visual art phd programs

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Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Performing Arts

Program description.

The PhD in visual and performing arts program is designed primarily for individuals who wish to conduct advanced research and to teach at the college level, and can lead to a wide variety of non-academic careers as well. It is open to qualified candidates who desire to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The program provides students with a flexible, interdisciplinary context within which to pursue their studies, built on connections among specific courses and areas of interest. Each student plans an individual program of studies in consultation with an assigned advisor.

Visual and performing arts is an interdisciplinary program of study, so students take the majority of their coursework in visual and performing arts courses, but must also take two seminars each in both history of ideas and literature. Students pursuing the PhD in visual and performing arts may submit a creative project as part of their dissertation.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: artists, performers, teachers, researchers, arts administrators, arts entrepreneurs, arts writers/critics, editors, museum staff, consultants, archivists and other positions in research or professional practice. Career settings may include higher education, non-profits, cultural and historical organizations, publishing houses, government agencies, international development organizations, museums and archives, business/corporate entities and independent consulting.

Marketable Skills

Review the marketable skills for this academic program.

Application Requirements

Visit the  Apply Now  webpage to begin the application process.  

Applicants to the Doctoral degree program should have:  

• A baccalaureate degree (BA or MA) or its equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education, normally in an arts and humanities field.  
• Letters of Recommendation: Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation from faculty, or other individuals, able to judge the candidate’s potential for success in the program.  
• Admissions Essay: Applicants must submit a 650-word narrative essay, which should be reflective rather than factual. The essay should address the applicant’s academic interests and goals and indicate how the program would enable such pursuits.  
• A writing sample: Submit an academic writing sample (e.g., a seminar paper or a critical essay). 
• International applicants must submit a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the internet-based test.  Scores must be less than two years old. See the  Graduate Catalog  for additional information regarding English proficiency requirements for international applicants.  
• Each application is considered holistically on its individual merits. You must submit all supporting documents before the Graduate Admissions Committee can review your application. 
• The Graduate Record Examination is not required. 

Deadline:  The application deadline is January 15. All applications completed by the deadline will be reviewed for admission. Applications submitted or completed after January 15 may be reviewed for admission only if spaces remain within the upcoming cohort and will be reviewed in order by the date the application file became complete.

Contact Information

Dr. Catherine Parsoneault Clinical Professor and Program Head Phone: 972-883-2140 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Advising Pia K. Jakobsson Phone: 972-883-4706 Email: [email protected]

Graduate Admissions Phone: 972-883-6176 Email: [email protected] Request Bass School Graduate Program Information

Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021

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Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies  

The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard offers a graduate program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD.

The Department also offers a secondary field in Film and Visual Studies for students already admitted to PhD programs in other departments in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The study of film at Harvard functions within the multi-disciplinary examination of audio-visual experience. From Hugo Münsterberg's pathbreaking forays into the psychological reception of moving images and Rudolf Arnheim’s seminal investigations of "visual thinking" to Paul Sachs’s incorporation of film into the academic and curatorial focus of the fine arts at Harvard and Stanley Cavell’s philosophical approaches to the medium, Harvard has sustained a distinguished tradition of engaging cinema and the cultural, visual, spatial, and philosophical questions that it raises. With their emphases on experimentation in the contemporary arts and creative collaboration among practitioners and critics, the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) and the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts provide a singular and unparalleled site for advanced research in Film and Visual Studies. The program aims to foster critical understanding of the interactions between the making of and thinking about film and video, between studio art, performance, and visual culture, and between different arts and pursuits whose objects are audio-visual entities. The Carpenter Center also supports a lively research culture, including the Film and Visual Studies Colloquium and a Film and Visual Studies Workshop for advanced doctoral students, as well as lecture series and exhibitions featuring distinguished artists, filmmakers, and scholars.

Interdisciplinary in its impetus, the program draws on and consolidates course offerings in departments throughout the Faculty of Arts and Sciences which consider film and other arts in all their various countenances and investigate the place of visual arts within a variety of contexts. Graduate students may also take advantage of the significant resources of the Harvard Film Archive (HFA), which houses a vast collection of 16mm and 35mm film prints as well as rare video materials, vintage film posters, photographs, and promotional materials. The HFA furthers the artistic and academic appreciation of moving image media within the Harvard and the New England community, offering a setting where students and faculty can interact with filmmakers and artists. In early 2003, the HFA opened a new Conservation Center that allows the HFA conservator and staff to accession new films as well as to preserve its significant collections of independent, international, and silent films.

Students and faculty in Film and Visual Studies are also eligible to apply to the Harvard Film Study Center for fellowships which are awarded annually in support of original film, video, and photographic projects. Established in 1957, the Film Study Center provides production equipment, post-production facilities, technical support, and funding for nonfiction works that interpret the world through images and sounds. Among the many important films to have been produced at the Film Study Center are John Marshall's The Hunters (1956), Robert Gardner's Forest of Bliss (1985), Irene Lusztig's Reconstruction (2001), Ross McElwee's Bright Leaves (2003), Peter Galison and Robb Moss’s Secrecy (2008), Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor's Sweetgrass (2009), Véréna Paravel and J.P. Sniadecki’s Foreign Parts (2011), Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor’s Leviathan (2013) and De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez’s Manakamana (2014), Mati Diop’s Atlantiques (2019), Ernst Karel and Veronika

Kusumaryati’s Expedition Content (2020), and Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós’ Dry Ground Burning (2022).

Images:  Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine  (2005), directed by Peter Tscherkassky, from a print in the collection of the Harvard Film Archive.

• Undergraduate
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• Secondary Field in Film and Visual Studies
• Film and Visual Studies PhD Alumni:
• Graduate Program FAQs
• Courses in Art, Film, and Visual Studies -Fall 2024-Spring 2025

Graduate Contacts

Laura Frahm Director of Graduate Studies 

Emily Amendola Graduate Coordinator Film and Visual Studies Program (617) 495-9720 amendola [at] fas.harvard.edu  

FAQs about the Graduate Program

My native language is not english; do i have to take the an english language proficiency exam.

Adequate  command of spoken and written English  is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.*
• Earning a minimum score of 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the ...

When is the application deadline for admission to the Ph.D. program in Film and Visual Studies?

December 15, 2023

Where can I obtain an admissions application?

Applications are found on the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website ( https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply ). 

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• Ph.D. in Art History & Visual Culture

The Ph.D. Program in Art History & Visual Culture is committed to preparing you for advanced research in the global visual cultures of the past and present. The Department recognizes that visual literacy plays an increasingly important role in contemporary society. Art, architecture, mass media (television, video, film, internet), and urbanism all work through reference to visual and spatial conventions. We strive to provide you with the necessary tools to understand objects and archives and with the skills to interpret visual and material culture for the benefit of the broader community. We invite applications from highly qualified students interested in careers in research, teaching, and criticism.

Requirements for a Ph.D.

• 12 to 15 courses (excluding language courses), of which at least 10 are taken from the Art, Art History & Visual Studies department
• 2 to 4 courses taken from other departments at Duke
• Language proficiency in at least two foreign languages
• Preliminary exam
• Note the former Ph.D. track in Visual & Media Studies has now been replaced by a new Ph.D. program in Computational Media, Arts & Cultures (CMAC)
• Also review Ph.D. Program Guidelines attached below
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Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts

IDSVA’s pioneering curriculum—fusing interactive online education with intensive residencies—allows working art professionals to pursue rigorous advanced scholarship without having to interrupt or abandon their teaching careers, art practice, or other professional responsibilities.

