| Admission Deadline: | Fall - February 1: Priority consideration for admission and funding; April 1: Guaranteed review for admission and consideration for funding, if available. (Applications for admission will continue to be accepted after April 1, when space remains available in the program.) |
| Standardized test scores: | GRE general test is not required. |
| The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the PTE Academic is required of all applicants except those who hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university in the United States or from an institution located in a country in which English is the official language, provided English was the language of instruction. | |
| Minimum scores for the program are: | |
| - Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 6.0 with no individual score below 5.0; or | |
| - TOEFL: 550 on paper-based or 80 on Internet-based; or | |
| - PTE Academic: 53 | |
| Applicants who do not meet minimum English language requirements may be eligible for our full-time Applied English Language program. | |
| Recommendations required: | Two (2) recommendations |
| Prior academic records: | Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. |
| If transcripts are in a language other than English, English language translations must be provided. The English translation alone should be uploaded into your application. | |
| Statement of Purpose: | In an essay of 250 – 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study in your chosen field. Include your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Also discuss your related qualifications, including collegiate, professional, community activities, and your experiences and/or commitment to diversity and inclusion. You may also include any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application. If you are applying for an assistantship or fellowship, you should also describe any teaching experience you have had. |
| Writing Sample: | A recent writing sample is required. |
| International applicants only: | Please follow this link - https://columbian.gwu.edu/international-graduate-applicants - to review the International Applicant Information carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW, and English language requirements. |
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107
Washington DC 20052
For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.
Contact:
askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
36 credits in required and elective courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| CAH 6258 | Art Historiography | |
| Elective | ||
| At least one course from five of the following seven categories: | ||
| Classical, ancient Near East, and medieval worlds | ||
| CAH 6201 | Proseminar in Ancient Art of the Bronze Age and Greece | |
| CAH 6202 | Proseminar in Ancient Art of the Roman Empire | |
| CAH 6205 | Topics in Ancient Art | |
| CAH 6211 | Proseminar in Early Christian and Byzantine Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6212 | Proseminar in Romanesque and Gothic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6215 | Seminar in Medieval Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| Islamic spheres | ||
| CAH 6213 | Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6214 | Art of the Book in the Medieval Muslim World | |
| CAH 6265 | Seminar in Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| Renaissance/Baroque | ||
| CAH 6220 | Proseminar in Italian Art and Architecture of the Thirteenth Through Fifteenth Centuries | |
| CAH 6221 | Proseminar in Italian Art and Architecture of the Sixteenth Century | |
| CAH 6222 | Proseminar in Early Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6223 | Proseminar in Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6225 | Seminar in Renaissance Art | |
| CAH 6231 | Proseminar in Italian Art and Architecture of the Seventeenth Century | |
| CAH 6232 | Proseminar in Northern European Art and Architecture of the Seventeenth Century | |
| CAH 6234 | Proseminar in Spanish and Portuguese Art through the Sixteenth Century | |
| CAH 6236 | Seminar in Baroque Art | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| 18th-19th Century | ||
| CAH 6240 | Proseminar in European Art of the Eighteenth Century | |
| CAH 6245 | Seminar in European Art of the Nineteenth Century | |
| CAH 6251 | Proseminar in American Art in the Age of Revolution | |
| CAH 6252 | Proseminar in American Art in the Era of National Expansion | |
| CAH 6254 | Seminar in American Art before 1900 | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| Modern/Contemporary | ||
| CAH 6246 | Proseminar in Modern Architecture in Europe and America | |
| CAH 6250 | Seminar in Modern Art | |
| CAH 6255 | Seminar Studies in American Art and History | |
| CAH 6256 | Seminar in American Art of the Twentieth Century | |
| CAH 6257 | Seminar in Photography | |
| CAH 6269 | Seminar in Contemporary Art | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| CAH 6286 | Preventive Conservation Concepts | |
| CAH 6287 | Preventive Conservation Techniques | |
| CAH 6400 | History of Exhibitions | |
| Asian/African | ||
| CAH 6260 | Seminar in African Art | |
| CAH 6261 | Seminar in Asian Art | |
| CAH 6262 | Seminar in South Asian Art | |
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| Pre-Columbian/Latin American | ||
| CAH 6270 | Special Topics in Art History | |
| Internship/Independent Study | ||
| CAH 6298 | Independent Research in Art History | |
| CAH 6299 | Museum Internship | |
| Up to 6 credits of graduate coursework may be completed outside the department with approval of the graduate advisor. | ||
| One qualifying paper must be submitted in the spring semester of the second year. Part-time students will submit one qualifying paper at date set in consultation with the graduate advisor. | ||
| Foreign language proficiency is not required for the master's degree. However, students have the option of taking an examination in one of the following foreign languages: Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, or Spanish. | ||
Museum Training Concentration
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites and requirements are the same as those for the MA in the field of art history. After completion of 18 credits in Art History (CAH) courses, students in the concentration take 6 credits of internship through enrollment in CAH 6299. | ||