Graduate Study in the History of Art and Architecture
Welcome to a supportive community of scholars and professionals dedicated to advancing scholarship and public engagement in the history of art and architecture.
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Download 2024-25 Graduate Handbook (doc) >
Course requirements
The PhD degree in Art and Architectural History requires 30 graded credits. Students admitted without MA degrees in relevant fields are expected to write a Qualifying Paper in the summer between their first and second years. Graded credits are typically completed through a combination of coursework and supervised research with the student's PhD advisor. Students are encouraged to take a wide range of Art and Architectural History PhD courses (ARAH in the course catalogue), and they may also take graduate courses in other departments that contribute to their PhD thesis formation. All students are expected to be ABD by the end of their third year of study.
Language requirements
Reading knowledge of at least two foreign languages is required. These languages should be appropriate to the dissertation field and determined in consultation with the students' PhD advisor. Language examinations are conducted in the department at the start of each semester.
PhD examinations
Students will undertake a PhD examination prepared by three faculty members in their area of study, or sometimes two in the case of Mediterranean Art & Archaeology students. Exams should demonstrate the student's mastery of foundational primary sources, historiographical issues, and scholarship broadly related to the dissertation. The PhD examination includes both written and oral components.
Dissertation prospectus
Students will write a dissertation prospectus of no more than fifteen pages (excluding bibliography) that includes an abstract; a project statement outlining the project's scope, situating it historiographically, and identifying its contributions; a program and schedule of research; and a select bibliography. All graduate students will enroll in special seminar for prospectus writing in the fall of their third year. The Handbook lays out further expectations.
Dissertation presentation
In conjunction with the student’s PhD advisor and DGS, the student schedules a formal Dissertation Presentation in which they present their thesis research to ARAH colleagues and faculty. This should be scheduled in the fall semester of the fifth year, when research and argumentation is well advanced, but at a point when criticism and feedback can still be productive. This is often scheduled in conjunction with one or two other ARAH PhD candidates.