As a true nomadic institution, IDSVA does not have a campus. We exist everywhere our students and faculty are. The IDSVA experience fuses interactive online education with intensive residencies in Rome, Spannocchia Castle (Tuscany), Siena, Florence, Venice, Berlin, Paris, Athens, Madrid, Marrakech, Mexico City, and NYC.

Artists, architects, curators, educators, philosophers, and creative scholars. Throughout this experience, IDSVA students are joined by world-leading artists and philosophers who make up the Core Faculty and Visiting Faculty.

Our innovative curriculum explores the deeply intertwined relations between the history of ideas and the history of visual culture. IDSVA grants a PhD in Visual Arts: Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory.

Changing the Way Humans Think

IDSVA’s aim is to change the way human beings think, to change the way we see the lifeworld and the way we see one another. That change— the change we are working toward as a shared communal aspiration —stands as IDSVA’s vision of the possible.

Visting Faculty

The IDSVA Visiting Faculty bring together the world's leading philosophers, artists, and scholars. These internationally renowned educators join students at residency sites and lead seminar discussions about the site's historical, aesthetic, and ideological significance.

Achievements

With a wide-ranging and prolific array of exhibitions, conference presentations, and publications, IDSVA students & alumni are changing the way we see and think.

Job Appointments

We are proud to share the latest job announcements from our students & alumni.

Book Publications

Recent book publications from IDSVA students, alumni, and faculty.

New Appointments Announcement

Dr. Silvia Mazzini, Interim Director of the School, and Dr. Elina Staikou, Dean of Students

Massey University / University of New Zealand honors Prof. Bruce Glavovic

We're pleased to share an article that Massey University published on Bruce Glavovic.

An Interview with IDSVA Founder George Smith

In this wide-ranging conversation with documentarian Christopher Andrew, President Emeritus George Smith talks about IDSVA's early tribulations and founding principles.

IDSVA Summer Faculty 2024

The following roster of scholars and artist-philosophers will join IDSVA students in seminars and symposia in Athens, Rome, Spannocchia, and Venice.

Dr. Carolyn Jean Martin awarded the 2024 Ted Coons Dissertation Prize

Awarded to one graduate each year, The Ted Coons Dissertation Prize was established in 2015 to acknowledge outstanding IDSVA dissertations.

IDSVA awards several PhD and MPhil degrees at the 2024 Commencement Ceremony

The following degrees will be awarded on April 21, 2024 in NYC.

SIMONETTA MORO NAMED IDSVA’S NEW PRESIDENT

Following an international search process, Simonetta Moro has been named the new President of the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA). Dr. Moro succeeds IDSVA’s founder, George Smith (2006-2024).

IDSVA is proud to announce the 2024 Commencement Speaker, Bruce C. Glavovic

Bruce Glavovic will receive an honorary PhD degree at the 2024 IDSVA Commencement Ceremony in New York City

IDSVA to participate in the 2024 Biennale Sessions

In June 2024, IDSVA will participate in the La Biennale di Venezia Biennale Sessions

IDSVA presents the final webinar in the series "The Blazing World, Or the Climatological Imperative: From Inaction to Reimagination"

April 5th from 2-4 pm EDT

"IDSVA is one of the single most important developments in the recent history of art education." David C. Driskell, (1931-2020) American artist and preeminent historian of African American Art. The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora is located at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Get in Touch

Please take a moment to fill out the form below and I will be in touch as soon as possible to help answer any immediate questions and facilitate the next steps in the admissions process. I'm looking forward to working with you. Best, Molly Davis Director of Administration & Director of Admissions

Doctor of Philosophy

The Institute of Fine Arts is dedicated to graduate teaching and advanced research in the history of art and archeology and in the conservation and technology of works of art. The Institute strives to give its students not only a sound knowledge in the history of art, but also a foundation in research, connoisseurship, and theory as a basis for independent critical judgment and research. The student following the PhD course of study gains a deeper understanding of a subject area, beyond what is normally acquired at the master’s level and develops a capacity for independent scholarship. The PhD Program at the Institute of Fine Arts is a course of study designed for the person who wants to investigate the role of the visual arts in culture through detailed, object-based examination as well as historical and theoretical interpretation. The degree program provides a focused and rigorous experience supported by interaction with the leading scholars of the Institute, and access to New York area museums, curators, conservators, archaeological sites and NYU’s global network. The program is designed for up to six years of full-time funded study. A total of 18 courses (72 points) are required for the PhD degree. Each student registers for three courses per semester for the first five semesters. One course in the fifth semester is dedicated to developing the dissertation proposal. In the sixth semester students register for 12 points devoted preparing for the oral exam and beginning work on the dissertation. Exceptions to full-time study are made only for urgent financial or medical reasons and must have the approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Distribution Requirements

Students must take at least one seminar in four fields outside of their area of specialization. The Proseminar may count as one of these seminars. Students are required to take one course in technical studies of works of art. The minimum total seminars for PhD students is six. Students may take courses in other relevant disciplines in consultation with their advisor, and subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Distribution requirements are met by choosing courses in the following fields:

• Pre-modern Asia
• Pre-modern Africa and the Middle East
• The Ancient Mediterranean and Middle East, including
• Pre-modern Europe and the Americas
• Post-1750 Global
• Museum and Curatorial Studies
• Technical Studies of Works of Art
• Architectural History

Course Definitions and Requirements

Proseminar : The purpose of the Proseminar is to introduce students in the doctoral program to advanced research methods in the history of art. Because it is a dedicated course for the entering PhD student, it will serve to consolidate the cohort. It is taken during the first semester and is taught by a rotation of the Institute faculty, with a different faculty member chosen each year. Emphasis is placed on the specific practices of art-historical analysis in relation to visual and textual interpretation. The contents of the seminar vary each year according to the research interests of the chosen instructor. The class is structured around specific problems in the history of art rather than broad conceptual paradigms, with an emphasis on historical interpretation. Colloquium: A colloquium provides an analysis or overview of the state of the literature on a given art historical topic or problem, with extensive reading, discussion, and presentations. There may be a final paper.

Seminar: A seminar is a focused advanced course that explores a topic in depth. Seminars are often based on an exhibition in the New York area. Students are expected to produce a substantive paper that demonstrates original research. Lecture: Lecture courses explore topics or historical periods, giving overviews of major issues as well as detailed analysis of specific problems and works of art. Students are responsible for assigned and recommended reading, and may produce short papers and/or take an exam.

Curatorial Track

This doctoral-level program is offered jointly by the Institute of Fine Arts and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, under the supervision of the Joint Committee on Curatorial Studies composed of faculty, curators, and the Directors of both institutions. The purpose of the program is to prepare students for curatorial careers in specialized fields. Students are required to take two courses in Curatorial Studies, which are taught at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, before being offered an internship at the Museum.

Language Requirement

PhD students must demonstrate proficiency in reading two modern research languages other than English that are relevant to their studies. Proficiency is demonstrated by passing an examination administered by the Institute of Fine Arts. International students focusing on a field of study in which their native language is relevant may be granted an exemption from the language requirement pending submission of an exemption form signed by their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Qualifying Paper

The Qualifying Paper may be developed from seminar work or might be on a topic devised in consultation with the student’s advisor. Normally, the student will be advised to produce a detailed study on a subject that leads towards the dissertation. It should be no longer than 10,000 words (excluding bibliography and footnotes).

Students are examined on a major field consisting of two contiguous areas and a third component that can be in a related field providing skills for their dissertation.

Students are encouraged to teach after passing the second year review. Opportunities for teaching at NYU and at other New York area colleges and universities will be coordinated by the Director of Graduate Studies.

