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I am coming off of what feels like a string of amazing luck and yet I can't quite bring myself to feel happy about anything, because it has required a set of incredibly difficult decisions about my future. I applied to six PhD programs split between Canada and the US and I was lucky enough to be accepted to all of them. I visited each school and weighed the pros and cons of funding, POI, cost of living etc. and it ultimately came down to deciding between attending the program where I did my MA and a large, well-respected American ivy league school. I really tried not to let the "prestige factor" impact my decision, but everyone I spoke to still weighted it pretty heavily in terms of post-grad work and also spoke very highly of the program I ultimately selected. At the same time, this program offered full tuition coverage and a guaranteed stipend while the Canadian program offered great funding, but I would have to pay the tuition costs every year out of that stipend. I later found out that I was awarded a doctoral SSHRC that they would have let me keep the whole amount of, meaning that I could have been making equal to what I would make at a an early-career level position at any major museum. But, I didn't find out about the scholarship until after I had to make my decision. Now I'm dealing with the struggle of less financial security, because my chosen school doesn't really allow me to combine their stipend with my external award, and the costs of visas etc. that also would have been covered by some of the other American schools I declined. For reference, the major American competitor was a school of equal calibre, but one that I had heard very negative things about. It seemed to me that people in the program were not happy in general and not a single person I knew recommended that I should attend. But, they offered a larger financial package (in part due to higher cost of living), guaranteed access to campus housing and a better healthcare package than the school I chose. On top of ALL of this, I was blessed to be offered a year long contract position at a major museum as a curatorial assistant for a job I applied to mostly out of duty and did not expect to hear back from. In the end, I decided to turn down the position because I already have considerable museum experience and felt that I really should just get started on my PhD instead of delaying one more year. But now I am left feeling unsure about ALL of my decisions: did I pick the right school? Should I have taken the job and deferred my PhD (but I would have lost the scholarship)? Is it too late to change my mind? How do I come to terms with my incredible good luck and feel good about my decisions instead of feeling gut wrenched by overanalyzing everything?

Hi everybody! This is my first time posting to this forum so I hope I'm doing this correctly. I am about to begin studying for my PhD Qualifying Exams in Art History, and I am trying to get a sense of the average number of books Art History students read for exams in other graduate programs. The professors in my department have ZERO consistency amongst each other when assigning book lists. Lists range anywhere from 50 to 300 books, with 4 month reading period. When the graduate students tried to address this discrepancy in a meeting with our Director of Graduate Studies, we were told "This is how it's always been done," and "Exams are supposed to drive you crazy." The general lack of respect for mental health in my department is an issue for another day. Unfortunately, my advisor is on the higher end of the spectrum, and my current major list is about 250 books long. I am majoring in Italian baroque art, and she has asked me to read literature spanning between 1400-1800, in addition to literature on France and Spain. She doesn't expect me to read every book in detail, and instead wants me to understand how each book has contributed to the field. This is what she was asked to do as a student at Columbia in the 90s, and insists that this is the best way to proceed. Naturally, I am a bit overwhelmed about all of this, and I could really use some perspective on how other art history departments structure exams. Any advice on how to study this much material in 4 months would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi, I graduated in December with a degree in Entertainment Design & Tech., and it was during my last semester that I realized my passion was really history and the arts. I applied at Rice and Emory (didn't make the cut, surprise!) because my fiancé's company has offices in Houston (where we currently live) and Atlanta. I'm not sure whether I should apply again, look elsewhere, finish the Master's program at UH and then try to find a Ph.D. only program? In the end, I've never had a good academic advisor so I've been making it up as I go. I'm not sure if my application/writing sample/supporting materials are strong enough, or if I should be reaching out to professors. I've never published any papers, so should I attempt that? I should also probably retake the GRE, but I don't do insanely well on timed standardized tests, so I'm not sure it's worth the time or money. In the end, I guess I'm just looking for a way to make myself more competitive, and perhaps clarify some of my confusion. I'd appreciate any thoughts you all might have. Thanks!

Hi all! I'm considering applying to the Visual Studies PhD program at UC Santa Cruz this year-- hopefully to work with TJ Demos and Jennifer González-- but I'm having a hard time getting an idea of the reputation of the department as a whole. Any ideas or notions?

