Overview

The Curatorial Studies track offers a curriculum designed for students who wish to be involved with visual arts as a profession beyond academia and is applicable to a number of careers in the visual arts, including at museums, galleries, non-profits, and the private sector. Curatorial Studies differs from Art History in that it emphasizes hands-on training, ethical concerns, the history and practice of collecting and display, audience engagement, and the real-world issues that impact art institutions.

Credit Distribution

The M.A. degree requires the successful completion of 30 credits distributed in the following fashion.

• Eight Semester Courses (24 credits)

• Two semesters of Research Credits for the Master's Thesis (6 credits) 

Coursework Requirements

All students pursuing the Curatorial Studies track are required to take the following three core courses:

•  16.082.563 Curatorial Training Seminar

•  16.082.698 Exhibition Seminar

•  16.082.688 Topics in Contemporaneity

In addition, candidates for the degree must complete five (5) electives, which can consist of any upper-level Art History or CHAPS courses, including credit-bearing internships. Students are also encouraged to explore interdisciplinary options in consultation with the Director of Curatorial Studies. 300 and 400 level courses can be taken for graduate credit.  When registering for 300 and 400 level courses, students should be sure to use the "G" prefix when registering for the course.

All electives taken outside of the department must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

Full-time students should aim to complete the core requirements in their first year if possible, or no later than the fall semester of their second year.  During their second year, they should also enroll in 6 credits of Research in Art History.  The recommended distribution of courses for full time students is as follows: 

• First Year, Fall semester: 3 courses

• First Year, Spring semester: 3 courses

• Second Year, Fall semester: 1-2 courses + 3 credits of Research in Art History (16:082:701 for fall) 

• Second Year, Spring semester: 1-2 courses +3 credits of Research in Art History (16:082:702 for spring)

Students pursuing the degree part-time should consult with the GPD to formulate a schedule for their course of study.

Internship Information

With permission from the GPD, students can complete an intership for course credit.  In order for it to count for credit, the following is required.  The internship should have the equivalent of 80 contact hours.  Upon the successful completion of an internship,  students should request a letter from the host institution to be sent directly via email to the GPD by the last day of classes in the semester. The letter must speak to the work and projects the student did during the internship in addition to other information related to their work during the internship, including the number of internship hours. In addition, students must submit a 2-page Internship Report to the GPD by the last of classes in that semester.  The internship report should consist of the following:

1. Description of the nature of the internship, work and tasks done for the internship.
2. The level and quality interaction with professionals and staff members.
3. Their evaluation of the way in which the internship related to their particular area of interest and goals in the program.

Capstone Requirement

All students in the Curatorial Studies M.A. track are required to complete an M.A. thesis. Options for the thesis are varied and may include a written text, a thesis exhibition, or a detailed exhibition proposal. They are expected to work independently, scheduling regular meetings with their faculty adviser. All students are required to present their work in a departmental event in the spring and deposit their final approved thesis to the department by a designated date.

Approval of Thesis Topic and Proposal

At the beginning of the Fall semester of their second year, students should arrange to meet with the Graduate Program Director to discuss possible thesis topics. Students should recruit a primary MA thesis advisor, with whom they should develop a topic, ideally no later than October 1. Advisors eligible to serve as primary thesis advisors must be either full-time members of the Art History Department at Rutgers or an Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty (listed on the website). In consultation with their primary thesis adviser, students should develop a proposal.  The proposal should be formally approved and submitted to the Graduate Program director by November 1.  Students must submit their approved proposal, along with the signed Thesis Proposal form to the Graduate Program Director by a designated deadline. The topic and adviser are approved only when a faculty member signs the form.

Second Reader:

The thesis advisor should suggest a potential second reader, who should be a full-time Art History faculty, full-time Rutgers University faculty (any department) or an Affiliate or Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty. It is up to each student to approach this individual or individuals to fulfill this role. The second reader is not an advisor; they are only required to review and comment on the work during the writing process. A second reader should be selected no later than February 15 of the final semester of the student’s degree program, and the candidacy form should be submitted to the program coordinator so that it is ready to be signed by the April 1 deadline set by SGS. The name should be submitted to the GPD and department program coordinator and added to the thesis approval form.

