Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 30
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 60

Required Courses:

PhD for Students Entering with a Master’s Degree1

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
ARTH 5601 Historiography of Art History 2 3
Electives 3 6
 Credit Hours9
Spring
Electives 3 9
 Credit Hours9
Year 2
Fall
Electives 3 9
 Credit Hours9
Spring
ARTH 9994 Preliminary Examination Preparation 4 1
 Credit Hours1
Year 3
Fall
Select one from the following: 1
ARTH 9998
Pre-Dissertation Research 4
ARTH 9999
Dissertation Research 4,5
 Credit Hours1
Spring
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 4,5 1
 Credit Hours1
 Total Credit Hours30
1

Prior to registering for any course, students are expected to consult with their primary advisor and/or the Graduate Director.

2

If they have not taken a comparable class at the master's level, students must register for ARTH 5601.

3

Electives must be taken at the 5000 level or higher. With approval from the primary advisor and Graduate Director, up to 9 credits of electives may be taken outside of Art History.

4

Enrolling in 1 credit of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 or ARTH 9999 grants a PhD student full-time status.

5

Students may only register for ARTH 9999 after the dissertation proposal has been accepted by the Graduate Faculty and the student has advanced to candidacy. Additionally, a minimum of 2 credits of ARTH 9999 are required to earn the degree.

PhD for Students Entering with a Baccalaureate Degree1

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
ARTH 5601 Historiography of Art History 2 3
Electives 3 6
 Credit Hours9
Spring
Electives 3 9
 Credit Hours9
Year 2
Fall
Electives 3 9
 Credit Hours9
Spring
ARTH 9891 Directed Research 4 3
Electives 3 6
 Credit Hours9
Year 3
Fall
Electives 3 9
 Credit Hours9
Spring
ARTH 9994 Preliminary Examination Preparation 5 6
 Credit Hours6
Year 4
Fall
ARTH 9998 Pre-Dissertation Research 5,6 3
 Credit Hours3
Spring
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
Year 5
Fall
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
Spring
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
Year 6
Fall
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
Spring
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
Year 7
Fall
ARTH 9999 Dissertation Research 5,7 1
 Credit Hours1
 Total Credit Hours60
1

Prior to registering for any course, students are expected to consult with their primary advisor and/or the Graduate Director.

2

Upon admission to the PhD program, students are required to complete ARTH 5601 in their first Fall term.

3

Electives must be taken at the 5000 level or higher. With approval from the primary advisor and Graduate Director, up to 9 credits of electives may be taken outside of Art History.

4

In ARTH 9891, students write their Qualifying Paper, which the Department reviews and must approve prior to formally accepting the student into the PhD program.

5

The number of credits shown in this grid for ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 and ARTH 9999 are recommended, but can be adjusted to fit a student's schedule and timeline for dissertation research. Ultimately, 15 credits of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 and ARTH 9999 are required to complete the degree, including a minimum of 2 credits of ARTH 9999. Enrolling in 1 credit of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 or ARTH 9999 in an academic term grants a PhD student full-time status.

6

In ARTH 9998, students write their dissertation proposal.

7

Students may only register for ARTH 9999 after the dissertation proposal has been accepted by the Graduate Faculty and the student has advanced to candidacy.

Language Examination: Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages necessary to complete research in the given field. The language examinations are taken with the permission of the student's primary advisor.

Culminating Events:
Qualifying Paper:
The qualifying paper is only required of those entering the program with a bachelor's degree on the direct track. At the end of the fourth term of coursework, these students are required to submit a qualifying paper to demonstrate their command of scholarly research and writing. The ability to continue in the PhD program is contingent on the quality of this paper. If the qualifying paper is not deemed acceptable, the student is transferred to the MA program and works with an advisor to determine the progress made toward completion of the master's degree. When any outstanding courses are successfully completed, the student is awarded the MA.

Doctoral Examinations:
The purpose of the doctoral examinations is to demonstrate critical knowledge of current research and historiography in the student’s primary field of interest. The examinations consist of two written exams, one in the student’s broad field and one in the specialized field, and an accompanying oral examination. See Graduate School Policy 02.27.11.

Dissertation Proposal:
The dissertation proposal, which must be approved by the Department’s Graduate Faculty, demonstrates the student’s knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. The dissertation proposal may only be submitted after the student has successfully completed their doctoral examinations. After the proposal has been accepted by the Department’s Graduate Faculty, the student is raised to candidacy. See Graduate School Policy 02.28.12.

Dissertation:
The doctoral dissertation is an extended written study that shows evidence of the candidate’s original thought and research and their mastery of the scholarly method. The dissertation makes a contribution to the field of Art History. With the consent of the primary advisor and members of the dissertation defense committee, the student presents an oral defense of the dissertation. The goal of the dissertation is to have a manuscript that is publishable in a scholarly venue. See Graduate School Policy 02.28.