PhD students are funded for up to six years, depending on the transfer of previous graduate work. The program is normally divided into three years of course work, exams, and submission of a dissertation proposal and three years for dissertation research and writing. Variations to this pattern might occur according to opportunities for students to develop skills or experience in their specialist fields, as approved by the student’s advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. Students are encouraged to compete for outside fellowships. The award of such fellowships might extend the number of years taken to complete the program. Institute funding will be suspended during the period of outside fellowship support.

Students Entering with a Master’s Degree

To receive the PhD degree, all Institute requirements must have been fulfilled, including a Master’s thesis (of copy of which is submitted with the application), and a distribution of courses within areas of study that correspond to those outlined in Distribution Requirements. No credits will be automatically transferred; credit will be awarded based upon evaluation by the Institute Faculty at the First Year Course Review. In addition, at least one written comprehension exam in a foreign language must have been passed. The student entering with a MA degree must pass an exam in a second language, if not yet attained, by the end of his/her first year of study. Entering students who have been awarded an MA at the Institute will begin as third year PhD students. They are expected to have a distribution of courses that meet the Course Distribution for the PhD and are required to pass a written comprehension exam in a second language.

Degree Requirements

PhD | Masters Degree | Conservation

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Fully Funded MFA and PhD Programs in Art and Design

Last updated March 9, 2022

As part of my series on  How to Fully Fund Your PhD , I provide a list of universities that offer full funding for a MFA and PhD Programs in Art and Design, which, in addition to preparing you to work as a professional artist in your field, can lead to careers in academia, consulting, and curating for museums, among others. With the average cost of a Master’s and Doctoral degree nearing or exceeding $100,000, gaining admission to a fully funded program is ideal.

“Full funding” is a financial aid package for full-time students that includes full tuition remission and an annual stipend or salary for the three to six-year duration of the student’s doctoral studies. Funding is typically offered in exchange for graduate teaching and research work that is complementary to your studies. Not all universities provide full funding to their doctoral students, which is why I recommend researching the financial aid offerings of all the potential PhD programs in your academic field, including small and lesser-known schools both in the U.S. and abroad.

Would you like to receive the full list of more than 1000+ fully funded programs in 60 disciplines? Download the FREE Directory of Fully Funded Graduate Programs and Full Funding Awards !

1. Duke University, PhD in Art History and Visual Culture

(Durham, NC): The Graduate School provides Ph.D. students with a stipend, payment of tuition, and fee support for their first five years of study, as well as health insurance for the first six years if students are on the Duke student medical insurance plan. After their fifth year, students are responsible for tuition and fees, and most of our students obtain external or departmental funding to cover those costs.

2. Illinois State University, MFA in Art

(Normal, Il, IL): The University provides graduate assistantships as a means of financial support. Monthly wages paid in the form of either a stipend or an hourly wage, waiver for 100% of tuition during a semester of appointment, a waiver for up to 12 credit hours of tuition for the summer term immediately following a fall or spring appointment are included.

3. North Carolina State College of Design, PhD in Design

(Raleigh, NC): The PhD in Design program provides generous support for the students, which includes full tuition, stipend, and health insurance. This level of support is a minimum for the three years or more of the students’ study period.

4. Ohio State University, MFA in Visual Arts

(Columbus, OH): Most students accepted into the MFA Program are funded with a Graduate Associate appointment, which requires working 20 hours a week in exchange for a fee authorization (payment of tuition) and a stipend. These appointments may include teaching introductory courses, assisting in department labs, and working for The Arts Initiative.

5. Stanford University, MFA in Art Practice

(Stanford, CA): Through a combination of fellowship funds and teaching assistantships, each Art Practice graduate student normally receives an aid package that includes tuition and stipend as well as small materials grants.

6. Tulane University, MFA in Studio Art

(New Orleans, LA): All admitted graduate students receive a full tuition waiver and a generous assistantship stipend.

7. University of Arkansas, MFA in Studio Art

(Fayetteville, AR): All students in the M.F.A. Studio Art program are fully supported.  We are able to provide full assistantships to all of our M.F.A.’s. The assistantship includes a full tuition waiver and a stipend that will increase next year to $15,000 annually, plus  a Graduate Fellowship in the amount of $4,000 per year,  for a total package of $19,000 of support per year

8. University of California, Davis, MFA in Art Studio

(Davis, CA): The Art Studio MFA Program offers substantial financial support through paid Teaching Assistant positions each quarter and through Art Studio Program Fellowships, made possible by generous private endowments.

9. University of Connecticut, MFA in Studio Art

(Storrs, CT): Fully funded program providing both tuition remission, stipend, and health insurance.

10. University of Georgia, MFA in in Studio Art

(Athens, GA): All full-time students of the three-year MFA program are fully funded. Applicants will be automatically considered for departmental assistantships. Funding is also available from various sources to offset the cost of materials and travel related to graduate research.

11. University of Michigan, MFA in Art & Design

(Ann Arbor, MI): The Stamps School offers generous financial support to graduate students, in addition to teaching and research assistantships, stipends, and discretionary funds.

12. University of South Florida, MFA in Studio Art

(Tampa, FL): Every current graduate student in the School of Art & Art History receives a full tuition waiver plus either a scholarship OR a graduate assistantship. The USF School of Art & Art History offers two graduate degree programs: Master of Arts in Art History and Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art.

13. University of Oregon, MFA in Art

The Department of Art provides generous funding for MFA Candidates during their three years of study. All students in good standing are given free tuition through a combination of Graduate Employee Fellowship support and tuition remissions.

Choosing the right graduate program is important and involves multiple factors. As a next step, we recommend that you read How To Choose The Right Graduate Program .

© Victoria Johnson 2020, all rights reserved.

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Fully Funded PhD Programs

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Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology

Visual and Performing Arts Graduate Programs

Integrate study and practice in the arts with academic enrichment from the humanities.

The graduate programs in the visual and performing arts provide an interdisciplinary context to pursue research and practice across a wide range of creative and academic traditions. You can focus your studies in film, visual art, performing arts or art history. You’ll also have the opportunity to enrich your practice in the performing and visual arts and to participate in seminars in other disciplines including history, philosophy and literature.

Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Performing Arts

The PhD in Visual and Performing Arts degree program is designed primarily for individuals who wish to conduct advanced research and to teach at the college level, and can lead to a wide variety of non-academic careers as well. It is open to qualified candidates who desire to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The program provides students with a flexible, interdisciplinary context within which to pursue their studies, built on connections among specific courses and areas of interest. Each student plans an individual program of studies in consultation with an assigned advisor.

Visual and Performing Arts is an interdisciplinary program of study, so students take the majority of their coursework in Visual and Performing Arts courses, but may also take seminars in History of Ideas and Literature. Students pursuing the PhD in Visual and Performing Arts may submit a creative project as part of their dissertation.

Coursework: 42 semester credit hours

Forty-two semester credit hours of which at least 21 are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Visual and Performing Arts (VPAS).

Required Courses: 30 semester credit hours 

VPAS 6300  Proseminar in Visual and Performing Arts 1

ARHM 6310  Team-Taught Interdisciplinary Seminar

15 semester credit hours of organized graduate-level  VPAS  courses

9 semester credit hours of  VPAS 8305  Field Exam Preparation

Elective Courses: 12 semester credit hours

12 semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in all PhD programs in the Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology are expected to demonstrate intermediate-level reading proficiency in a foreign language (equivalent to two years of foreign-language study at the undergraduate level). Students must fulfill the language requirement before scheduling doctoral field examinations.

