The Art History and Education PhD program provides an interdisciplinary, theoretically informed, methodologically diverse two track PhD program: with one track in Art History and one in Art and Visual Culture Education. Graduates will be prepared to contribute to research, theory, and practice within their respective fields in university, museum, community, and other arts leadership positions.
As a leading public research university, the University of Arizona has exceptional professional and academic resources available to graduate students. These include the Center for Creative Photography, the University of Arizona Museum of Art & Archive of Visual Arts, university art galleries, and numerous interdisciplinary study centers including the Southwest Institute for Research on Women, the American Indian Studies Program, the East Asian Studies Program, and the Latin American Area Center among others.
The program accepts applications for admission in both fall and spring. You can view the application dates and requirements in our admissions section.
Art History
The Art History track’s goal is to produce excellent scholars of art history who will be uniquely competitive in the professional world of university teaching, museum and related careers.
Students specialize in one of the following areas:
Arts of the Americas
Arts of the Ancient and Medieval World
Arts of Europe and the Colonial World: 1400-1850
History of Photography
Modern and Contemporary Arts
Theory and Criticism
The PhD degree requires 60 semester hours beyond the MA or 90 beyond the BA, including a minimum of 12 hours in the major area of emphasis, a minimum of 9 hours in the minor area, a minimum of 6 hours in interdisciplinary courses outside Art History, and a written dissertation. The remainder of the semester hours will be planned in consultation with the student's adviser. Beyond the 36 hours of course work students must take 18 hours of dissertation research. All students will complete the requirements of the MA before advancing into the PhD program. Demonstration of reading knowledge of a second language beyond that for the MA is required. Students are required to pass a comprehensive examination, write a dissertation, and pass an oral defense of the dissertation.
Special resources for graduate work include the works devoted to art within the T. E. Hanley Collection of 37,000 volumes; the Samuel H. Kress Collection of 14th to 19th century European art, including the surviving panels of the Retablo of Ciudad Rodrigo by Fernando Gallego; the Charles Leonard Pfeiffer Collection of American art, consisting of more than 100 contemporary American paintings; the Edward Joseph Gallagher III Memorial Collection of contemporary American paintings and European, Latin American, and Oriental objects of art; and miscellaneous collections, including the University Print Collection containing notable examples of the various graphic arts. The University of Arizona Museum of Art schedules exhibitions from these collections and, from time to time, other exhibitions of general or special interest. The Center for Creative Photography houses 50,000 photographic prints, archives of negatives, correspondence, and memorabilia as well as a specialized library of over 12,000 volumes.
Art and Visual Culture Education
The PhD track in Art and Visual Culture Education prepares artist/teacher/researchers who contribute to the research, creative scholarship, knowledge, theory, and practice of art and visual culture education in university, school, museum, community, or other arts leadership positions. The program is focused on contemporary intersections of art, visual culture, and education in all settings.
The faculty of the Division of Art and Visual Culture Education are dedicated to the development of well prepared scholars in the field, and foster a culture of research and inquiry, professional development, and community within the program.
54 units beyond the M.A. degree (a total of 84 beyond the B.A.) are required to complete the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Art History and Education including 18 units of dissertation research and 36 units of coursework. Candidates are expected to complete a master’s degree before entering the Ph.D. program.
Coursework is distributed over different areas of concentration, with a minimum in each area as follows.
Methods and theory: 9 units
Major: 12 units
Minor: 9 units
Electives: 6 units
Dissertation: 18 units
All coursework is selected in conjunction with the Advisor. A minimum of 18 credits of coursework outside of the dissertation units must be taken in ARE.
Students not holding a graduate degree in Art and Visual Culture Education will be asked to take 2-3 background courses in Art and Visual Culture Education, including an introductory research methods course.
Please visit the Art and Visual Culture Education website at http://www.cfa.arizona.edu/arted and feel free to contact a faculty member to discuss your interests and any questions you might have.