Hi all, I posted this is a different forum but wanted to share here. I've been working on a spreadsheet of where mod/con curators or directors got their education. This helped me as I have been deciding where to apply/where to attend. I looked mostly at museums I'm interested in working. Fascinating that for modern/contemporary at least, less that 20% have doctoral degrees. In order of most frequent: NYU, Courtauld, Columbia, Bard, Hunter, and Williams. Another consideration is how many students these programs have per year... Hope this helps someone else! It could be made into a google sheet if people want to contribute to it. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ii0568y5n50yysg/Modern%2FContemporary Curators (3).xlsx?dl=0

Hi guys! Anyone have any insight or comments about the UC Davis Master's program? Trying to decide between it (funded) and a non-funded program with much more name recognition. Mainly doing a Masters to gain experience while I decide if I want to push for a PhD, or turn toward museum education. I study ancient art if that helps, but I'd love to hear any info you might have!

Hello! I'm hoping someone out there can help me make a solid decision about which graduate program to enroll in. I was recently offered admission into these two programs: University of Chicago, MA, Latin American & Caribbean Studies (Art History focus); 1 year program; ~8 students Hunter College CUNY, MA, Art History (Latin American focus); ~2 year program; ~100 students; part-time or full-time I hope to (eventually) pursue a fully-funded PhD program in Latin American art history. I have contacted professors at the schools I hope to apply to for PhD programs and they have valid points in promoting either program. This is why I'm torn between the two. They are about equal in cost (considering scholarships and living expenses in Chicago vs NY). However, I would be able to work full-time while attending Hunter. I have heard amazing things about the art history program and placements at Hunter, but I think it might also be due to the fact that they produce a greater quantity of students. The University of Chicago has a great name, but because the LACS program is small, I'm finding it difficult to speak to alumni. UofC seems incredibly supportive of its students and the campus life seems to be really rich - which I imagine to be a hard thing to achieve with a larger group of commuter students at Hunter. I'm hoping some of you veterans out there will have insight on this dilemma. Which do you think would provide better preparation for PhD applications/placements? Is a 2 year program always better than a 1 year MA? Is an MA in Latin American & Caribbean Studies (with a focus in art history) just as respected as an Art History MA? Do you recommend one school over another?

Hi all, I was wondering what if anyone has applied to MA programs at art schools such as SFAI, CCA, SVA, Pratt, etc? Why did you decide to apply to an art school vs. a "traditional" college or university? Are there are negative effects to studying art history within an art school? Does this decision have any ramifications in the professional world post-graduation? Would love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this.

Hey! I am new to this, so forgive me if I am missing helpful info. I have just been accepted to Trinity College Dublin for the Art History MPhil, as well as to both the History and Art History MA programs at University College Dublin. I am American but my research interests brought me to applying for programs in Ireland. I would like to expand upon the research I conducted for my undergraduate thesis, which focused on the possible Celtic influences on Mont-Saint-Michel. I am unsure as to whether I would like to ultimately go into curating or academia. I am almost sold on accepting Trinity's offer and applying for their Global Excellence Scholarship ; however, the ARTH faculty at UCD has been incredibly inviting and even asked for a Skype interview, in which they proceeded to tell me how I would be a terrific fit. I believe they will offer at least partial funding, as the History program did. Help!! Have any American students had success with applying for funding at Trinity? Should I just be content with the acceptance even if it is not on scholarship? Thankfully, full tuition is a small fraction of what it would cost in the US.... EDIT: I suppose I should add some details. Graduated in May 2017 with 3.98 GPA from a solid state school in New York with two majors, French and Art History, and two minors, Spanish and Museum Studies. I am fluent in French (passed C1 DALF exam following course at the Sorbonne), advanced in Spanish. I utilize both languages in my research. I have not yet taken the GRE. I am also wondering if an MPhil at Trinity would place me in decent standing for a PhD in the US? It appears Trinity is ranked fairly well worldwide but I would appreciate anyone's insight. Thank you.

