Art History (MA)

Is the MA in art history for you?

Do any of the following describe you?

• Would enjoy designing, organizing, and conducting tours and
  workshops for the public.
• Like planning and conducting special research projects.
• Want to acquire, store, and exhibit collections.

Do these jobs sound interesting to you?

Our alumni are:

• Teachers at all levels
• Gallery owners
• Curators/museum directors
• Arts administrators
• Historic preservation specialists

Other possibilities are:

• Craft and fine artist
• Archivist
• Art and estate appraiser
• Museum technician and conservator
• Fashion designer
• Multimedia artist and animator

Is this the kind of salary you are seeking?

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, shows the following outlook for Art Directors(opens in new window):

Median Pay
$100,890 per year
$48.51 per hour

Job Outlook
4% (As fast as average)

Environment
Most art directors are self-employed. Others work for advertising and public relations firms, newspaper and magazine publishers, motion picture and video industries, specialized design services firms, and academics.

What if my bachelor’s isn’t in art history?

You can still pursue this degree if your undergraduate degree was in a different field. Occasionally, you may be required to take some prerequisites to bring you up to speed. Talk to the graduate coordinator for details.

How long will it take?

• The MA in art is a 30-unit program which can be completed in two years.

On-Campus Galleries

• Focus on a broad knowledge of the history of art as well as a specific area.
• Work alongside faculty to plan visiting artist events.
• Work in on-campus galleries displaying student work.

Visiting Artists

• Hopper Visiting Artist Series bridges the distance from metropolitan art centers by inviting artists from outside our local community for interactive sessions.

Teaching Experience

• Supervised teaching experience as a teaching assistant.
• Travel with Study Abroad programs.

Pursuing a PhD in Art History

Alumnus Tirumular (Drew) Narayanan was recently accepted into the PhD Art History program at University of Wisconsin Madison and granted a full tuition waiver, along with a $35,000 stipend.

Tenure Track Instructor

Alumnus Sara Smallhouse was hired as a tenure track instructor of art history for Butte Community College and has worked as the manager of the Chico Museum.

Photo(opens in new window) by Bill Husa — Enterprise Record

Critical Thinking, Research, and Writing

Learn solid critical thinking, research, and writing skills, visual literacy, and historical, political, and religious contexts in which works of art are made and viewed.