3 | HA 500+ Breadth Course (Major Requirement/MA Requriement)2 | 3 |
| 6 | 6 | ||
| Year 5 | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| HA 719 | 3 | HA 500+ Course | 3 |
| 700+ Graduate Course | 3 | 800+ Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| 700+ Graduate Course | 3 | 800+ Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | ||
| Total Hours 30 | |||
At the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- demonstrate mastery of course material.
- read, critically analyze, and use archival/primary, contextual, and scholarly literature.
- complete quality primary/archival and secondary research.
- speak clearly, coherently, articulately, and persuasively.
- construct in writing a clear, coherent, and persuasive scholarly argument.
- use art historical methodologies and/or relevant critical theories.
- demonstrate mastery of relevant knowledge in the field of art history (M.A. exam).