Hello! I am applying to History of Art Graduate Programs with a concentration in the History of Photography for this upcoming fall. I am currently a senior at NC State majoring in History with Honors and Art Studies with a concentration in Visual Art. I am also minoring in Film. I am graduating one semester late, but I am working on my honors thesis right now and was advised not to complete my senior seminars in both of my majors as I write it. My thesis topic focuses on the photographic artwork of Wilhelm von Gloeden and how Taormina, Sicily acted as a disparate location for homosexual men and artists. Last summer I travelled on a grant from my college to NYC, Berlin, and Florence over the course of eight weeks to research for this project. I got to interview scholars and curators familiar with von Gloeden's work, as well as see original prints in person at the Fratelli Alinari Archives. After my defense this spring, I will be returning to Italy to present my research at a conference in Palermo, Sicily about eroticism (this won't happen if I get an offer from the Whitney of the MET for a summer internship though!). In graduate school I want to continue my research on queer photographers and their impact on the social history of sexual identity. I am applying to Six PHD programs (Yale, Brown, Michigan, UCLA, UPenn and Princeton) and five Masters programs (Rutgers, City College of New York, Stony Brook NY, University of Madison-Wisconsin, and Columbia). My GPA is a 3.625 and I am a strong student in my department and have solid recommendations from art history professors and museum professionals. I studied abroad in Vienna for a summer to study German and the Secessionists. I have research experience abroad and also work at the Special Collections Research Center at my university as a student archivist. I have taken four German courses (although I did drop advanced German during a semester of 18 hours) and would say I have an intermediate reading proficient in German. In the fall I plan on taking another 300 level German course, but with emphasis on reading and translation. As for museum work, I have interned as a photo archivist at the museum on campus and I have also interned at the North Carolina Museum of art as an education intern. Before I graduate I plan on completing a curatorial internship to add under my belt. I am a student ambassador and I have accolades and awards as a photographer. So what do you think are my chances? I have yet to take the GRE, but once my summer plans fall in place I will schedule my test date. Also, any advice for admissions is greatly appreciated!

I applied to the Art History PhD programs at UC Berkeley and University of Toronto and I'm still waiting to get a response from the schools. I checked and saw that three people had posted about the UCB program and they all heard in late January/early February, so I am rather concerned that I am still waiting for a response over a month after the people who have posted. I saw that people who applied to UT began getting responses back in January and others have been receiving responses since then, but I'm still worried that I am still waiting to hear. Is anyone else still waiting to hear from University of Toronto or UC Berkeley? When should I be contacting the schools about my application? Any advice is appreciated!!

(reposting this as realised I put it on wrong forum topic) Hello! Just got acceptance letter for Oxford's art history MA - as well as an offer for the art history MA in Print Culture at the Courtauld, where I am currently finishing my BA. So excited at the prospect of going to Oxford, but I loved my undergraduate course at the Courtauld so finding it really hard to decide (though will probably depend on funding eventually). Does anyone have any opinions on which ma might be better? Especially on the Oxford MA as can't actually find that much info on how many contact hours you get etc, and if the master there are supposedly as good at the BAs?

Having trouble deciding between St. Andrews and the University of Edinburgh for Art History. Any comments or advice would be strongly appreciated. Thank you!

Hey: I was hoping to get some help... I am interested in getting my Masters in Art History, and I am not sure if that is the right program for me. Is it possible for people to comment, to give me some advice? If it works better for you, you can message me through the blog/ forum. I have my Bachelors in Women's Studies, with minors in Philosophy and Sociology, and I am hoping to start a career as a Curator. I am not sure what that all entails, but I basically want to work in a Museum and teach people about art, that has some type of political significance, specifically art that pertains to feminism and gender issues. I not only want to teach people about the art (in a Museum setting), but I also want to understand the art, and its historical context. It would be a bonus if I can fix or restore the art as well.. Unless that is a separate career. All useful advice is appreciated. I am hoping to move to Boston, MA (Boston University), to get the degree - they have Museums out there as well, and New York is out of my price range in terms of the cost of living. I do not want to move to Philadelphia, since the only good school", that I am aware of out there is University of Philadelphia, and I do not have the GPA or interest in going to an Ivy League school. Thank you!

Hello! I am applying to History of Art Graduate Programs with a concentration in the History of Photography for this upcoming fall. I am currently a senior at NC State majoring in History with Honors and Art Studies with a concentration in Visual Art. I am also minoring in Film. I am graduating one semester late, but I am working on my honors thesis right now and was advised not to complete my senior seminars in both of my majors as I write it. My thesis topic focuses on the photographic artwork of Wilhelm von Gloeden and how Taormina, Sicily acted as a disparate location for homosexual men and artists. Last summer I travelled on a grant from my college to NYC, Berlin, and Florence over the course of eight weeks to research for this project. I got to interview scholars and curators familiar with von Gloeden's work, as well as see original prints in person at the Fratelli Alinari Archives. After my defense this spring, I will be returning to Italy to present my research at a conference in Sicily about eroticism. In graduate school I want to continue my research on queer photographers and their impact on the social history of sexual identity. I am applying to five PHD programs (Yale, Brown, Michigan, UCLA, and Princeton) and five Masters programs (Rutgers, UNC, UPenn, Penn State, and Columbia). My GPA is a 3.625 and I am a strong student in my department and have great recommendations (as I am sure every prospective PhD does). I studied abroad in Vienna for a summer to study German and the Secessionists. I have research experience abroad and also work at the Special Collections Research Center at my university as a student archivist. I have taken four German courses (although I did drop advanced German during a semester of 18 hours) and would say I have an intermediate reading proficient in German. In the fall I plan on taking accelerated French so I can add on elementary reading proficient in French. My boyfriend is getting his PhD in French Lit so I have more help with that language than German, but as of now I am only practicing German on the side of my coursework and thesis. As for museum work, I have interned as a photo archivist at the museum on campus and I have also interned at the North Carolina Museum of art as an education intern. Before I graduate I plan on completing a curatorial internship to add under my belt. I am a student ambassador and I have accolades and awards as a photographer. So what do you think are my chances? I have yet to take the GRE, but once my summer plans fall in place I will schedule my test date. Also, any advice for admissions is greatly appreciated!