As part of its approval of a dissertation proposal, the Graduate Studies Committee will consider the appropriateness of a candidate’s language preparation for the research or creative project. Faculty members chairing field examinations and dissertations should ensure that students possess the necessary language proficiency to carry out their proposed doctoral research.

The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in a PhD program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following:

• Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher (e.g., an undergraduate literature course in a foreign language) with a grade of B or better.
• Completion of a graduate course taught in a foreign language or with more than 25% of its required readings in a foreign language.
• An undergraduate major, graduate degree, or certificate in a foreign language.
• Successful completion of graded coursework at a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English.
• A degree in any discipline from a foreign university at which the primary language of instruction is not English.

The requirement can be satisfied during graduate study at UT Dallas in one of the following ways:

• Completion of a second-semester, intermediate-level foreign language course or higher at UT Dallas or elsewhere with a grade of B or better.
• Successful completion of  LIT 6326  Translation Workshop with a grade of B or better.
• Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330  French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333  German Workshop with a grade of B or better.
• Passing a written translation exam in an approved foreign language at UT Dallas.

The doctoral field examinations consist of three written sections and an oral defense. The examining committee, composed of three members of the faculty (at least two of whom are faculty in the Visual and Performing Arts Program), oversees definition and preparation of the three examination fields. Initial committee formation must take place during the semester in which students complete 36 semester credit hours of coursework, which will typically be followed by nine semester credit hours of  VPAS 8305 : Field Exam Preparation. Exams normally should be completed before completion of 60 semester credit hours.

Students are formally advanced to PhD candidacy when they have successfully completed the doctoral field examinations and received final approval for dissertation topics. Students should submit a preliminary dissertation proposal for consideration during the oral section of the doctoral field examination. After that examination, a four-person supervising committee is formed, normally from the examining committee plus an additional faculty member, to oversee dissertation work. The supervising committee must then approve a formal dissertation proposal before the student submits it to the Graduate Studies Committee for final approval.

Each candidate then writes a doctoral dissertation, which is supervised and defended according to general University regulations.

PhD in Visual and Performing Arts Fact Sheet

Robert Plant Armstrong Fellowship

Mabel H Bremer Travel Award (Preference given to Literature PhD students)

Edith O’Donnell Graduate Fellowship 

Dr. Roger N. and Adrienne T. Rosenberg Graduate Fellowship

Explore Other Scholarships and Financial Aid →

Master of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts

The Master of Arts in Visual and Performing Arts offers either a professional option or a research option. Students pursuing the research option for the MA in Visual and Performing Arts may submit a creative project as part of their portfolio.

Visual and Performing Arts is an interdisciplinary program of study, so students take the majority of their coursework in Visual and Performing Arts courses, but may also take seminars in History of Ideas and Literature.

Coursework: 33 semester credit hours

Thirty-three semester credit hours of which at least 18 semester credit hours are taken as organized graduate-level courses in Visual and Performing Arts.

Required Courses: 21 semester credit hours

Free Electives: 12 semester credit hours 

Twelve semester credit hours of electives in any graduate-level courses.

Students in the professional option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework. They are not required to complete a portfolio or meet the foreign language requirement.

Students in the research option must complete 33 semester credit hours of coursework, fulfill a foreign language requirement, and complete a portfolio.

The research option MA degree requires demonstrated proficiency in an approved foreign language. The requirement can be satisfied upon enrollment in the MA program by demonstrating evidence of one or more of the following:

• Successful completion of  LIT 6326 : Translation Workshop with a grade of B or better.
• Successful completion of one of the following:  HUMA 6330 : French Workshop;  HUMA 6331 : Spanish Workshop;  HUMA 6333 : German Workshop with a grade of B or better.

Two research papers or a creative project plus a scholarly essay originating in or completed for graduate courses are revised and presented in a portfolio for evaluation by a master’s committee.

MA in Visual and Performing Arts Fact Sheet

Program Highlights

Research and Creative Opportunities

Since our school combines the humanities and the arts, many faculty members are engaged in the creation and performance of artistic works in creative writing and the visual and performing arts. 

Six centers and institutes affiliated with the Bass School promote interdisciplinary research:

• The Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies
• The Center for Asian Studies
• The Center for Translation Studies
• The Center for U.S.-Latin-America Initiatives
• The Center for Values in Medicine, Science and Technology 
• The Edith O-Donnell Institute of Art History

Discover Our Centers, Labs and Studios →

Our graduate students conduct and present research nationally and internationally. 

See our graduate student accomplishments.

Faculty Mentors

Our faculty members will help you gain the knowledge, skills and support you need for a rewarding career. Meet our faculty .

Student Organizations

Get real-world experience and leadership opportunities by performing with our musical ensembles, dance and theatre groups and more.

Explore music ensembles →

Explore theatre opportunities →

Explore dance opportunities →

Explore Arts, Humanities, and Technology Student Organizations →

Dr. Robert Xavier Rodríguez

Chair in Art and Aesthetic Studies, professor of music

“I was among the first arts and humanities faculty at UT Dallas in 1975. My students and colleagues have brought me many joys, especially the former students who have kept in touch over the past 36 years. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to make music on campus with my Musica Nova ensemble and to have several of my works performed and sometimes premiered here. After the next 36 years, I will be 101, at which point I hope I can afford to retire.”

Contact Information

Catherine Parsoneault Visual and Performing Arts Program Head, Clinical Professor, Director of Music, and Assistant Dean for Assessment Phone: 972-883-2140 Email: [email protected] Office:  JO 4.120

Pia K. Jakobsson Graduate Academic Advisor Phone: 972-883-4706 Email:  [email protected] Office:  JO 4.128

Graduate Advising Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology The University of Texas at Dallas, JO31 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 Phone: 972-883-4706 Email:  [email protected]

Office of Admission and Enrollment 800 W. Campbell Road Richardson, TX 75080-3021 972-883-2270 or 1-800-889-2443 [email protected] utdallas.edu/enroll

Doctoral Application Deadlines

MA Application Deadlines

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Our Film Studies program has the Global Cinema Symposium taking place in November 2024. Please take a look at the Call for Papers and submit your abstract.

Reach out to us  to get more information about your program of interest.

Review the Bass School’s  graduate application process and requirements.

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• Join our PhD Art History Program (VA76)

Ph.D. Art History Program (VA76)

The Department of Visual Arts offers a PhD in art history, theory, and criticism with specializations in cultural areas in which faculty do research (VA76). Offering a distinct alternative to other PhD programs in art history, our program centers on a unique curriculum that treats the study of art past and present—including fine art, media and new media, design and popular culture as part of a broad inquiry into the practices, objects, and discourses that constitute the art world, even as it encourages examination of the larger frameworks—historical, cultural, social, intellectual, and theoretical—within which the category “art” has been contextualized in the most recent developments in the discipline. This program is also distinctive in that it is housed within a department that has been for many years one of the nation’s leading centers of art practice and graduate education in studio, media, and—most recently—digital media. The offering of the PhD and MFA is based on the department’s foundational premise that the production of art and the critical, theoretical, and historical reflection upon it inherently and necessarily participate in a single discursive community. This close integration of art history and art practice is reflected in the inclusion of a concentration in art practice within the PhD in art history, theory, and criticism.

To Apply:   https://connect.grad.ucsd.edu/apply/

Application Opens:  September 4th, 2024 for the Fall 2025 application cycle

Application Deadline:  December 4th, 2024 for the Fall 2025 application cycle

Interdisciplinary Specializations

Students within the PhD program who are interested in the opportunity to undertake specialized research may apply to participate in an interdisciplinary specialization. Students accepted into a specialization program would be expected to complete coursework in addition to those required for their PhD program. The department offers interdisciplinary specializations with the following campus programs.

