GRADRESOURCES
Graduate Program
Ceiling, side chapel,
Church of Our Lady
Ingolstadt, Germany
1510-1520
The department offers upper-division and graduate courses in the history of western and non-western art from ancient to contemporary times, including the history of photography, emphasizing the interpretation of art in its historical and cultural contexts. Students are expected to take courses in both western and non-western areas. Upon entry into the program, incoming students meet with the Graduate Adviser concerning their undergraduate preparation; those students who have not satisfactorily completed undergraduate courses in at least four of the areas offered by the department are expected to remedy the deficiency while in the program by taking additional courses in the relevant areas.
The MA is designed to be accomplished within two years of full-time work; students are strongly encouraged to finish by the end of the sixth quarter of study if possible. A standard, full-time course of study consists of three to four courses per quarter (12 - 16 units), with the 40 units of required coursework completed in three or four quarters. The final two to three quarters of study should be spent on thesis research and writing. At a minimum of two full quarters before the student intends to file the thesis, she/he will establish a thesis committee comprised of the student's adviser and two additional faculty members, one of whom may be selected from a related field outside the department; this committee will read and comment on the thesis in a preliminary oral discussion to take place one full quarter before the student intends to file.
Admission
We encourage you to complete the Preliminary Information Form. The Preliminary Information goes only to the Art History Department and allows us to consider your interests and qualifications before we receive the official Graduate Division application (which usually takes longer to complete).
If you are ready to apply, please complete the official UCR Graduate School Application. This is the application that serves as the "official" application to the Art History Department's Graduate Program. The UCR Graduate Division provides more information about the official application procedures.
Course Requirements
Up to 12 units of undergraduate upper-division (100 series) coursework may be taken over the course of study and applied toward the 40 units of coursework required for the MA. These may be upper-division art history courses not previously taken or appropriate upper-division courses in other departments. Students can also obtain a limited number of units through internships in museums, galleries, and historical institutions in the area. The student must earn at least 24 units of graduate credit (200 series), of which the Proseminar in Methodology (251P), offered once a year, is mandatory. Three additional seminars in art history are required, two of which must be outside of the student's field of specialization. The student may receive up to 12 units of credit for thesis research.
Foreign Language Requirement
Students of Western art history must demonstrate a proficiency in one European language relevant to their area of study, including Latin American Art History. One Asian language, relevant to the area of study, is required for students specializing in Asian art history. The relevant language is to be chosen in consultation with the Graduate Adviser and, if possible, the potential MA thesis adviser. This language requirement is meant to provide the student with a deep understanding of a foreign language such that the student can perform graduate level research in this language. Since most PhD programs have additional language requirements, students planning to continue on to obtain a PhD are strongly urged to consult with their Graduate and Thesis advisers regarding additional foreign language recommendations. The language requirement must be satisfied by the end of the third quarter in residence, preferably earlier.
In order to satisfy their language requirement, students are given three (3) options: complete as a graduate student a University of California foreign language course equivalent to one of the appropriate courses at UC Riverside, or take the Language Placement Exam as a graduate student given at the beginning of each quarter; or take a departmental language translation exam as a graduate student.
See more Graduate Program details in the catalog.