Visual studies type PhD programs

[itscontents]

I am interested in a PhD that is not strictly Art History but that is something more like UCI's Visual Studies/ UCSD's Art Practice PhD.
Can anyone recommend similar programs?

I am also open to applying to (funded) programs that are combined MA/PhD programs in Art History. I don't have as strong a background in art history but have an art practice and a background in philosophy/theory and some art history so could benefit from that type of program, if you have heard of programs of this nature, besides UPenn and UMinnesota? I am currently in an MA program in aesthetics/politics.

Thoughts from graduates/students in the programs mentioned appreciated.

Suggestions welcome, thank you. 

Edited November 9, 2015 by itscontents

[theartman1193]

Hey, U Rochester has a fairly eminent program in visual theory and studies as well. Though, most larger programs have at least one specialist dealing with critical theory, visual studies, etc. I believe there was a previous thread on this...somewhere. UW-Madison has a visual culture program as well. You may want to check out the dissertation list - http://www.caareviews.org/dissertations/355/in_progress There seem to be a handful at CUNY.

[brown_eyed_girl]

Not sure of the specifics of these programs, but some that come to mind or pop up on the first page of Google are: Rochester, Art institute of Chicago, Duke, Harvard, UC Santa Cruz, Buffalo, NYU ("media, culture, communication" Dept). And as artman says, most AH programs also allow for overlap. 

[MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou]

7 hours ago, brown_eyed_girl said:

Not sure of the specifics of these programs, but some that come to mind or pop up on the first page of Google are: Rochester, Art institute of Chicago, Duke, Harvard, UC Santa Cruz, Buffalo, NYU ("media, culture, communication" Dept). And as artman says, most AH programs also allow for overlap. 

Just a small note, the highest degree awarded at the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is an MA (oh, how I wish that weren't true).

[brown_eyed_girl]

Thanks for the info - I knew they had visual studies but not what the highest degree was (as with several of the other programs I listed). 

[MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou]

4 hours ago, brown_eyed_girl said:

Thanks for the info - I knew they had visual studies but not what the highest degree was (as with several of the other programs I listed). 

No prob! It's still a great school. The collections you'd have access to...

[Joan Callamezzo]

What would be your end game with a Visual Studies degree? It's such a niche field with virtually no job prospects. It would be more prudent to choose a field within "art history" proper and then focus on visual studies within that discipline. I wouldn't worry too much about not having a formal art history background. Plenty of students in top art history programs were not AH majors. 

[condivi]

1 hour ago, Joan Callamezzo said:

What would be your end game with a Visual Studies degree? It's such a niche field with virtually no job prospects. It would be more prudent to choose a field within "art history" proper and then focus on visual studies within that discipline. I wouldn't worry too much about not having a formal art history background. Plenty of students in top art history programs were not AH majors. 

Agree!

[itscontents]

On November 11, 2015 at 4:42 PM, condivi said:

Agree!

 

On November 10, 2015 at 3:35 PM, Joan Callamezzo said:

What would be your end game with a Visual Studies degree? It's such a niche field with virtually no job prospects. It would be more prudent to choose a field within "art history" proper and then focus on visual studies within that discipline. I wouldn't worry too much about not having a formal art history background. Plenty of students in top art history programs were not AH majors. 

yes good point, just that non traditional art history paths might be more interesting in terms of content and being able in incorporate other neighboring fields into research ie psychology, comp lit, philosophy...

also get overwhelmed by the options with art history phd as I am not sure how compétitive they are, haven't done much research in terms of top programs etc. beyond princeton and columbia