Master of Arts in the Field of Art History

Situated in the heart of the culturally rich city of Washington, DC, the master of arts (MA) program in art history at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design provides students with unique opportunities to study the arts. Students learn to apply visual and historical analyses to artworks, as well as incorporate relevant and current theoretical and methodological approaches to research. The program's proximity to DC’s many museums and galleries means that the permanent collections and exhibitions of some of the most important art institutions in the world often serve as the backbone of student coursework and study. The curriculum covers a wide swath of the history of art, but has specific areas of focus in Renaissance, Islamic, South Asian, American, African, and modern and contemporary art. We are committed to building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive scholarly community that is critical for innovation, insight, and progress. The rigorous and supportive scholarly program places special emphasis on developing individual students’ critical analysis, research, and writing skills.

For some students, the MA is a terminal degree in preparation for curatorial or education careers in galleries and museums; for others, it is preparation to enter a PhD program elsewhere.

Visit the program website for additional information.

Visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences website for application 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 for questions:

askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

This Bulletin covers the degree requirements for students matriculating in the current academic year. Students who matriculated before the current year can find their requirements in the relevant archived Bulletin.

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.

36 credits, including 6 credits in required courses, 15 credits in breadth requirements, and 15 credits in elective courses.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required
CAH 6258	Art Historiography
CAH 6297	Writing Art History II: Crafting the Qualifying Paper
Breadth requirement
One course selected from each of the following five categories:
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
Global early modern (1400-1800)
CAH 6223	Proseminar in Northern Renaissance Art and Architecture
CAH 6225	Seminar in Renaissance Art
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 6251	Proseminar in American Art in the Age of Revolution
CAH 6254	Seminar in American Art before 1900
Modern and contemporary
CAH 6245	Seminar in European Art of the Nineteenth Century
CAH 6250	Seminar in Modern Art
CAH 6255	Seminar Studies in American Art and History
CAH 6257	Seminar in Photography
CAH 6269	Seminar in Contemporary Art
CAH 6400	History of Exhibitions
Asia and the Indian Ocean
CAH 6261	Seminar in Asian Art
CAH 6262	Seminar in South Asian Art
Africa and African Diaspora
CAH 6260	Seminar in African Art
CAH 6271	The Harlem Renaissance
Electives
Five graduate-level CAH (Art History) selected from the list below or seminars listed above that are not used to fulfill the breadth requirement. Up to two elective courses can be taken outside of Art History with the approval of the program's director of graduate studies.
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 6212	Proseminar in Romanesque and Gothic Art and Architecture
CAH 6215	Seminar in Medieval Art and Architecture
CAH 6270	Special Topics in Art History
CAH 6286	Preventive Conservation Concepts
CAH 6287	Preventive Conservation Techniques
CAH 6298	Independent Research in Art History
CAH 6299	Museum Internship
CAH 6401	Museum Practicum
One qualifying paper must be submitted in the spring semester of the second year. Part-time students must submit one qualifying paper at the set in consultation with the director of graduate studies.
Language proficiency is not required. However, students have the option of taking an examination in one of the following languages: Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, or Spanish.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Museum training concentration
Students who wish to complete a concentration in museum training as part of their program of study take 6 credits of internship, which counts toward the program’s elective credit requirement.
CAH 6299	Museum Internship