Undergraduate admissions are processed through the College of Arts and Sciences. For more information on the undergraduate major, please visit the programs page.
The Department of Fine Arts offers two programs leading to the M.A. in art history. The first is a traditional program on the Syracuse University campus. This master's degree may also be obtained concurrently with the museum studies program (housed in the College of Visual and Performing Arts). Students admitted into the program are eligible for teaching assistantships or University fellowships.
The M.A. program offers a comprehensive view of western art history, while allowing students to pursue specialized studies. The two-year program requires 36 credits. Students take The Literature of Art Criticism, and at least one course in each of the following broad areas of art history: ancient and medieval; Northern and Italian Renaissance; 17th and 18th centuries; and 19th and 20th centuries. A language exam is given during the first semester. During their last semester, students participate in a noncredit pro-seminar, which meets 4-5 times in the academic year. The seminar provides students the opportunity to discuss their research goals, project progress, and methodological approaches. It is conducted by the advisors who are directing qualifying papers.
The qualifying paper is an extensive work of original research and analysis of approximately 25 pages, plus notes and bibliography. The paper develops and expands information and ideas presented by the student in a term paper or discussion from one of their graduate courses, and is written under the supervision of the faculty member for whose course the paper was originally developed. The application deadline for this program is January 1. For more information on the M.A. in art history, including a semester breakdown of the program, please visit the programs page.
The second program leading to the M.A. in art history is the Florence Graduate Program in Renaissance Art, which offers the oppportunity to study in Florence, Italy. The program awards four graduate fellowships annually. Applicants must have a strong working knowledge of the Italian language and must meet entrance qualifications for graduate study in the Department of Fine Arts.
Students begin their specialized 30 credits of coursework in the fall semester at the University's main campus in Syracuse, where they complete three graduate seminars. Noncredit tutoring in Italian is also offered. Upon successful completion of the fall semester, students register for two semesters of advanced coursework at Syracuse University's Viulla Gigliucci in Florence, Italy. Three seminars are offered during the spring semester, and in the following fall semester students enroll in the advanced research seminar culminating in a public colloquium devoted to aspects of Renaissance art history. The application deadline for this program is January 1. For more information on the Florence Graduate Program in Renaissance Art, please visit the programs page.
Graduate admissions are processed through the Graduate School. Application forms are available from the Graduate School and online.