• Anthropogeny:   for students with an interest in human origin
• Critical Gender Studies:   providing specialized training in gender and sexuality
• Interdisciplinary Environmental Research : for students interested in environmental solutions

Application Requirements

All applicants must satisfy the following to be considered for admissions to our department:

Completion of a four-year Bachelors degree or equivalent: 

• 3.0 GPA minimum or 'B' average
• Submission of unofficial transcripts required 

English Language Proficiency:

• Demonstrated English language proficiency is required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. Non-native English language speakers may either display proficiency by meeting the minimum speaking scores listed below or can be exempt from the test scores requirement if they received a degree from an institution which provides instruction solely in English. Please refer to the following link for more information regarding the degree from an institution exemption: English Language Proficiency .
• TOEFL iBT speaking scores of 26-30
• IELTS speaking scores of 8-9
• PTE speaking scores of 84-90

Letters of Recommendation:

• Minimum of 3 recommendations required
• Letters of recommendation should come from individuals, preferably previous professors, who can best explain why you are prepared and would be successful in rigorous academic studies at the graduate level.

Statement of Purpose:

• 750-1000 word limit, not to exceed 3 pages
• Focus your Statement of Purpose on the reasons you are interested in attending this graduate program. You can include the research you hope to pursue within our program and give the Admissions Committee a sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish. The statement should be well organized, concise, and completely free of grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.
• Writing Sample
• 2000 word Research Statement

Portfolio Requirements

Writing Sample (4000-8000 words):

Examples include: senior honors thesis, MA thesis, or other research or critical paper, preferably in art or media history.

Research Statement (2000 words maximum):

The Research Statement should explain the research that you wish to pursue within our program. There may be some overlap between the Research Statement and Statement of Purpose however these should be viewed as two distinct prompts that will give the Admissions Committee a greater sense of who you are and what you would accomplish at UC San Diego.

File Names for Portfolio Items:

Please name your files, with your Last Name, First Initial underscore and the document type. So if my name was Terry Triton, I would have the following File Names:

Graduate Student Research

Check out our annual Research Colloquium . PhD students who have recently advanced to candidacy present their research to the local community. Please explore the recent work completed within the department, in addition to the Faculty and Graduate Student personal pages. 

2023 Research Colloquium

2022 Research Colloquium

2021 Research Colloquium

2020 Research Colloquium

• Join our MFA Program
• Join our PhD Art Practice Program (VA77)

Welcome to the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies

Degree Requirements

• Graduate Student Handbook
• Visual Studies Emphasis
• Faculty Books
• Graduate Students
• Visual Studies Alumni
• How to Apply

Visual Studies investigates the histories, meanings, and implications of the image, art work, representation, and their media. Wide-ranging and theoretically rigorous in approach, our faculty work across diverse cultures, geographies, and periods, with strong interests in photography, performance, illustration and design histories, archaeology, architecture and the built environment, site-based installation, museum studies and exhibition histories, manuscripts, sculpture, and painting. We welcome students exploring new lines of inquiry into the visual and who seek academic community and close mentorship.

Students who are admitted into the program, whether with BAs or MAs, enter directly into the PhD program in small cohorts and with multi-year funding packages. We strongly recommend prospective students contact and speak with faculty members with whom they are interested in working before applying.

Students are required to complete fourteen courses. These courses include four method and writing practicum seminars, as well as ten electives chosen from Visual Studies and other fields of study. During coursework, students have the opportunity to encounter a wide range of theoretical and thematic approaches, including studies in race, diaspora, and migration, gender and sexuality, materiality and the environment, medicine and science, design and the museum, to archival and archaeological practices, postcolonial and decolonial approaches. Once they complete coursework, language requirement, oral exams, and degree prospectus, students advance to candidacy at the end of their third year. Students who enter the program with a BA will also complete an MA paper and degree by the end of their second year.  After advancing to candidacy, students undertake their dissertation, with a normative time to completion of three years.  

Because of Visual Studies’ interdisciplinary nature, during their coursework students are required to take a number of electives in other departments and programs. Through their coursework, students may concurrently earn an interdisciplinary Graduate Emphasis or Specialization in areas such as Critical Theory, Feminist Studies, Asian American Studies, Ancient Iran and the Premodern Persianate World, and Latin American Studies, among others.

Students admitted into the program receive five-year funding packages which cover tuition, stipend, and health insurance through a combination of fellowship, teaching assistantship, and research assistantship support. Once admitted, students may pursue further funding opportunities for research, conference travel, and/or language studies through Graduate Division, the School of Humanities, and other campus centers and programs.

Students benefit from our location near Los Angeles and the rich cultural institutions and offerings of southern California, such as the Getty Museum and Research Institute, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Disneyland, San Diego Museum of Art, Museum of Latin American Art, UCI Special Collections, the Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art, and Huntington Library and Museum, among others. Graduate students also have the opportunity to take classes from other nearby UCs through the UC intercampus exchange program.

Prospective students interested in the Film and Media Studies PhD Program can find more information here: https://www.humanities.uci.edu/filmandmediastudies/phd

The application deadline is December 15.

Contact Visual Studies

3000 Humanities Gateway Irvine, CA 92697-2785

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PhD in Art Education

The Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education degree is designed for students who want to make a scholarly contribution to the Art Education field.

Allison Rowe, PhD (2021). “Work Like a River” (participatory lecture, 2017). Photo by Larissa Issler

PhD Art Education

At the University of Illinois, faculty and graduate students build a vibrant community of inquiry within the context of a Research 1 university. This community, including faculty whose breadth of interests span topics including contemporary art and visual culture in education, formal and informal learning, cultural policy and urban studies, and teacher training and identity, provides an intellectually stimulating environment for graduate students to stretch themselves intellectually and become world authorities on the particular topic of their dissertation.

Some doctoral students receive funding and support as teaching assistants for 4 years, and this funding is conditional upon academic standing. This funding includes a tuition waiver, a salary, health insurance, annual conference funding, plus many opportunities to gain competitive grants. Students complete coursework, consisting of 5 courses in art education, courses in research methodology and writing, courses in a minor that complements individual student interest, and courses that prepare students for the qualifying exam (taken after one year of full-time study) and the preliminary exam (at the conclusion of coursework). Examples of minors include Asian Studies, Art History, New Media, Museum Studies, and Women’s Studies. Following the conclusion of coursework, students write a dissertation that contributes new knowledge to the field of art education. Finally, students defend their dissertation.

During this course of study, there are numerous resources available to graduate students in Art Education, both within our program and across the University of Illinois:

• At our major comprehensive research university, students have access to the broadest possible range of elective courses.
• Visual Arts Research is a scholarly, refereed journal and has been published through the Art Education program for over 40 years. It is edited by Art Education faculty.
• The Everyday Arts Lab offers an excellent local site for graduate research for those interested in arts and social practice.
• With a total of 14 million titles the University of Illinois Library houses the largest collection of any public university in the world. The Ricker Library of Architecture and Art has 120,000 titles and 33,00 serials.
• The Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory is a program that promote conversations among a range of departments in the humanities, social sciences, and performing arts by organizing lectures, panel discussions, and conferences, as well as the Modern Critical Theory lecture series.
• The Krannert Art Museum includes an archive of over 8,000 works of art and rotating exhibitions of traditional and innovative art works.
• The Spurlock Museum highlights the diversity of cultures around the globe.
• Illinois is host to the  International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry , which brings a large contingent of art education scholars to campus.
• Regular visiting speakers from other institutions including Kevin Tavin, Amelia Kraehe, David Darts, Olivia Gude, Luis Camnitzer, Matthew Goulish, Marjorie Manifold, and Stephanie Springgay.
• Devoted room for Art Education PhD students including carrels for your use.

