University of Arizona Logo
  • Programs
  • Apply
  • Give
  • College of Fine Arts Home
  • Prospective Students
    • Why UofA School of Art
    • Tour the School!
    • Areas of Study
    • Degrees
    • Admissions
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
    • Careers in Art
  • Current Students
    • Advising
    • Student Resources
    • Opportunities
  • People
    • Directory
    • Advisory Board
    • Faculty Portfolio
    • Faculty Catalogs
    • Student Portfolio
    • MFA Catalogs
    • Faculty Stories
    • Student Stories
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
  • Resources & Facilities
    • Facilities Overview
    • Galleries
    • Visiting Lecture Series
    • Visual Resource Center
    • Digital Print Studio
    • Book Art & Letterpress Lab
    • Studios & Classrooms
    • Graduate Studios
  • Visit
    • About The School
    • Tour the School!
    • Outreach Activities
    • Art Days
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
    • Support the School of Art
    • Projects
  • Facebook
  • Join Our E-Club
  • College of Fine Arts Home
Home › Prospective Students › Degrees › M.A. – Art History

M.A. – Art History

The Master of Arts in Art History provides a broad based and methodologically critical foundation essential to pursuing a career in Art History, whether in a university or museum setting. The Art History faculty offers an extensive range of specialties, theoretical approaches, and methodologies. Students are encouraged to develop diverse critical methods and originality of thought as well as a thorough knowledge of the history of art. Graduate students may take advantage of course offerings in related departments such as Architectural History, History, Classics, Anthropology, Media Arts, Women’s Studies, Religious Studies, and English, among others. In addition, they may participate in the activities of the African-American Studies Program, the American Indian Studies Program, the Southwest Institute for Research on Women, the Latin American Area Center, the University of Arizona Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation Committee, and the Group for Early Modern Studies Graduate Certificate Program.

THE MASTERS OF ARTS IN ART HISTORY CONSISTS OF TWO OPTIONS:

Option A

The thesis track is typically taken by those who are interested in continuing for a PhD or pursuing an advanced teaching career in Art History through stressing scholarly research skills.

Option B

The non-thesis with comprehensive oral examination track emphasizes breadth of knowledge and practical training for teaching at the community college level, and is typically for students interested in working in art museum education, galleries and other commercial visual arts enterprises.

SUBJECT AREAS

The course requirements are designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop a depth of knowledge in a major field, while also acquiring a breadth of knowledge about the history of art in general. MA students are strongly encouraged to take a range of courses from several different professors. The major field should be chosen with the assistance of the major advisor. Some of the criteria for limiting the major area might include geographic, chronological, medium, or methodological considerations. Courses are available in the Art History Division, as well as in other departments on campus.

Subject Areas within Art History:

  • American
  • Ancient
  • Architectural History
  • Contemporary Art and Theory
  • Latin American
  • Modern
  • Museum Studies (Certificate Program)
  • History of Photography

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

30 units are required to complete the Master of Arts in Art History degree.

Please see the Graduate Advising page, and the Art History Graduate Handbook for specific program requirements.

Program RequirementDescriptionRequired Number of Units
MethodsARH 511A or ARH 511B3 units
Major Field4 ARH courses in major field. One of these courses may be taken in a substantially different discipline, outside the School of Art12 units
Electives4 electives in art history to provide breadth12 units
Thesis or Oral ExamARH 909 or ARH 9103 units
SeminarsAt least 3 seminars in the coursework in addition to Methods are required.

Please see the Graduate Advising page, and the Studio Art Graduate Handbook for specific program requirements.

ACCELERATED MASTER’S DEGREE (UA uNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ONLY)

The Accelerated Master of Arts in Art History provides an opportunity for high-achieving University of Arizona undergraduate students in the a BA in Art History or a BA in Studio Art to use 12 units of graduate coursework towards both their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, giving students the possibility to receive both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in 5 years. This program is intended both for students interested in enhancing their qualifications for careers in galleries, libraries, archives and museums, as well as for students interested in admission to other graduate programs (such as Library and Information Science, Conservation, and Arts Administration). Accelerated Master of Arts students must have an excellent academic record and the ability to balance their coursework in a face-paced program. Students will typically be invited by their art history professor to apply to the program.

Request Info

Degrees

  • B.A. – Art History
  • B.A. – Studio Art
  • B.F.A. – Art & Visual Culture Education
  • B.F.A. – Studio Art
  • Minors in Art
  • M.A. – Art & Visual Culture Education
  • M.A. – Art History
  • Master of Fine Arts in Art
  • Ph.D. – Art & Visual Culture Education
  • Ph.D. – Art History
  • Museum Studies Certificate Program

CFA Student Services

Lindsay Clark Coordinator, Recruitment
linds@email.arizona.edu Slonaker House, Room 201
520-621-9430

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
University of Arizona School of Art
4 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

This digital artwork is titled “Connections” and is by 2021 BFA Exhibitor and Illustration + Design student Sophia Patch.
•
See this piece and many more at the 2021 BFA Exhibition (bfaexhibition.art.arizona.edu) and join us for the Virtual Reception, Friday, April 23- 4 -5 pm! Zoom link in bio!!
•
“My subject matter is people. Not just figures, but the thoughts they contain, the connections they form, and the experiences they hold. My goal is to capture the human experience and add a fantastical twist – to capture the wonder in simply being.” - @anisopod
... See MoreSee Less

