Department of Art History

Art Historical Studies

The Historical Studies track prepares students for academic and professional careers in art historical research and continuation to doctoral study. Students select from a range of small discussion-focused seminar courses in the areas of faculty expertise. The curriculum provides grounding in art-historical theories and methods, develops critical thinking and writing skills, promotes acquisition of subject knowledge, and provides training in professional presentation and publication. The thesis is the capstone of the program and allows students to demonstrate their art-historical knowledge through an independent research project.

A rich variety of museums in the Richmond area provide ample opportunities for organized site visits with museum professionals, internship and volunteer experiences, and a broad range of collections for research.

Program Requirements

Students typically complete this 30-credit program in 2 years.

Courses

1. ARTH 690: Historiography and Methodology (3 credits), to be taken in the first semester
2. 7 graduate-level art history courses (21 credits)
3. 6 credits of thesis

Exams

1. The foreign language exam (French, Italian, Spanish, or German) is taken in the first semester.
2. Slide exam covering general art historical knowledge is taken in the second semester.
3. Essay exam covering the student's primary area of study is taken in the third semester.
4. All exams and coursework must be completed before advancing to candidacy and writing the thesis.

Admissions Requirements

1. B.A. or B.F.A in art history or a related field with a minimum of 21 credits of art history.
2. GPA of 3.2 or higher on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework
3. GRE scores: 1000 combined Verbal and Quantitative, 4.5 or better on the Analytic Writing portion
4. 3 letters of reference from college instructors who can assess the applicant's academic preparation and promise
5. Statement of purpose outlining the applicant's reasons for seeking a graduate degree, area of intended specialization in art history, and professional goals. The statement of purpose may also include professional experience relevant to the pursuit of a graduate degree in art history.
6. Writing Sample: undergraduate research paper in art history
7. There is no language requirement for admission, although students should have some language background to prepare them to pass the department language exam. The department does not provide language instruction.

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