Faculty Interests

• Arts-based research
• Community arts education
• Conceptual art practices and theory
• Creative cities
• Cultural globalization
• Emerging curriculum theory
• Performance studies
• Psychoanalysis
• Social practice
• Socially engaged art
• Teacher identity
• Urban education
• Visual culture
• Youth studies

Ask Us a Question

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Laura Hetrick  

Sarah Travis  

Our Programs

Our Visual Art Graduate Program offers a vibrant community of artists and art historians engaged in research, theory and contemporary art practices—providing graduate students with an educational experience that will be intense, rewarding and productive. Both the MFA and PhD programs have an established history of contributing to the contemporary Canadian art scene. Our students are recipients of numerous awards, and a significant number of our alumni continue achieving national and international success as artists, curators and educators.

Combined MFA/MBA

The MFA in Visual Art is a five-term studio-centred program in which students independently develop an art practice, guided by faculty advisors who share their practice/theory interests. Seminars, guest lectures and critiques provide an environment of critical and theoretical enquiry that reflects contemporary debates in art and culture. No emphasis is placed on any one medium. Drawing, painting, performance, photography, print media, sculpture and time-based art (performance, video, audio, time-based installation, interactive media) are represented and often students’ practices across these media. Students independently pursue research that is relevant to their art studio work.

Set within a university context, the MFA in Visual Art seeks to provide students with the ability to think rigorously about their art practice and its relation to society as a whole. Along with Visual Art faculty, other York University faculty members, guest artists, curators and critics also support the development of students’ projects.

Applicants to the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program should hold an Honours degree in Visual Art, or equivalent, from a recognized university with a minimum of B standing to be considered for admission. Artists lacking formal academic qualifications, but showing exceptional promise and accomplishment through their portfolios, may be recommended for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

The Schulich School of Business and the Graduate Programme in Visual Art offer a three-year combined programme leading to both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Fine Arts degree.

The combined MFA/MBA degree programme offers students a unique opportunity to study. Graduates of this highly challenging programme will follow career paths in which knowledge of the arts and of management and business are required.

The MFA/MBA programmes complement each other in focus and offer excellent preparation for those interested in management careers in the arts and cultural sector.

The PhD in Visual Art is a practice-based program of study in which individually defined conceptual foci are materialized and disseminated through the integration of artworks, research and writing. Research questions in this context are focused on visual art, as well as other areas of scholarly investigation that are defined by candidates as relevant to their studio interests.

Inaugurated in 2008, the PhD in Visual Art is a four year full–time advanced degree that will prepare mature artist–researchers with the highest qualifications to teach studio and theory courses, supervise graduate students within a university context, and have significant professional careers as artists. These objectives are achieved through a combination of coursework, independent studio practice, and writing.

Courses are completed in the first two years, taken in the program and in the university at large, Students complete a comprehensive exam that is based on a self–curated exhibition in the second year and write a dissertation proposal by the end of the second summer (term 6) of the program. They must defend a dissertation in the form of a significant solo exhibition, accompanied by a substantial dissertation research support paper that amplifies and contextualizes the theme(s) in their studio work. Students’ scholarly/creative research is supported by a committee composed of faculty and art world professionals. Students must demonstrate maturity in research as recognized by the academic sector as well as by their peers in the art community.

VAAH ARTSPACES

VAAH ARTSPACES is our online gallery for showcasing the work of graduate and undergraduate students in the Visual Art & Art History Program.

Gales Gallery and the Special Project Gallery on our campus offer students the opportunity to gain installation experience, experiment with presentation techniques, and share their work with a broader audience.

Waymark: 2020 MFA Visual Art Digital Publication

An anthology which brings together the creative and critical Visual Art thesis work of our 2020 MFAs.

Digital Publication (.pdf) (.PDF

Experience us 24/7, 365 from anywhere around the world.

Peek inside our galleries and art studios, including the largest university sculpture studio in Canada.

Take a virtual tour

The Graduate Program in Visual Art at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.

Connect with Visual Art

• Department of Art >
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PhD in Visual Studies

Program update.

We are not currently accepting applications for this degree program. To add your name to our mailing list for future information, please contact us .

The PhD program in Visual Studies is an advanced program for motivated, independently-minded scholars invested in critical discourses that analyze and challenge the social norm.

This program offers a study of visual culture with a particular emphasis on the late 19th, 20th and 21st centuries integrating art history, histories of the image, and critical theory with alternative perspectives rooted in sexuality studies and gender. Students take courses in any department or program at UB for credit. This course of study is research focused in consultation with advisers. There are only a few required courses—an introduction to visual studies/critical theory and another course that analyze art in the context of social change.

Graduates of the program become prepared to work in a range of related disciplines including art history, studio art, performance studies, American studies, curatorial/museum work, critical theory, art writing.

For more information

Admissions information.

Department of Art Contact Us

• Academics /

Visual Arts Graduate Certificate

Explore and analyze the arts in their contexts through observation, hands-on artistic creative processes, and academic study.

Online with On-Campus Options

Next Start Term: Spring 2025

Registration opens November 4, 2024

What You'll Learn

• Insight on essential frameworks and methodologies by which to understand, critique, and appreciate art.
• Understanding of art in its cultural, political, philosophical, and historical context.
• Deepened knowledge in focused topic areas, such as art history since World War II, Buddhist and Japanese artistic traditions, religion and the arts, and contemporary Latin American film.

Our Community at a Glance

Going back to school doesn’t have to mean putting your life on hold.

We’ve designed our courses and certificates to give you the flexibility to pace your studies to fit your schedule.

Working Full Time

Would Recommend Certificate

Certificate Courses

The liberal arts graduate certificate in Visual Arts requires three courses.

You may choose any three courses from the Visual Arts certificate course group, using the certificate course search .

Earning Your Certificate

Most of our certificates can be completed online and no formal application process is required to pursue a certificate.

To meet the requirements for the certificate, you must:

• Complete the  three certificate courses for graduate credit .
• Earn at least a  B grade  in each course.
• Complete the courses within three years .

Learn more about  pursuing a certificate  and the process of  requesting your certificate .

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

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Herron School of Art + Design

Integrative studio immersion.

Herron's M.F.A. in visual art degree program allows students to delve into creative research, critical dialogue, and contemporary art within the context of Indiana's premier urban public research university .

Our studio-oriented environment, community support, and access to outstanding facilities, faculty, and resources, will allow you to experiment more thoroughly, work across media or on a larger scale, and take risks while continually discussing and developing your work, from process to concept.

For the next two years, your focus will be on defining your practice and learning how to sustain it long after graduation.

Art-inspired living

Indianapolis is the 15th largest city in the U.S. and the second largest city in the Midwest, but it has the feel of a small town. With Herron's more than 100-year history in Indy , the city has myriad opportunities for faculty, students, and alums.

Within these walls

Herron provides everything you need to advance your professional practice. You'll have a semi-private studio, and access to various workspaces, including the Think It Make It Lab , a lighting studio, and resin, casting, and finishing rooms.

Plan of study

By means of advanced coursework and in-depth studio experience, you will explore and shape the formal, thematic, theoretical, social, cultural, critical, and technical aspects of your contemporary art practice.