Additional Committee Members and Filing Signatures:

As per SGS rules, committees for Master’s degree candidates require three Members, Associate Members or Affiliate Members of the program’s graduate faculty. Two of those members should be the primary and secondary reader for the thesis/ capstone project. In the event that a third committee member is needed, the Graduate Program Director should serve as an ex officio third member and provide signatures for sections A and C of the candidacy form. In such cases, the Department Chair (DC) stands in for the Graduate Program Director (GPD) in certifying the form in section E.  In the event that the DC or GPD is already one of the two primary readers, the Undergraduate Director can provide a signature to certify the form in section E.

Filing for the Degree

Please make sure to double-check all paperwork requirements for filing for a May degree. The deadlines for the submission of paperwork and the uploading of the MA thesis to Rutgers library. Instructions for filing can be found on the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) website here. They are typically October 1 for an October degree, January 2 for a January degree, and April 1 for a May degree.

The candidacy form should be submitted to the department program coordinator no later than February 15. Please fill in all of Part I. In Part II, please fill in the title of your thesis in Section A. You will require three signatures for Sections A and C. Two of the three signatories should include your readers. The third should be listed as the current GPD. In the event that the GPD is one of the two readers already, then the third signatory should be the current department chair. In the event that both the GPD and department chair are readers, the chair should approach a third person in the department to serve in this capacity, to attest to the successful completion of the thesis and associated requirements.

Advising

Initially the Graduate Program Director serves as academic adviser for all students pursuing the M.A. track in Curatorial Studies. Once a thesis advisor is selected, they may take over as the primary adviser. Students should arrange appointments with both the GPD and their primary advisers to discuss their course of study and ensure that they are on track to graduate as scheduled. Please use the course-planning form to track your progress.

Overview

The M.A. in art history affords students the opportunity to pursue higher training that can prepare them for applying to Ph.D. programs. It can serve as a bridge program for students who show exceptional promise but do not have the requisite background or research experience to apply directly to a Ph.D. program. The program at Rutgers is targeted towards students who have a compelling reason to study with specific faculty members in the department, and potential applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members in the department to ensure that the program would serve their needs and interests.

Credit Distribution

The M.A. degree requires the successful completion of 30 credits, distributed in the following fashion.

• Eight Semester Courses (24 credits)

• Two semesters of Research Credits for the Master's Thesis (6 credits) 

Coursework Requirements

The coursework requirements for pursuing the Art History track are as follows:

• Approaches to Art History (16.082.506)

• Seven Electives, four of which must be at the 500 level or higher

All electives must be taken within Art History, CHAPS, or Curatorial Studies, unless otherwise approved by the Graduate Program director. 

All electives taken outside of the department must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.

300 and 400 level courses can be taken for graduate credit.  When registering for 300 and 400 level courses, students should be sure to use the "G" prefix when registering for the course.

Full-time students should aim to complete the 16.082.506 Approaches to Art History requirement in their first year if possible. They should also complete five of the seven required electives. During their second year, they should also enroll in 6 credits of Research in Art History.  The recommended distribution of courses for full time students is as follows:

• First Year, Fall semester: 3 courses, one of which should be Approaches to Art History (16.082.506

• First Year, Spring semester: 3 courses

• Second Year, Fall semester: 1-2 courses + 3 credits of Research in Art History (16:082:701 for fall) 

• Second Year, Spring semester: 1-2 courses +3 credits of Research in Art History (16:082:702 for spring)

Students pursuing the degree part-time should consult with the GPD to formulate a schedule for their course of study.

Capstone Requirement

All students pursuing an M.A. in Art History are required to complete an M.A. thesis. Options for the thesis are varied and may include a written text, a thesis exhibition, or a detailed exhibition proposal. They are expected to work independently, scheduling regular meetings with their faculty adviser. All students are required to present their work in a departmental event in the spring and deposit their final approved thesis to the department by a designated date.

