Master of Arts
This degree involves broad exposure to the history of art and is designed to develop research and writing skills that will be useful in a professional career in one of the art historical disciplines. Students have the option of a master's degree program with thesis or a program which involves more extended coursework. The selection of the degree program depends on the student's interests and career goals and is made in consultation with the graduate advisor and professors in the student's major field.
Prerequisites
Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in art history courses and reading knowledge of one foreign language. Admissions and funding are based on scholastic record, letters of recommendation, language capabilities, and GRE scores.
Duration
The program is designed to be completed within 2 years.
Course Requirements
Master of Arts with Thesis:
27 credit hours of coursework plus 6 thesis hours.
Master of Arts, Course-Intensive:
36 credit hours of coursework.
Language Requirement
A reading knowledge of at least one foreign language is required for completion of the master's program. French or German is usually required for the Master's degree; however, a different language may be approved depending upon the student's area of study. The student has the option of passing an exam in reading knowledge by the end of the first academic year, or or successfully completing an intermediate-level course.
M.A. Progress Review
The faculty reviews and evaluates each student's progress at the end of the first academic year. Two weeks prior to the evaluation, the student submits two copies of a paper written in a graduate course in Art History at FSU as an example of research and writing skill. The faculty then holds an informal discussion with the student concerning his/her scholarship and progress in the program.
Master of Arts with Thesis
In addition to coursework and MA Progress Review, the MA with Thesis Program includes the following:
Topic
The thesis topic should be approved by the student's advisor by the beginning of the second year.
Forum
On or about the tenth week of the third academic semester, students writing a thesis take part in a forum in which they deliver a fifteen-minute presentation of the proposed topic to fellow students and faculty.
Defense
Students are expected to be prepared to defend their thesis by the end of their second year.
Master of Arts, Course-Intensive
Students who choose the course-intensive (non-thesis) option take three additional courses in art history, to be chosen in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies, for a total of 36 credit hours (12 courses).
For more information, please contact graduate advisor Kathy Braun.