Year 1, Fall Semester

• Studio Emphasis I
• Art of the Past Two Decades
• Graduate Studio Elective

Year 1, Spring Semester

• Studio Emphasis II
• Project Management/Public Art
• Art History or University Visual Art Teaching Practicum

Year 2, Fall Semester

• Studio Emphasis III
• Interdisciplinary Critique in the Visual Arts
• Art Theory and Criticism
• Graduate Studio Elective or Academic Elective

Year 2, Spring Semester

• Studio Emphasis IV: Thesis Exhibit/Project
• Art History or Academic Elective

Student work

Left to right, top to bottom: Christina Hollering, Lake Kingsbury, Lake Hampshire, Lake Woodcliff, Lake Lancester, Lake Dorchester, Lake Stafford , 2022, Cut paper, mylar, vinyl, and spray paint. Kara Beth Rasure, Absence.wav , 2023, Wood, brass. Christina Hollering, Lake Canterbury, Lake Sussex, Lake Sussex, Lake Wimbledon, Lake Yorkshire, Lake Abby , 2022, Cut paper, mylar, and spray paint. Kara Beth Rasure, Minute Catcher , 2023, Wood, polymer clay. Sherry Polley, Glitter Von Bomb , 2022, Vinyl assemblage on acrylic. Sherry Polley, Punkiwi , 2022, Vinyl assemblage on acrylic. Niloofar Alibakhshi, Inner Energy , 2023, Geometric patterns, paint, laser-cut wood, LED strip, Farsi letters. Patrick Bennett, 19 Atlas , 2022, Various wood species, mixed media. Niloofar Alibakhshi, Transformation , 2023, Geometric patterns, paint, laser-cut wood, Farsi letters. Julie Xiao, Drifter , 2023, Gouache. Patrick Bennett, Put That Fake Smile On , 2022, Various wood species, mixed media. Emily Archer, Bigger, and Better, and Best , 2022, Acrylic wall paint, polyurethane foam, spray paint, metal brackets, LED faux neon light. Julie Xiao, Forager , 2023, Ink on paper. Brianna Edgerly, Childhood Unraveled , 2023, Papermaking, analog printing. Emily Archer, Totally Wish I Were You , 2022, Polyurethane foam, glitter, spray paint, acrylic paint, puffy paint, plastic gems, resin. Emily Archer, Don't Care How, I Want It Now! , 2022, Polyurethane foam, glitter spray paint, acrylic paint, puffy paint, plastic gems, resin. Joseph Swanson, Django, Prepare a Coffin , 2023, Acrylic and ink on canvas. Joseph Swanson, Lord Orange & the Tropicana Derailment , 2023, Mixed media on canvas drop cloth.   Courtesy of the artists

Visual art stories

Dominic Senibaldi

(M.F.A. Visual Art '13)

Dominic Senibaldi discusses the 10 East Arts Windows offer painting, collage, video and light installations.

• Danielle Riede

Randolph H. Deer Professor in Painting

Voyage Chicago hones in on what makes Danielle Riede's story unique.

(M.F.A. Visual Art '11)

Meet Ray Duffey, Director of Safety Curriculum and Shop Manager, Herron graduate, visual artist and musician.

Meet your allies, mentors, and critics-in-chief

Herron welcomes about 10 students annually to its two-year cohort. Our dedicated graduate faculty aim to foster a positive, inclusive learning environment in which the intellectual and emotional capacity of each individual is considered to be part of their professional growth and career goals.

Core graduate faculty are:

• Vance Farrow
• Dawn Holder
• Patrick Kinsman
• Eric Nordgulen
• Stefan Petranek
• Cory Robinson
• Meredith Setser
• Uranchimeg "Orna" Tsultem
• Andrew Winship

Hands-on, community-based learning

M.F.A. candidates gain exposure to artists, designers, and industry professionals through Herron's endowed lecture series . Our spacious and stunning  galleries offer encounters with contemporary art and world-renowned artists, as well as the work of Herron's acclaimed faculty, distinguished alumni, and students.

Funding support through one of Herron's many study abroad trips cements a curriculum that encourages leadership in the professional practice of visual art and prepares graduates for a wide range of professional careers, from college-level teaching to creative entrepreneurship to employment at urban arts organizations.

The Basile Center for Art, Design and Public Life facilitates cross-campus and city-wide collaborations and commissions with Herron's and Indianapolis' many cultural institutions, social initiatives, and corporate and government partners.

Explore thesis work

2021 m.f.a., 2022 m.f.a., 2023 m.f.a., join indiana’s premier school of art and design.

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Degree programs

• Art Education (B.A.E.)
• Art History (B.A.)
• Art Therapy (M.A.)
• Ceramics (B.F.A.)
• Communication Design (M.Des.)
• Drawing & Illustration (B.F.A.)
• Furniture Design (B.F.A.)
• Integrative Studio Practice (B.F.A.)
• Music Technology (B.S.)
• Music Technology (M.S.)
• Music Technology (Ph.D.)
• Music Therapy (B.S.)
• Music Therapy (M.S.)
• Music Therapy (Ph.D.)
• Painting (B.F.A.)
• Photography (B.F.A.)
• Printmaking (B.F.A.)
• Sculpture (B.F.A.)
• Visual Art (M.F.A.)
• Visual Communication Design (B.F.A.)

