neongolden

Stanford University has a joint department between art history & film and media studies. It might be the best place for what you're looking to study. They don't have a terminal MA, though. Also, GRE grades are 1. less important in the humanities. What matters more is research fit and writing samples 2. VERY easily improved with some practice. Standardized testing is a skill, not a measure of intelligence. Get yourself a book, practice a bunch, re-take the test and you're fine.

Actually, there are a few people who deal with both Modern and Medieveal/Early Modern art. Like Alexander Nagel at the IFA. Have you checked him out?

I went to one of the programs on your list. I contacted potential advisers and they sent back polite messages that they had more important issues (PhD students) to deal with. So it's absolutely not a requirement... still, I think it cannot hurt, especially when you have a specific professor in mind and can tell them concretely why you'd love to study with them.

Also think about Columbia and NYU IFA if you want to come to New York!

I absolutely agree with condivi. I got a terminal MA and am now in a PhD at a different school... because I only applied to the MA at first out of modesty. I enjoyed both experiences in the end, but I wish everyday that I had at least tried the PhD right away. There are a few funded MAs... like Williams, which is a very prestigious program.

I think it does have a pretty great reputation in the somewhat narrow field of design history. It's known to offer lots of opportunities for hands-on study of objects. Perhaps not unlike the NYU-IFA, which is not far away.

If any of the Harvard "Accepted"s would care to elaborate either publicly or in a pm, I'd be very, very grateful!

Part of your remark speaks, by the way, to an old perception of CUNY. Studying their used to be a huge financial problem, but they now offer full teaching fellowships to at least 7 of their ten PhD candidates. See http://www.gc.cuny.edu/Page-Elements/Academics-Research-Centers-Initiatives/Doctoral-Programs/Art-History/Program#F&F

Dear artlover26, I'd love to hear specifics about the changes you foresee... also and perhaps in areas other than Modern and Contemporary. Who knows, maybe there's a thing or two I can learn by hearing about some up-and-coming academics. I know that Columbia is very strong in the Modern/Contemporary Department even without people like Krauss. They have Branden Joseph, Alexander Alberro and also Kellie Jones and Noam Elcott. They also recently gained Avinoam Shalem from Munich in the Islamic Art Department, which I hear is a huge boost.

I'd kind of like to update this thread... especially since decision time will be upon us pretty soon. I am also a Modern/Contemporary person and would argue that this field has been reshuffled in recent years and months. Just for example: David Joselit has moved from Yale to CUNY. Stanford has hired Richard Meyer and Alexander Nemerov. Even without the obvious transitions, some younger scholars who would not have been huge names in 2011 seem to be making a mark. Think of Huey Copeland and Hannah Feldman at Northwestern, for example. Also, it seems that there might be some shaking up on the top end in the coming years, with much of the older OCTOBER guard approaching an age that some would consider to be retirement-appropraite... like Rosalind Krauss at Columbia, Benjamin Buchloh at Harvard and Douglas Crimp at Rochester.

pm

I did not apply there, but I know more than one person who has already heard back from Columbia... at least unofficially.

I just called CUNY for a related matter, but because I was so nervous about not having gotten an invite, I also asked about what the invitation means. As it turns out, the reception is for "all prospective students" indeed and applications will only be reviewed in the next few weeks

Dear Ghosts..., i applied to CUNY and did not get an invite to the CAA breakfast. When did you get it, might I ask? Gregor

I know quite a bit about the MODA program at Columbia... and I know that GRE scores were really not all that important a part of the application there. Your scores really sound fine! I had 165V155Q5.5W (as an expat) and I think I was on the btter side of my admitted class. Focus on your statements and give them two extra edits rather than taking another GRE