This digital artwork is titled “Connections” and is by 2021 BFA Exhibitor and Illustration + Design student Sophia Patch.
•
See this piece and many more at the 2021 BFA Exhibition (bfaexhibition.art.arizona.edu) and join us for the Virtual Reception, Friday, April 23- 4 -5 pm! Zoom link in bio!!
•
“My subject matter is people. Not just figures, but the thoughts they contain, the connections they form, and the experiences they hold. My goal is to capture the human experience and add a fantastical twist – to capture the wonder in simply being.” - @anisopod
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 3
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

University of Arizona School of Art
6 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

This great digital art piece is by Studio Art student Conor Ryan called “The Celestial.”
•
“This work is exploring the idea of what could be out there in the universe. Is something waiting for our species in the stars? Is something looking down on us even now? The universe and its infinite possibilities interest me greatly, and through this piece, ​The Celestial, ​I strive to share this curiosity. I derive influence for this piece from wave-like CRT television glitches, and from themes in films like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Interstellar”. The being depicted here is supposed to embody the unknown of the universe, what might be out there.” - @conorwryan.art
... See MoreSee Less

This great digital art piece is by Studio Art student Conor Ryan called “The Celestial.” 
•
“This work is exploring the idea of what could be out there in the universe. Is something waiting for our species in the stars? Is something looking down on us even now? The universe and its infinite possibilities interest me greatly, and through this piece, ​The Celestial, ​I strive to share this curiosity. I derive influence for this piece from wave-like CRT television glitches, and from themes in films like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Interstellar”. The being depicted here is supposed to embody the unknown of the universe, what might be out there.” - @conorwryan.artImage attachment
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 2

Comment on Facebook

Love this Conor Ryan 🙌

Wow! Fabulous!

View more comments

University of Arizona School of Art
1 week ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Photos from University of Arizona School of Art's post ... See MoreSee Less

Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 3
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

University of Arizona School of Art
2 weeks ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Check out 2021 BFA Exhibitor Sam Potter’s photographs at the link in our bio!
Pictured: Reflection 1 and Reflection 2 (digital photography)
... See MoreSee Less

Check out 2021 BFA Exhibitor Sam Potter’s photographs at the link in our bio!
Pictured: Reflection 1 and Reflection 2 (digital photography)Image attachment
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

University of Arizona School of Art
2 weeks ago
University of Arizona School of Art

We are so excited to announce that the 2021 BFA Exhibition is live! Each spring semester we look forward to highlighting the work of our studio and AVCE undergraduates, so click the link in our bio and keep checking in to this account to see us feature some impressive work from our student artists! ... See MoreSee Less

We are so excited to announce that the 2021 BFA Exhibition is live! Each spring semester we look forward to highlighting the work of our studio and AVCE undergraduates, so click the link in our bio and keep checking in to this account to see us feature some impressive work from our student artists!
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 6
  • Shares: 3
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

University of Arizona School of Art
3 weeks ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Check out David Taylor’s feature in the Guardian! His drone images give a rare look at for-profit ICE detention centers in Amanda Holpuch’s article with interviews with ex-detainees on their trauma during Covid-19. Link in Bio!! ... See MoreSee Less

Check out David Taylor’s feature in the Guardian! His drone images give a rare look at for-profit ICE detention centers in Amanda Holpuch’s article with interviews with ex-detainees on their trauma during Covid-19. Link in Bio!!Image attachmentImage attachment+1Image attachment
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 1
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Load more
  • Prospective Students
    • Why UofA School of Art
    • Tour the School!
    • Areas of Study
    • Degrees
    • Admissions
    • Scholarships & Financial Aid
    • Careers in Art
  • Current Students
    • Advising
    • Student Resources
    • Opportunities
  • People
    • Directory
    • Advisory Board
    • Faculty Portfolio
    • Faculty Catalogs
    • Student Portfolio
    • MFA Catalogs
    • Faculty Stories
    • Student Stories
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
  • Resources & Facilities
    • Facilities Overview
    • Galleries
    • Visiting Lecture Series
    • Visual Resource Center
    • Digital Print Studio
    • Book Art & Letterpress Lab
    • Studios & Classrooms
    • Graduate Studios
  • Visit
    • About The School
    • Tour the School!
    • Outreach Activities
    • Art Days
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
    • Support the School of Art
    • Projects

School Of Art

P.O. BOX 210002
1031 N. Olive Rd.
J. Gross Gallery Rm 101d
Tucson, AZ 85721-0002

Email: artinfo@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: 520.621.7570

Fax: 520.621.2955


Console

Copyright © 2021 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona

University Privacy Statement

College of Fine Arts

P.O. BOX 210004
1017 N Olive Rd.
Music Bldg, Rm 111
Tucson, AZ 85721-0004

Email: finearts@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: 520.621.1302

Fax: 520.621.1307

Subscribe for news and announcements from The University of Arizona School of Art!