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	Sep 02, 2024   2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog (Final Draft)     2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog (Final Draft) | 122 Credits Required for Film and Visual Arts Degree Learning outcomes. Upon completion of this program, the graduate will earn a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film and Visual Arts will be able to do the following: Demonstrate experiential knowledge of the contemporary fields of film and visual arts curricular and co-curricular opportunities. Design and create effective film and visual art content with aesthetic and social merit. Analyze film and visual art and visual media practices using a value driven, ethical framework. Progression Criteria/Degree Requirements In order to remain in the major, a student must not earn a grade less than C- in any major course more than two times. If a student earns less than C- in two major courses, the student retakes each course and earns a C or above. If the same student earns less than C- in a third major course, she/he may be counseled out of the major. Admission Criteria from Another Major Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 and meet with their academic advisor. Internship Requirement Students are required to complete a minimum of six (6) credits of Internship experience in areas related to their major.  See   BUS 394  and  BUS 494   in the  Course Descriptions  section of this catalog for specific details pertaining to this experience. Course Requirements Major core requirements: 33 credits. CDM 110 The Creation of Meaning 3 Credits CDM 115 Digital Filmmaking 3 Credits CDM 206 Effective Public Speaking 3 Credits CDM 262 Media Writing 3 Credits CDM 272 Visual Communication 3 Credits CDM 317 The Creation of Knowledge 3 Credits CDM 371 Media Dilemmas 3 Credits CDM 431 Communication in a Global Age 3 Credits CDM 460 Communication Capstone 3 Credits BUS 394 Internship 3 Credits BUS 494 Internship 3 Credits Film and Visual Arts Major Requirements: 30 Credits ART 220 Graphic Design 3 Credits ART 270 Introduction to Silkscreen Printing 3 Credits ART 280 Two-Dimensional Design 3 Credits ART 295 Introduction to Digital Imaging 3 Credits ART 395 Intermediate Digital Imaging 3 Credits CDM 301 Introduction to Film Analysis 3 Credits CDM 380 Advanced Digital Filmmaking 3 Credits CDM 410 Directing for the Screen 3 Credits CDM 465 Documentary Production 3 Credits ENG 276 Creative Writing: Scriptwriting for Theater and the Electronic Media 3 Credits Minor or General Electives: 18 Credits Total for film and visual arts degree: 122 credits, suggested four-year curriculum. Film and Visual Arts 4 Year Plan     109 IMAGES Programs Visual Arts MFA & PhD programs Join our PhD Art Practice Program (VA77) Call for applications: Visual Arts MFA & PhD programs Visual Arts MFA & PhD programs Visual Arts MFA & PhD programs VIDEO Graduate Liberal Arts Faculty Panel aek art PhD lo pare madad kea lia hajar ho Kar don Visual Arts at UVic Interview: Art PhD student in Japan Artists Who Teach 2023: Katarina Ranković Feminism and Economics- Margunn Bjørnholt, mag.art. (PhD) COMMENTS PhD programmes in Visual Arts in United States Art History and Education - Art and Visual Culture Education. Ph.D. / Full-time / On Campus. 30,510 EUR / year. 5 years. The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, United States. Ranked top 2%. PhD Program PhD Program. The UC San Diego Visual Arts PhD Program grants two PhD degrees: Art History, Theory and Criticism and Art History, Theory and Criticism with a Concentration in Art Practice.The program embodies the department's commitment to innovative research by embracing the close intersection of art, media, and design practice with history, theory, and criticism, and by offering training in ... Visual Arts in United States: 2024 PhD's Guide Graduates can become visual artists, art critics, curators, or graphic designers. A strong portfolio is essential for success in this field. Bachelor's programs offer foundational knowledge, while master's degrees allow for deeper specialisation. Visual Arts degrees are ideal for those with a passion for artistic expression and creativity. more 144 PhD programmes in Visual Arts Find the best PhD programmes in the field of Visual Arts from top universities worldwide. Check all 144 programmes. Explore; Decide; Apply; Explore. View disciplines. ... Visual Arts. Discipline . 1. All disciplines; Arts, Design & Architecture 1107. Architecture 169. Art and Craft 3. Art History 110. Ceramics and Sculpture 0. Dance 17. Design 113. Doctor of Philosophy in Visual and Performing Arts The PhD in visual and performing arts program is designed primarily for individuals who wish to conduct advanced research and to teach at the college level, and can lead to a wide variety of non-academic careers as well. It is open to qualified candidates who desire to enhance their knowledge and skills. The program provides students with a ... Fine Arts Doctoral Program (Art) The Art track is part of a College-wide Fine Arts Doctoral Program, which includes students focusing on music, theatre, dance, and visual art. All areas of the Fine Arts Doctoral Program require a series of core courses that bring together students from across the College for innovative interdisciplinary and collaborative inquiry. Best Graduate Fine Arts Programs Alfred, NY. #10 in Best Fine Arts Programs (tie) Save. 3.8. For artists, earning an M.F.A. demonstrates advanced abilities in an art specialty field, such as graphic design, painting and drawing ... Graduate Graduate. The Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS) at Harvard offers a graduate program in Film and Visual Studies leading to a PhD. The Department also offers a secondary field in Film and Visual Studies for students already admitted to PhD programs in other departments in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts ... Ph.D. in Art History & Visual Culture The Ph.D. Program in Art History & Visual Culture is committed to preparing you for advanced research in the global visual cultures of the past and present. The Department recognizes that visual literacy plays an increasingly important role in contemporary society. Art, architecture, mass media (television, video, film, internet), and urbanism all work through reference to visual and spatial ... MFA Fine Arts MFA Fine Arts is a full-time, interdisciplinary graduate program in the practice of contemporary art. MFA Fine Arts is a full-time, interdisciplinary graduate program in the practice of contemporary art. ... School of Visual Arts 209 East 23rd Street New York, NY 10010 212.592.2000. Jump In Apply Working @ SVA ... Prospective Students at the Institute The Institute's PhD program is designed for students who are eager to investigate the role of the visual arts today and in the past. Through detailed, object-based study and historical and theoretical interpretation, our degree program provides a rigorous experience supported by interaction with the leading scholars of the Institute, New York ... Home The David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora is located at the University of Maryland, College Park. The Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA), a PhD in Visual Arts: Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Art Theory for artists and creative thinkers. The Institute The PhD Program at the Institute of Fine Arts is a course of study designed for the person who wants to investigate the role of the visual arts in culture through detailed, object-based examination as well as historical and theoretical interpretation. The degree program provides a focused and rigorous experience supported by interaction with ... Fully Funded MFA and PhD Programs in Art and Design North Carolina State College of Design, PhD in Design. (Raleigh, NC): The PhD in Design program provides generous support for the students, which includes full tuition, stipend, and health insurance. This level of support is a minimum for the three years or more of the students' study period. 4. Ohio State University, MFA in Visual Arts. Visual and Performing Arts Graduate Programs The graduate programs in the visual and performing arts provide an interdisciplinary context to pursue research and practice across a wide range of creative and academic traditions. You can focus your studies in film, visual art, performing arts or art history. You'll also have the opportunity to enrich your practice in the performing and visual […] Join our PhD Art History Program (VA76) The Department of Visual Arts offers a PhD in art history, theory, and criticism with specializations in cultural areas in which faculty do research (VA76). Offering a distinct alternative to other PhD programs in art history, our program centers on a unique curriculum that treats the study of art past and present—including fine art, media ... Your complete guide to a PhD in Visual Arts The most common Visual Arts specialisations are: Painting: Crafting visuals using pigments and a canvas. Sculpture: Moulding three-dimensional art. Photography: Capturing moments and perspectives through lenses. Digital Arts: Combining technology and creativity to produce digital masterpieces. Printmaking: Artistic expression through print ... Welcome to the Ph.D. Program in Visual Studies Visual Studies investigates the histories, meanings, and implications of the image, art work, representation, and their media. Wide-ranging and theoretically rigorous in approach, our faculty work across diverse cultures, geographies, and periods, with strong interests in photography, performance, illustration and design histories, archaeology, architecture and the built environment, site ... PhD in Art Education Visual Arts Research is a scholarly, refereed journal and has been published through the Art Education program for over 40 years. It is edited by Art Education faculty. The Everyday Arts Lab offers an excellent local site for graduate research for those interested in arts and social practice. Programs The PhD in Visual Art is a practice-based program of study in which individually defined conceptual foci are materialized and disseminated through the integration of artworks, research and writing. Research questions in this context are focused on visual art, as well as other areas of scholarly investigation that are defined by candidates as ... PhD in Visual Studies The PhD program in Visual Studies is an advanced program for motivated, independently-minded scholars invested in critical discourses that analyze and challenge the social norm. This program offers a study of visual culture with a particular emphasis on the late 19th, 20th and 21st centuries integrating art history, histories of the image, and ... Visual Arts Graduate Certificate Explore and analyze the arts in their contexts through observation, hands-on artistic creative processes, and academic study. Format. Online with On-Campus Options. Courses. 3. Tuition. $10,020. Next Start Term: Spring 2025. Registration opens November 4, 2024. Visual Art: Graduate Degree Programs: Academics: Herron School of Art Herron's M.F.A. in visual art degree program allows students to delve into creative research, critical dialogue, and contemporary art within the context of Indiana's premier urban public research university. Our studio-oriented environment, community support, and access to outstanding facilities, faculty, and resources, will allow you to ... Program: Film and Visual Arts, B.A. 122 Credits Required for Film and Visual Arts Degree Learning Outcomes. Upon completion of this program, the graduate will earn a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film and Visual Arts will be able to do the following: Demonstrate experiential knowledge of the contemporary fields of film and visual arts curricular and co-curricular opportunities. assignment business plan case study course work essay report research paper speech term paper thesis