M.A. in Art History, Main Campus Program

The M.A. in art history requires 30 graduate credits, taken over a period of two years, during which students plan individualized programs of study under the guidance of the faculty. Courses offered in art history cover a broad range of subject areas, providing opportunities for both breadth and specialization. Students are required to fulfill a chronological distribution requirement by taking one course in each of the following periods: Ancient/Medieval (pre-1300), Early Modern (1300-1750), and Modern/Contemporary (post-1750). Each course can only count toward one of these chronological periods. Students are also required to fulfill a cultural distribution requirement by taking one course in Global Perspectives and/or Intercultural Perspectives (across or between cultures). These courses can also satisfy a chronological distribution requirement.

Also required are HOA 655 -Proseminar in Graduate Research Methods and Scholarly Writing and HOA 656 -The Literature of Art Criticism. Colloquia and special lectures augment formal courses. With permission, a limited number of credits (up to 6) may be taken outside the department, in such disciplines as history, literature, aesthetics, museum studies, and art librarianship, when relevant to a student’s program of study. Courses in studio art are not included in the degree program.

During the first semester of graduate study, students take an art history qualifying exam, which tests knowledge of major monuments and disciplinary vocabulary. The art history exam must be passed successfully before students enroll in their second semester of study. Students also take a language exam, which assesses reading knowledge of a second language, including Italian, French, German, or Spanish. The language exam must be passed by the beginning of their second year. In their last semester, students participate in a seminar (HOA 757 ), during which they prepare a qualifying paper and present their findings at a public symposium.

Faculty specializations in medieval, Italian and Northern Renaissance, baroque, 18th- 20th century, and Native American art are reflected in library holdings that include several visual databases and a comprehensive collection of books and periodicals. The Syracuse University Art Museum and the nearby Everson Museum of Art have notable collections of paintings, photographs, prints, ceramics, and sculpture.

M.A. in Art History, Florence Program in Renaissance Art

This specialized M.A. degree program devoted to the study of Italian Renaissance art requires thirty graduate credits, taken over three semesters. Successful applicants to this program typically have pursued undergraduate studies in cultural history with an emphasis on the visual arts and have a working knowledge of the Italian language. The four top-ranked candidates enter the program with Florence Fellowships that provide full tuition and a stipend; other funding opportunities are available. Students enrolled in this program must meet departmental art history and Italian language proficiency requirements during their first semester of study. Students begin their coursework in the fall semester at the University’s main campus in Syracuse. If necessary, at this time they enroll in Italian classes to reach fluency sufficient to conduct scholarly work in Italy. Upon successful completion of the first semester, students register for two semesters of coursework at Syracuse University in Florence. In addition to taking a variety of graduate seminars, during their year in Florence, students enroll in HOA 622, for which they undertake capstone research projects and present the results of their research at a public symposium.

The deadline for application to M.A. programs in art history is January 15.