Welcome to TCU College of Fine Arts Art History graduate studies program.

Program Coodinator Mark Thistlethwaite

The Master of Arts program enables students to gain a deeper understanding of the history of art, its objects, and its methods. An integral component of this program, which sets it apart from many others, is "the museum experience": the opportunity to study in art museums and work with museum professionals. Closely linked to the Amon Carter Museum, Kimbell Art Museum, and Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the program also utilizes other significant art resources found in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, including those of Dallas Museum of Art, Arlington Museum of Art, Sid Richardson Museum, the Meadows Museum, Museum of African-American American Life and Culture, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, and Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, Nasher Sculpture Center. Centering on the art object, the program allows students to expand their knowledge of the historical, stylistic, and theoretical dimensions of the visual arts, while having the practical experience of working directly with art objects and in museums with professional staffs. Graduates of the program will be prepared to engage in work at the Ph.D. level and pursue careers in the teaching and art museum professions. A Bachelor of Arts degree in art history is also available.

Admission Requirements
Applicants will normally have completed 18 semester hours (6 courses) in art history. The department will consider applications from qualified students in other fields. Applicants are expected to have studied one foreign language--French, German, Italian, Spanish, or one approved by the department--for two years or have reading proficiency. The TOEFL exam is required for foreign students. The application must include:

a statement of no more than 250 words describing the applicant's academic and professional objectives

a writing sample (such as an undergraduate paper) of 1250 to 2500 words

Three letters of recommendation

GRE General Test

Degree Requirements
The program requires 36 hours of course work, including the thesis. Upon approval of the faculty, entering students may transfer in up to 6 hours of graduate study in art history. Passing a reading proficiency examination in a foreign language is required.

Thesis Requirement
The thesis is to be fulfilled by a paper, or its equivalent, that demonstrates advanced research skills. The thesis should be the result of independent study, the revision and improvement of a seminar paper, or writing generated by the student's museum internship. In all cases, the topic must receive approval of the student's advisor. The thesis will be overseen by department faculty members, in conjunction with a museum professional.

Foreign Language Requirement

 Students are required to pass a reading proficiency examination in French, Italian, Spanish, or another language approved by the faculty upon entering  the program. Exams will be administered early in the first semester. Students  will be expected to translate two passages into English, one with the use of  a dictionary 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.

 Foreign language exams are administered to ensure that students can do art historical research in a foreign language.  To this end, students are  encouraged to make sure that they have a good understanding of basic grammar  and vocabulary, as well as important art historical terminology. Students whose basic knowledge of a language or mastery of basic terminology in art history  appears to be unsatisfactory will not receive a passing grade on the exam.  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 are required to pass both sections of the exam for the M.A. 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  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.

Final Oral Examination
This university requirement will be fulfilled by a "capstone conversation" between the student and her/his thesis committee by reviewing and assessing the student's work and progress.

For more information about the art programs, faculty, and facilities please see the art departments website : http://www.arthistory.tcu.edu