I did my M.A. in Art History at SMU and loved it so much I stayed for the Phd. The classes are small, and you get a lot of individual attention. There are a lot of funding opportunities to conduct research outside the U.S, and also to participate in conferences. During my time in the M.A. program I traveled to Cuba, Brazil, Miami, NYC, Bloomington IN, and Urbana-Champaign, all with SMU funds. In addition, my colleagues who graduated this past year are currently employed in paid internships at the DMA and the Getty Museum of Art in Los Angeles. I am not sure what Joan means with "not especially prestigious," but I can tell you that I usually present in conferences next to students from Yale, Columbia, The Art Institute of Chicago, etc. The program is small on purpose; you really don't want to go to an institution where you have to fight for your advisor's attention with 10 other students. I invite you to google my name and see for yourself. If you have any more questions, I'll be glad to help. Best, Asiel Sepúlveda.