This is pretty last minute, but hopefully this will be of use to other people applying down the road as well. This is my current version of my essay for the University of Virginia. I'm specifically interested in feedback on the strength, or lack thereof, of the introduction. Any and all feedback is welcome. “The Annals of Rome were the mirrors into which revolutionaries constantly gazed in search of self-recognition”, observes Simon Schama in his history of the French Revolution. His statement highlights two themes which occupy my research: the eighteenth-century’s fascination with the fashioning of identity, and the receiver’s role in the production of historical meaning. The great Roman orators these men “recognized” in the mirror were in part effigies of their own making, a synthesis of historical fact and politicized projection. Reception scholars have recently grappled with this issue, and the metaphor of history as a mirror reflects a prevailing trend in the discipline, abbreviated by Charles Martindale’s dictum that meaning “is always realized at the point of reception.” This perspective marks an intriguing shift of emphasis from historical “fact” to the interpretation of historical events and objects by subsequent audiences. In this spirit, my research explores how Enlightenment political consciousness shaped, and was shaped by responses to antiquity. A sojourn in Berlin sparked my interest in the phenomenon of German philhellenism, the origins of which I would trace in my summa cum laude thesis on the politics of aesthetics in the work of Johann Joachim Winckelmann. Drawing on my training in art history and Early Modern philosophy, I examined Winckelmann’s decision to vilify the Romans and embrace the Greeks as the true model of antique perfection. Following threads started by Alex Potts and Moshe Barasch, I reasoned that this preoccupation reflects a deep antipathy towards the Roman imperial political model, which Winckelmann blames equally for the inferiority of both ancient Roman and modern Baroque art, with its paternal institution of ancien regime autocracy. Expanding on the work of several German scholars, I argued that Winckelmann’s contributions in historiography and aesthetics constitute a radical social critique which would come to color the emergent neoclassicism of the Enlightenment. Winckelmann’s image of antiquity, much like that of the French revolutionaries, was part of a discourse in which the present seems to define the past as much as the reverse is true. The methodology I utilized for this work was influenced by my research under Steven Ostrow and Matthew Canepa in the Art History department at the University of Minnesota. Steven Ostrow’s work on the religious function of post-Tridentine sculpture and public spaces has trained me in the study of iconography, topography and patronage, as well as the power of art to seamlessly integrate ideology into public life. Under Matthew Canepa I pursued questions about how the production, re-use and appropriation of artistic and religious history is used for self-fashioning and legitimization of political authority through techniques ranging from spoliation to ritual performance. In 2014 I focused on the Hellenistic Near East, contributing a term paper on the adoption of Babylonian rulership practices and rituals by the early Seleucids in Hellenistic Mesopotamia for a graduate level course. Later that year I was awarded with a research grant during which I studied aspects of art theory in the French academic circle and their (quite imaginative) basis in antiquity under the direction of Steven Ostrow. These research methods were formative in my approach to art history, fostering my preoccupation with the power of the past and its expression in the visual arts. The McIntire Department of Art is uniquely well-suited to support me as I continue to address a variety of current issues in Early Modern visual culture. Along with the late Mary Sheriff, Sarah Betzer’s work has been formative for my study of gender and viewership in the Rococo. Betzer’s forthcoming book will certainly present new questions relevant to my focus on the reception of antique sculpture, and converges with my extensive training in Early Modern philosophy, topics that could be expanded upon and developed in my future research under her guidance. Anastasia Dakouri-Hild’s approach also dovetails significantly with my past study of how ritual performance and space (both architectural and topographical) can be used to shape political identity in the ancient world, issues which have significantly guided my approach to art history in general. In addition, the prominent inter-departmental strength in the classics is a major incentive to study at the University of Virginia. Classical reception, central to my interest in the eighteenth century, quite obviously requires close study of antiquity. My background in Latin will provide the requisite skills to refine my understanding of the Roman sources which exercised immeasurable influence upon the artistic and literary figures of the Enlightenment. In this area, I plan to draw on the expertise of faculty such as John Dobbins and John Miller whose expertise in Roman literature and reception will be invaluable as I progress in my doctoral work. The University of Virginia thus provides the ideal atmosphere for me to engage, and ultimately contribute to, ongoing conversation about receptions of antiquity in the Early Modern world.