Members or Associate members may chair the committee. Affiliate members can serve but not chair the committee. The committee typically consists of the two main readers. 

Approval of Thesis Topic and Proposal

At the beginning of the Fall semester of their second year, students should arrange to meet with the Graduate Program Director to discuss possible thesis topics. Students should recruit a primary MA thesis advisor, with whom they should develop a topic, ideally no later than October 1. Advisors eligible to serve as primary thesis advisors must be either full-time members of the Art History Department at Rutgers or an Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty (listed on the website). In consultation with their primary thesis adviser, students should develop a proposal. The proposal should be formally approved and submitted to the Graduate Program director by November 1. Students must submit their approved proposal, along with the signed Thesis Proposal form to the Graduate Program Director by a designated deadline. The topic and adviser are approved only when a faculty member signs the form.

Second Reader:

The thesis advisor should suggest a potential second reader, who should be a full-time Art History faculty, full-time Rutgers University faculty (any department) or an Affiliate or Associate Member of the Graduate Faculty. It is up to each student to approach this individual or individuals to fulfill this role. The second reader is not an advisor; they are only required to review and comment on the work during the writing process. A second reader should be selected no later than February 15 of the final semester of the student’s degree program, and the candidacy form should be submitted to the program coordinator so that it is ready to be signed by the April 1 deadline set by SGS. The name should be submitted to the GPD and department program coordinator and added to the thesis approval form.

Additional Committee Members and Filing Signatures:

As per SGS rules, committees for Master’s degree candidates require three Members, Associate Members or Affiliate Members of the program’s graduate faculty. Two of those members should be the primary and secondary reader for the thesis/ capstone project. In the event that a third committee member is needed, the Graduate Program Director should serve as an ex officio third member and provide signatures for sections A and C of the candidacy form. In such cases, the Department Chair (DC) stands in for the Graduate Program Director (GPD) in certifying the form in section E.  In the event that the DC or GPD is already one of the two primary readers, the Undergraduate Director can provide a signature to certify the form in section E.

Filing for the Degree

Please make sure to double-check all paperwork requirements for filing for a May degree. The deadlines for the submission of paperwork and the uploading of the MA thesis to Rutgers library. Instructions for filing can be found on the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) website here. They are typically October 1 for an October degree, January 2 for a January degree, and April 1 for a May degree.

The candidacy form should be submitted to the department program coordinator no later than February 15. Please fill in all of Part I. In Part II, please fill in the title of your thesis in Section A. You will require three signatures for Sections A and C. Two of the three signatories should include your readers. The third should be listed as the current GPD. In the event that the GPD is one of the two readers already, then the third signatory should be the current department chair. In the event that both the GPD and department chair are readers, the chair should approach a third person in the department to serve in this capacity, to attest to the successful completion of the thesis and associated requirements.

Advising

Initially the Graduate Program Director serves as academic adviser for all students pursuing the M.A. track. Once a thesis advisor is selected, they may take over as the primary adviser. Students should arrange appointments with both the GPD and their primary advisers to discuss their course of study and ensure that they are on track to graduate as scheduled.  Please use the course-planning form to track your progress.

This 12 credit concentration within the Department of Art History Ph.D. program provides participants with the opportunity to broaden and give depth to their art historical/archaeological areas of specialization through the exploration of cross-disciplinary and global approaches to the analysis of monuments, sites and works of art within the context of World Heritage.

The CHAPS concentration is an appropriate complement for all of the fields of specialization currently offered in the Department of Art History. Students are encouraged to think broadly and cross-culturally, and to integrate relevant theory and practice into their art historical research, writing, and teaching. The concentration provides participants with additional areas of competence that will enhance career opportunities both outside and within academia. Cultural Heritage Preservation is a fast growing trans-disciplinary academic field at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Potential employers outside of academia include: museums-ranging from encyclopedic to highly specialized; cultural institutions and sites; governmental and non-governmental agencies dealing with tangible and intangible cultural heritage (the World Monuments Fund, UNESCO, ICOMOS, for example); auction houses; local, regional and national preservation offices; historic preservation commissions and societies; preservation advocacy organizations; cultural resource management firms; architectural and landscape architecture firms; and design or planning firms (national and international in focus). Cultural Heritage Preservation is a fast growing trans-disciplinary academic field as well.

