Master of Fine Arts

Master of Arts

Master of Public Art Studies

Doctor of Philosophy

Master of Fine Arts

A two-year program administered in collaboration with the Graduate School, the Master of Fine Arts is a professional degree in the practice of art preparing students to pursue careers as professional artists or as teachers at the college or university level. The opportunity to gain experience as a teaching assistant is available on a competitive basis. Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts, or equivalent, from an accredited school. The intended area of primary interest must be indicated and the applicant must provide 20 slides of work, appropriately labeled and dated. Transfer work applicable to the M.F.A. degree must have been completed within five years of the date of application.

Slides should be sent directly to: Graduate Programs, School of Fine Arts, Watt Hall 104, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0292. Applicants wishing to have their slides returned should include a stamped, self-addressed envelope or mailing container.

Promising students who have inadequate units for the Bachelor of Fine Arts equivalency may be admitted to the school, but must complete undergraduate units before being accepted into the program. All documents must be received by the Office of Admission. To facilitate processing it is recommended that copies of all documents also be sent directly to: Graduate Programs, School of Fine Arts, Watt Hall 104, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0292.

Program Requirements

At least 48 units are required for the Master of Fine Arts, to be distributed as follows: major area (500 level), 18-22 units; art history, 8 units, 4 units of which must be at 500 level; 550abcd Seminar: Contemporary Issues, 4 units; interdisciplinary electives, 12-16 units; 594abz Thesis, 4 units.

Master of Fine Arts students are evaluated by faculty during reviews held near the end of each semester. Before a student is recommended for the Master of Fine Arts, a comprehensive review of past work and professional goals is held. An exhibition of work at the end of the course of study and a written thesis, documented with visual material, complete the Master of Fine Arts program. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on all graduate work is required for the Master of Fine Arts degree.

Complete details can be found in the School of Fine Arts Graduate Studio Guidelines, obtainable upon admission to the program.

Master of Arts

Master of Arts, Art History (Museum Studies)

The Museum Studies Program is a three-year course of study leading to the Master of Arts in art history, designed to meet the special training needs of students whose career goals are oriented toward professional work in art museums. Fellowship support is awarded on a competitive basis.

The degree requires a minimum of 40 units. The program consists of four parts: the academic core discipline, the museum studies courses, a catalogue and exhibition, and an internship in a museum. Advancement to the third year of the Museum Studies Program is based upon the M.A. committee's review of academic and professional preparedness.

Admission

Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Arts with a major in art history, or the equivalent, from an accredited school. Admission to the program is granted through the Graduate School in conjunction with the School of Fine Arts; all applicants must meet the requirements of both schools.

Admission standards are competitive and based on presentation of an outstanding undergraduate academic record with the bachelor's degree in art history, and completion of the supplemental application form for the Master of Arts in art history/museum studies.

Supplemental application forms may be obtained by writing: Graduate Programs, School of Fine Arts, Watt Hall 104, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0292.

Foreign Language Requirement

All candidates must pass a reading proficiency examinations in one language, normally French or German. Substitutions can be made with faculty recommendation and approval of the dean of the School of Fine Arts when it seems appropriate to the student's course of study (i.e., Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, etc.). The language should be completed by the end of the first year.

M.A. Written Exams

All students in the museum studies program must pass a written exam demonstrating their skill at visual analysis in the fall of the second year.

Areas of Concentration

Greek and Roman Art, Medieval Art, Renaissance Art, Baroque Art, 18th and 19th Century European Art, 20th Century Art, Chinese and Japanese Art, Russian Art, and Decorative Art.

Course Distribution

Courses will be at the 500-level; 400-level courses may be accepted with approval of advisor. No more than two seminars with the same course number can be taken for major credit toward the Master of Arts. Fine Arts 500 normally must be taken in the first semester of study.

Units in related electives must be approved by the faculty advisor on the M.A. committee.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for the Master of Arts degree. Each student's progress will be reviewed by the faculty at the end of the first year and the beginning of spring semester of the second year.

M.A. Committee

An M.A. committee of three faculty members should be established by the end of the first year. Unanimous approval by the M.A. committee must be given before the two qualifying papers are accepted and the degree conferred.

Complete details for all graduate programs can be found in the Guidelines for Graduate Studies in Art History, obtainable upon admission to the program.

Degree Requirements

Required courses		Units
FA 500	Methods and Theory of Art History	4
FA 530	Museum Studies I	4
FA 531	Museum Studies II	4
FA 540	Museum Studies Exhibition Colloquium	4
FA 541ab	Museum Studies Exhibition	4-1
FA 630ab	Museum Internship	1-1
Additional 500 level courses		17
		____
		(minimum) 40

The museum internship (FA 630ab) requires a full-time commitment for two semesters during the third year.

Museum Studies Certificate

The Museum Studies Certificate is a three-year part-time program leading to a certificate in Museum Studies, designed for the student who has an M.A. or Ph.D. in art history and is seeking additional training for the museum profession.