Hi! I’m new in this forum so I hope this is the right section where to post this. Well, to put it “short”, I have a BA in Modern languages (taken in Italy) with a “minor” in art history and would like to pursue my studies in this field, going on to a MA and possibly even a PhD (I don’t know why but it really fascinates me to do any kind of research and maybe even to teach it). The problem is that during my bachelor I only took monographic courses which gave me no general view on art history: I took a 1850-1950 art history module, one about Caravaggio, another one on Flemish art (1350-1650), one on six 20th Century Italian artists and a general module on Aesthetics. Plus, I wrote my dissertation on August Strindberg and his role as a painter. In terms of credits, I would be perfectly admissible for a MA in Europe; yet, as I said before, I don’t have an overview on art history and haven’t done those readings an art history student would do during a bachelor. I feel so ignorant for this. So my final simple question is: given my background, what kind of readings should I do? Do you have any particular books/textbooks I should/must read? I have already started to read “A world history of art” by Hugh Honour, but I’m sure it won’t suffice Thanks a lot for those who will try to help me!

Any recommendations for PhD programs in 16th- and 17th-century Italian art? I have already have an MA in Art History and solid language skills. I know that in the past five years a number of scholars in Early Modern art have retired, especially in the Baroque and the 17th century, so I am also considering working with scholars who focus on Medieval or Renaissance Italian art. Of course, funding is also a concern. Thoughts?

I was wondering if anyone knew of a good online graduate program online in Art History (preferably with an emphasis on ancient history, but I know many MA programs give a broader range of course material). I know that Academy of Art University has an online degree in Art History, but since it's a for-profit school, I don't feel like it would be a respected way to pursue my goals. Aside from that, the only place I have found that has an online program for Art History is Lindenwood University, which I hadn't heard of until I went on a search for a school in the U.S. that had an online Art History graduate program. The local university does not offer art history even at a BA level and I cannot yet afford to move again, so if I want to pursue my second MA, I would have to do it via distance/online learning. Thanks, all!

Hi All! I've been slogging through past threads of applicants for Art History and thought it was time we created a current thread for this year's applicants. Currently seeking advice from those who are looking at various Master / PhD Art History / Curatorial / Museum Studies programs -- what criteria are you using to impact your decisions? Some background: I am primarily interested in MA programs (particularly funded!) in Art History or Curatorial Studies. I am also highly interested in IFA's joint degree in Conservation and Art History. Any insight for these in particular is very welcome! Please feel free to post advice / application anxieties here!

How do admissions committees view professional experience? I'm planning on applying to art history and some interdisciplinary (UC CST) programs next year and am wondering how my experience will affect my application. I've worked as a research assistant at a top museum, an editorial associate at a scholarly press, and am now working as an assistant director of one of the interdisciplinary academic centers at a university. I earned an MA from this university and it is one of my top choices. The academic fellows at the center (full professors at the university) have also told me that they would write me a LoR when I decided to apply. I was hoping that my professional experience and MA (GPA: 3.9) would make up for my GPA from undergrad (3.5), but have heard conflicting opinions.

Hi there! How about this program? LOL

It is May and I am still waiting to hear replies from the two schools I have applied in London. Birkbeck and The Courtauld. Is this normal? I did submit my application late (end of March). Is this a bad sign? This wait is incredibly frustrating. I need to find housing and get my student visa. And I don't know what to do???????

So - a few questions regarding the writing sample: should I include an abstract? Currently I am using APA style, with end notes -- keep?

Hi all! Just thought I'd start this thread. Where all are you applying? How's the GRE coming along? SoP...? Writing samples? Let's commiserate. I'll start. B.A. (top-ranking public school on the East coast) and M.A. (well-ranked, medium sized public school on the West coast) in art history. GRE registered for end-July. Currently working on my SoPs. Writing sample in my area, but needs much work/editing to be a self contained 20-page essay, as is customary for most programs. Schools shortlisted: University of California, Berkeley, University of Minnesota, University of Chicago, New York University's Institute of Fine Arts, Columbia University, City University of New York's The Graduate Centre, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University. Area: Early Modern Europe Here's to another season of applications. May the odds be ever in your favour!