Graduate Degrees, page 3
School of Fine Arts
Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctor of Philosophy in Art History program requires at least three, but no more than five, years of full-time study after beginning graduate work at USC or elsewhere. Applicants may be admitted directly into the program after receiving the B.A. in which case they have two options. In addition to the required course work, they may produce an M.A. thesis to receive the M.A. degree or they may request permission to substitute a qualifying paper for the thesis. The latter track will allow them to advance directly to preparation of the Ph.D. qualifying examination. Other applicants may already hold an M.A. in Art History or the equivalent from USC or another accredited school.
A student with a master's degree in the history of art from USC must apply to the Ph.D. program, and will be evaluated on the basis of his or her performance on the master's comprehensive examination and performance in previous graduate level work. Students holding the master's degree in the history of art from another institution will take the master's comprehensive examination at the beginning of the second year of study in the Ph.D. program. Every student will be subject to departmental screening procedures, which involve periodic review by the art history graduate committee. The committee may recommend at any time, based on a student's grades, evaluation of instructors or rate of progress toward the degree, that a student be dropped from the program. Such recommendations will become effective at the end of the semester during which the recommendation is made.
Admission standards are competitive and based on an outstanding academic record. All applicants must indicate an intended area of primary research and submit an M.A. thesis or other research paper to the school for consideration as well as a completed supplemental application form. Supplemental application forms are available from: Graduate Programs, School of Fine Arts, Watt Hall 104, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0292.
Course Requirements
Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy units total 60. Up to 36 Master of Arts units from USC or 30 from other institutions may be transferred with approval of the faculty. Transfer work applicable to the Ph.D. program must have been completed within 10 years of the date of application. Two thirds of these 60 units must be at the 500 level. FA 500, or equivalent, is required of all graduate students. Four of the units are for work on the dissertation. (Two units of dissertation credit each semester -- excluding summer -- for a minimum registration period of two semesters.)
Foreign Language Requirements
All candidates must pass reading proficiency examinations in a minimum of two languages, normally French and German. Substitutions and/or additions may be made with faculty recommendation and approval of the dean of the School of Fine Arts when appropriate to the student's program. Additional foreign language beyond the minimum may be required depending on the student's program of study. All language requirements must be completed at least 60 days prior to the qualifying examination.
Qualifying Examinations
Early in the second year, the student will nominate a five member guidance committee for the qualifying examinations that includes one member from outside the School of Fine Arts. The student must pass the qualifying examinations in a major field, a minor field, and in an area outside the history of art but related to the major field of concentration. Forms for permission to take qualifying exams must be submitted at least 60 days before the date of the scheduled exams. The major part of the written exams will normally be twice the length of the minor; it will be followed by an oral examination. The oral examination will be given to discuss in greater depth the student's knowledge of the topics (which were discussed or perhaps not covered by) the written examinations; the oral lasts approximately two hours. After passing the qualifying examinations, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D.
Dissertation
A written proposal (approximately three pages) for the dissertation must be submitted at the time of the qualifying examinations. Following the completion of the qualifying exams the guidance committee will be reduced to three members, including one member from outside the department, who will guide and finally approve the dissertation.
Complete details can be found in the School of Fine Arts Graduate Studies Guidelines, obtainable upon admission to the program.
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Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
David Henriquez
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu