Art History, MA
Degree: Master of Arts (MA)
Field of Study: Art History
Program Overview
The MA program in art history is designed to provide the student with a broad knowledge of the major art historical periods, scholarly and bibliographical resources, and the methodologies of art history. It also offers an opportunity to investigate art historical problems in some depth. As mentioned in the overview for the Department of Art History and Art, our close collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Art enhances students' educational experiences in numerous ways.
In addition to the regular graduate school application form, applicants to the graduate program in art history are required to submit GRE scores and two research papers that they consider to represent their best work. Applicants for the MA should have a BA major or minor concentration in art history or a related humanities field and a minimum GPA of 3.5. All applicants whose native language is not English, or who have not received a degree from an English-speaking university, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For TOEFL exams taken on or after January 21, 2026, the required minimum score is 5.0; for exams taken on or before January 20, 2026, the required minimum score on the online test is 100.
Graduate Policies
For graduate policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.
Program Requirements
The master’s degree in art history is conducted exclusively under Plan B (non-thesis) as described under the School of Graduate Studies. All other requirements of the MA program must be fulfilled:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| ARTH 495 | Methodologies of Art History | 3 |
| ARTH 489A | M.A. Qualifying Paper | 3 |
| ARTH 489B | M.A. Qualifying Paper Revisions | 1 |
| 400-level or above courses a | 24 | |
| A reading knowledge of one foreign language (normally French, German, or Italian) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 31 | |
- a
Eight graduate courses at the 400-level or above, three of which must be seminars on the 500-level. These eight courses must include one course from four of the following five areas: world art, ancient, medieval, Renaissance/Baroque, and modern/American.