MA in Art History
Experience personalized mentorship from leading artists and scholars, integrating classroom learning with real-world application.
Program Overview
The Master of Art History program offers an in-depth exploration of art history, including its objects and methods, with a distinctive focus on the museum experience. You’ll be prepared to work at the Ph.D. level and pursue careers in the teaching and museum professions, and other art-related fields.
The expertise of our renowned faculty will guide you in placing artworks within their historical context, while also exploring related fields such as history, literature, philosophy and religion.
Courses in the program are tailored to the specializations of our faculty, including:
- Art of the Ancient Americas
- Colonial Latin American Art
- Contemporary Art
- 18th and 19th-century American and European Art
- Renaissance & Baroque art
You’ll study within art museums, collaborate with museum professionals and even attend some classes entirely at these institutions. TCU partners with prestigious museums, including:
- Amon Carter Museum of Art
- African American Museum of Dallas
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Kimbell Art Museum
- McKinney Avenue Contemporary
- Meadows Museum
- Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
- Nasher Sculpture Center
- Sid Richardson Museum
- Trammel and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art
For a full look at what makes our program unique, view our Program Overview.
Internship Requirement
Each graduate student will complete a semester-long internship at an art museum or related institution, providing practical experience in an arts institution. The internship can be tailored to various departments, allowing you to make meaningful contributions to the arts profession.
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Degree Requirements
The program requires 36 hours of coursework, including the thesis. Upon faculty approval, entering students may transfer in up to six hours of graduate study in art history.
Foreign language exams are administered to ensure that students can conduct art history research in a foreign language.
Students must pass a reading proficiency exam in French, Italian, Spanish, or another faculty-approved language at the start of the first semester. Students have two options for the language exam:
- Option 1: Translate two art-related passages into English, one with the use of a dictionary (which they bring to the exam) and one without dictionary. Each passage will be no more than 250 words, and students will be given 30 minutes to complete each portion of the exam. The dictionary and non-dictionary portions of the exam will each be graded separately. Students are required to pass both sections of the exam.
- Option 2: Translate one text into English with a dictionary (which they bring to the exam) for 60 minutes.
Language exams will be graded on the following scale: high pass; pass; low pass; fail. The dictionary and non-dictionary portions of the exam will each be graded separately. Students must pass both sections of the exam for the MA in art history.
Students who do not pass the examination have two options:
- Option 1: Retake and pass the examination at the beginning of the following semester.
- Option 2: Enroll in two semesters (or an approved equivalent) of a second-year foreign language study and earn at least a “B” in both semesters (or the equivalent). This option must be completed before the beginning of the second year of graduate study. Students who elect this option should be aware, however, that our fellowships do not provide funding for foreign language study, so they must make their own financial arrangements if this course is selected
The thesis is completed through a paper or equivalent project that showcases advanced research skills. It may arise from independent study, the revision of a seminar paper, or work produced during a museum internship. The topic must be approved by the student's advisor. The thesis will be overseen by both department faculty and a museum professional.
The final oral examination will be a “capstone conversation” between the student and their thesis committee, during which the student’s work and progress will be reviewed and assessed.
Graduate Funding
The School of Arts offers competitive funding for graduate students.
Graduate Program FAQ
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