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Program Description

The master of arts (M.A.) in art is offered with areas of emphasis in art history and criticism, and studio art (ceramics, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture). The M.A. in Art History and Criticism typically prepares students to enter Ph.D. programs in the field, and also provides a background in art historical research and contemporary criticism for those interested in art museum and gallery professions. The M.A. in Studio Art degree is an initial professional degree, comprised of a series of class/studio and independent experiences to enhance and develop individual studio practices. This is an ideal degree option for students intending to seek admission to competitive M.F.A. programs, as an advanced degree for secondary art teachers, and as a culminating educational pursuit in its own right.

Applicants should demonstrate advanced preparation through portfolio review, previous coursework, and résumé. In addition to the Webster University graduate admission requirements, applicants must satisfy the admission requirements listed below and petition to study within one of the areas of emphasis. A student admitted into the program will be assigned an advisor from the art faculty. Advancement to candidacy in the M.A. in art program is achieved by completion of a minimum of 6 credit hours with grades of B or above, and a positive faculty evaluation in the Graduate Advancement to Candidacy Review.

Within the first 18 credit hours of graduate work, the M.A. in art history candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to read art historical writings in either French or German. This requirement may be filled by successful examination of reading knowledge administered by the Department of International Languages and Cultures, or completion of the fourth semester (with at least a 3.0 grade average) of a college or university language course.

An M.A. student in art history must pass a comprehensive written examination (approximately 4 hours) broadly covering the field of art history. Students must take this examination during the semester in which they complete 20 credit hours of graduate work. The comprehensive exam may be retaken only once.

Admission Requirements

1. For art history and criticism: bachelor of arts (B.A.) in art history or approved equivalent from an accredited institution
   For studio art: bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) from an accredited institution
2. Completed application for the M.A. in art
3. Submission of official transcripts
4. Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which must be from former teachers
5. Statement of approximately 500 words examining reasons for graduate study in art
6. An interview for art history and criticism, or satisfactory portfolio review for studio art, by an appointed committee of full-time art faculty consisting of the department chair, the major professor in the student's potential area of emphasis, and one other faculty member

Program Curriculum

The M.A. student in art must successfully complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of coursework that is relevant to the student's area of emphasis including:

• ART 5000 Graduate Seminar in Art 3 hours
• Emphasis coursework 18 hours
• Graduate art electives 9 hours
• ART 6250 Thesis 6 hours

Art history and criticism students must submit a formal research thesis following Webster University graduate thesis guidelines. The thesis requirement for studio art comprises a written thesis and an exhibition of selected works completed in the program.

Course Descriptions

ART 5000 Graduate Seminar in Art (Requisite Course) (3)
Students examine contemporary issues in art and art criticism. This seminar is necessary for advancement to candidacy in the graduate program in art. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5110 Drawing Studio (3)
This course provides advanced problems in techniques of figure drawing, gesture, contour, chiaroscuro, and long drawing. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5270 Graphic Design Studio (3)
Graduate projects in graphic design, layout, display, research, and production are central to this course. Studio work includes theoretical and practical exploration of design concepts. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5340 History of Renaissance Art (3)
This course is the study and exploration of art of Italy and Northern Europe from the thirteenth century to the art of mannerism in the sixteenth century. The course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5350 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Art (3)
This is a study of the art and architecture of the Baroque period including the study of the Academy and the development of the artist as a reformer/conformist. Course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5360 History of Modern Art (3)
The study and research of art created in Europe and America in the nineteenth century and the early modern period is central to this course. Developments include early twentieth-century art as it relates to political forces of the day, the Russian Revolution, and World War I. The course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5370 Art Since 1945 (3)
This is a study of art from the pre-World War II migration of European artists until the present. Special focus includes Social Realism, the WPA, and the Harlem Renaissance as influential trends of the second half of the twentieth century. The course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5390 Art and Cultures (3)
Students study a variety of topics including the arts of Africa, Oceania, and pre-Columbian Americas as they relate artistically, sociopolitically, and geographically to these cultures. The course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit if the content differs.

ART 5400 History in Architecture (3)
This is the study of the history of architecture as it relates to the aesthetic and socioeconomic aspects of the built environment. The course includes a significant research project and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art.

ART 5410 Painting Studio (3)
This studio course explores the spatial organization of various media as related to the expressive aspects of painting. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5510 Sculpture Studio (3)
Advanced study of traditional and contemporary materials, concepts, and techniques involving the three-dimensional use of space is the central focus of this studio. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5530 Ceramic Studio (3)
This course involves advanced problems in techniques and concepts of clay-related arts. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5620 Printmaking Studio (3)
Students explore the advanced techniques, the growth and refinement of imagery, and creative options available through printmaking. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5630 Papermaking Studio (3)
This course covers the development and exploration of advanced concepts and techniques of paper-related arts. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5710 Photography Studio (3)
Students concentrate on advanced study of the techniques and concepts of color and of black-and-white photography. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5730 Seminar in Art Theory and Criticism (3)
Students explore the theoretical issues and related historical framework in the critical interpretation of art. Prerequisites: admission to the graduate program in art and permission of the instructor.

ART 5750 Topics in Art History (3)
In-depth study of particular issues in the history and criticism/theory of art is the central focus of each offering. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit if content differs.

ART 5810 Conceptual Art (3)
This course presents special problems in conceptual, idea, or process art that explore relationships between ideas and the creative process. This advanced study is based on assumptions that inform perception and the relationship between life and art. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5820 Performance Art (3)
This studio creates challenges to traditional art objects and concepts by exploring multimedia performance works that include body, time, and space. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5830 Alternative Media (3)
This course provides advanced study of the history, concepts, and processes involved in alternative approaches to art making. Prerequisite: admission to the graduate program in art. May be repeated for credit.

ART 5950 Advanced Study in Art (3)
This course provides for individual projects for developing professional skills in art or art history. Prerequisites: admission to the graduate program in art and ART 5000. May be repeated for credit.

ART 6250 Thesis (6)
Prerequisite: completion of other art program requirements.

ART 6500 Graduate Internship in Art (3-6)