The University of Texas at Dallas
Master of Arts in Art History

Richardson, USA

DEGREE TYPE

DURATION

16 months

LANGUAGES

English

PACE

Full time

APPLICATION DEADLINE

EARLIEST START DATE

STUDY FORMAT

On-Campus

* late application deadline: day prior to classes begin

Key Summary

About : The Master of Arts in Art History offers a deep exploration of art from various cultural perspectives. Students engage in critical analysis, develop research skills, and study the historical context of art movements. This program prepares graduates for advanced scholarly work and provides a comprehensive understanding of visual culture across different periods and regions.

Career Outcomes : Graduates can pursue careers in art curation, education, art preservation, and cultural management. They may work in museums, galleries, or academic settings, contributing to the understanding and appreciation of artistic heritage. Potential roles include art historians, museum educators, and cultural consultants.

The master’s program at the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History introduces students to a global history of art by way of close engagement with artworks held in collections throughout Dallas and Fort Worth. In their coursework and independent research projects, students draw on privileged access to public and private collections, outstanding research resources, and the innovative and interdisciplinary research initiatives of O’Donnell Institute scholars to explore a broad range of material across geography, chronology, and medium, and to build a strong foundation in historiography, theory and professional practices.

The intensive 16-month program is designed as a rigorous, immersive experience for the most motivated students, preparing graduates for top doctoral programs or arts careers. The curriculum comprises two Foundations courses (Practices of Art History and History of Materials and Techniques), five master’s seminars that explore a body of material or research question that draws on faculty members’ areas of expertise, and a practicum in which students design and carry out an original project in the form of a scholarly essay, a small exhibition, a collaboration with a practicing artist, a conservation project, archival research or a data-driven art history project. Practicum projects may be carried out in collaboration with partner institutions including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Collection of Asian Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and The Warehouse.