CHAPS concentration: Curriculum

Four courses (12 credits)

Normally graduates participating in the program will take the Seminar in Global Heritage Preservation in addition to two seminars on key issues in Cultural Heritage. A fourth course may be an additional seminar on a key theme, or an internship approved by the CHAPS advisor.

Dissertation Proposal

Students choosing the CHAPS concentration will be encouraged to develop a dissertation topic with a strong cultural heritage component in consultation with their CHAPS and Art History advisor. A CHAPS faculty member will serve on the Dissertation committee.

Qualifying Exam

The qualifying exam consists of an oral exam followed by the ten day written paper. Both the written and oral exams will contain a CHAPS concentration component. A CHAPS faculty member will serve on the examination committee.

The oral examination is approximately two hours in length. After successful completion of this portion, the student undertakes the written portion. The topic of the paper, which is assigned by the committee, is designed to assist students with formulating concepts and methods for their dissertations.

Admission

Students accepted into to the Graduate Ph.D. Program in Art History through the existing admission process have the option of choosing to pursue this concentration.

Ph.D. Coursework requirements with CHAPS concentration.

36 credits of coursework, of which 12 credits must be related to the CHAPS program. 6 credits - dissertation proposal

6 credits - qualifying exam

24 credits - research

72 TOTAL

The Certificate Program in Curatorial Studies is designed to prepare graduate students for a wide array of positions in the arts—including at museums, galleries, non-profits, academia, and the private sector. This two-year curriculum is geared towards graduate students in the Art History program who are enrolled in the doctoral program, the CHAPS M.A. track, or the M.A. in Art History but can be completed by students pursuing graduate studies in any department at Rutgers. (Please note that this is not a stand-alone program. In order to pursue this Certificate, students must already be enrolled in an M.A. or Ph.D. program at Rutgers.)

With this certificate in hand, many of our students have gone on to have successful museum careers. For more information on our alumni, please see our Success Stories page.

For additional information, please contact the current Graduate Program Director.

Requirements

The Curatorial Studies certificate program is a 12-credit program comprised of four courses, distributed as follows:. 

Two Required Courses (choose two):

• 082:563 Curatorial Training Seminar (3 credits)
• 082:698 Exhibition Seminar –may be repeated if the subject is different from year to year (3 credits)
• 082:688 Topics in Contemporaneity Seminar – may be repeated if the subject is different from year to year (3 credits)

Two Elective Courses (choose two from the following list):

• Any of the required courses not previously counted
• CHAPS: Seminar in Global Cultural Heritage (3 credits)
• CHAPS: Cultural Resource Management and Global Cultural Heritage Preservation, (Global) Heritage and the Role of Museums in the 21st Century (3 credits)
• Any other CHAPS course
• Second Exhibition Seminar (3 credits) – may be taken as an Independent Study
• Second Topics in Contemporaneity Seminar (3 credits) – may be taken as an Independent Study
• Approved Art History Seminar – the paper topic must relate to exhibition history or a related area and must be chosen in consultation with the instructor and the Director of Curatorial Studies (3 credits)
• Internship (3 credits) – up to 6 credits may be counted towards the certificate

Summer Internships: In the interest of encouraging pre-professional training, a summer internship may be credited towards the certificate. Students choosing this option are required to complete only 9 credits for the certificate, distributed as follows:

• Two required courses (distributed as detailed above)
• One elective (chosen from the list provided above)

Filing for the Certificate

Students who have completed all requirements for the certificate should fill out the Certificate Program Application form and obtain the signature of the Director of Curatorial Studies or the Art History Graduate Program Director.