MA Programs in Canada?

[ereissoup]

So I'm applying to do a MA degree in Canada, and beyond the programs that I am familiar with through personal experience or correspondence with students (UBC, McGill, Concordia), I have little knowledge of how any of the other Art History programs are. Of course, I've done research about the programs, their facilities, and their faculty on-line, but my knowledge is still quite lacking...

 

I was wondering if anyone could advise me about the strengths or weaknesses of the MA programs at U of T, UWO, Carleton, York, and Queen's. (Those are all places that I am considering applying to). I am especially interested in their emphasis on theory and critical engagement. Any info is greatly appreciated!

[poliscar]

Do you have a particular time period and/or geographical area in mind?

 

Carleton and Queen's are both quite notable in terms of Canadian and pre/early-Modern art, while not being particularly exciting in terms of Modern or Contemporary art. UWO and York aren't particularly strong departments, imo, and I've heard that they can both be somewhat insular. 

Toronto has a very good department, and in terms of theory has quite a number of great faculty (Cheetham, Ricco, Legge, etc). UBC and McGill are probably equally strong in terms of theory, but with different biases I suppose.

[ereissoup]

Thanks for the insight. I am interested in Photography and Modernism in Postwar Japan (1955-1974). 

 

I've heard that the sort of faculty/student relationship is somehow different at U of T than at McGill or UBC (with the latter two being perhaps more collective in terms of the grad student talking to faculty about their project, while at U of T it's a more strictly 1-to-1 relationship).

Edited December 9, 2013 by ereissoup

[poliscar]

Thanks for the insight. I am interested in Photography and Modernism in Postwar Japan (1955-1974). 

 

I've heard that the sort of faculty/student relationship is somehow different at U of T than at McGill or UBC (with the latter two being perhaps more collective in terms of the grad student talking to faculty about their project, while at U of T it's a more strictly 1-to-1 relationship).

Ming Tiampo at Carleton might be someone to look at then—http://www.carleton.ca/arthistory/people/tiampo-ming/. I don't know if York has any other faculty in the area, but in terms of Gutai she's probably the top scholar in North America.

McGill also has a number of really stellar faculty members working on Japan in other departments—Yuriko Furuhata works on Japanese film and has taught courses on photography as well (http://www.yurikofuruhata.com/). Gavin Walker could also be an interesting person to work with in terms of theory (http://www.mcgill.ca/history/gavin-walker). 

At UBC, John O'Brian has done work on Japanese photography and nuclear power/war. They're currently conducting a search for a new faculty member in Japanese or Korean Art/Architecture as well at the moment. UBC also has a stellar Asian Studies program, as well as faculty in English/Anthropology/Sociology, etc working with trans-Pacific, Japanese, and Japanese-Canadian content. 

 

I can also say that I know that McGill and UBC tend to do fairly well in terms of placing MA candidates in top-tier PhD programs, so if you're looking at a doctorate they'd both be schools to consider. 

 

[ereissoup]

Those are great suggestions; I hadn't heard of Gavin Walker of Yuriko Furahata before, and they both seem very interesting! I'm actually doing my undergrad at UBC so I am familiar with John O'Brian's work, and I've made extensive use of the Asian Library. Given that your forum avatar is an N.E. Thing Co piece, and the fact that you know about their current hiring position, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you're in/have been in their program? Anyways, thanks again for the help.

[caomengge]

I graduated from the undergrad program of Art History and East Asian Studies at McGill and I am applying for its MA program. In term of media studies of Postwar Japan, Prof.Yuriko Furahata and Prof. Thomas Lamarre  are definitely someone you can work with. If you have a broader interest in East Asian Art, you might be interested in Prof. Jeffrey Moser's research (Primary interest in Pre-modern Chinese art and intellectual history).