The Museum Studies Certificate has three components: the core courses (FA 530 and 531); the exhibition and catalogue (FA 540 and 541ab); and the museum internship (FA 630ab). A total of 19 units is required. A thesis is not required. The museum internship may be waived at the discretion of the director, museum studies program.

Requirements for Admission

Applicants must hold an M.A. or Ph.D. in art history from an accredited institution. Admission to the program is granted through the School of Fine Arts. Admission standards are competitive and based on presentation of an outstanding academic record and completion of the application form.

Certificate Requirements

Required courses		Units
FA 530	Museum Studies I: The Museum as an Institution	4
FA 531	Museum Studies II: The Work of Art in a Systematic Collection	4
FA 540	Museum Studies Exhibition Colloquium	4
FA 541ab	Exhibition and Catalogue	4-1
FA 630ab	Museum Internship	1-1
		____
		19

Master of Arts, Art History

The Master of Arts in art history is a two-year program of study administered in collaboration with the Graduate School, emphasizing course work and specialized research in the history of art. It is not offered as a terminal degree, but only en route to the Ph.D. A student may be eligible for the M.A., on leaving the program after two years. A minimum of 32 units is required for the degree. The opportunity to gain experience as a teaching assistant is available on a competitive basis.

Transfer work applicable to the M.A. program must have been completed within 10 years of the date of application.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 32 units, usually taken during a two-year period, is required for the Master in Arts in art history, to be distributed as follows:

Required courses		Units
FA 500	Methods and Theory of Art History	4
Additional 500 level courses		28
		____
		32

Master of Public Art Studies

The Master of Public Art Studies program is a two-year program administered by the School of Fine Arts and designed to meet the special training needs of individuals whose career goals are oriented toward professional work in public art. The long range objectives of the program are to provide students and professionals with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to become successful administrators and problem solvers. The program is founded on the principle of using the facilities of the university both as a practical laboratory and as a catalyst for furthering dialogue, collaboration and research. The goal of the program is to build bridges between disciplines, the university and the community.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Public Art Studies program is granted through the USC Office of Graduate Admission, which receives and processes all applications, evaluates credentials and issues notification letters. The School of Fine Arts establishes and monitors the standards under which students are admitted. Admission to the university under the standard of the School of Fine Arts is determined by the Office of Graduate Admission on the recommendation of the Public Arts Studies program. The following are the basic requirements: (1) a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university comparable in standards to that awarded at USC; (2) a 3.0 overall GPA; and (3) three letters of recommendation. Credentials for admission must include a complete record of all previous colleges or universities attended. The GRE is required only if the applicant is applying for financial aid.

Thesis Requirements

A master's thesis committee comprises three members: the director of the program, the primary reader and a professional from the student's area of emphasis (administration, history, practice).

The thesis committee shall be established after the student completes the second semester's course work. The committee, after a comprehensive review of the candidate's past work and professional goals, will determine if the student is to be recommended for advancement.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 40 units, usually taken during a two-year period, is required, to be distributed as follows:

First Year, Fall		Units
PAS 561	Administration Survey	3
PAS 571	History Survey	3
MPW 950	Professional Writing Program	3
		____
		9

First Year, Spring		Units
PAS 562	Administration and Program Development	3
PAS 572	History	3
PAS 581	Forum	3
Elective		3-4
		____
		12-13

Second Year, Fall		Units
PAS 582	Seminar: Contemporary Issues	3
FA 400 or 500 level studio, or		3
PAS 575	Practice of Public Art	2-6
Elective		3-4
		____
		8-13

Second Year, Spring		Units
PAS 591	Field Internship Experience	2-6
PAS 593a	Final Project	2-6

Elective Requirement

Candidates for the Master of Public Art Studies must complete a minimum of eight units of graduate level electives, chosen from any relevant area in the university, with departmental approval.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy in Art History program normally requires at least three years of course work and two years of dissertation research. Applicants may be admitted directly into the program after receiving the B.A. 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 overall performance. 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. Interviews are strongly encouraged. 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 32 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. FA 500, or equivalent, is required of all graduate students. Eight units are for work on the dissertation. (Two units of dissertation credit each semester - including summer - for a minimum registration period of four semesters.)

Foreign Language Requirements

All candidates must pass reading proficiency examinations in a minimum of two languages, normally French and German or the requisite languages in Asian art. 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 by the end of the third year of study.

Qualifying Examination

At the end of the second year, the student will nominate a five member guidance committee for the qualifying examination that includes one member from outside the School of Fine Arts. The student must pass the qualifying examination in a major field and satisfy the requirements for the minor and outside fields. Forms for permission to take the qualifying exam must be submitted at least 60 days before the date of the scheduled exam. The written portion of the exam will be followed by an oral examination. The oral examination will be given to discuss in greater depth the student's knowledge of the dissertation proposal; the oral lasts approximately two hours. After passing the qualifying examination, the student will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D.

Dissertation

Following the completion of the qualifying exam 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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