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Approved by the GPC 9/25/06

This document is for the internal use of the Department of Art History. Students must meet both the Art History program requirements and those of the Graduate College. The Graduate College requirements take precedence if there is a conflict with the Art History requirements.

  1. General Graduate Requirements for the MA Degree
    1. Administration of the MA Program
      The graduate program in art history is the responsibility of the Graduate Program Committee (GPC) and is administered by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). All questions or problems should first be directed to the DGS. If there are unresolved problems, these may be taken to the chairperson of the department.
    2. Advising
      Graduate students taking courses are strongly advised to meet with either the DGS or an advisor of their choice to discuss course offerings and progress toward the degree before registering each semester. Students may ask a faculty member to serve as their advisor at any time.
    3. Registration
      Students normally register continuously until all course requirements for the degree have been completed. Students on full-time status must register for 9 semester hours or more. Students holding assistantships must register for at least 8 semester hours each semester (6 in the summer term). International students holding a teaching or research assistantship must enroll for (1) at least 8 semester hours if they hold a one-half time appointment or (2) at least 10 semester hours if they hold a one-third time appointment.
    4. Minimum Grade Point Average
      Required GPA: 3.00/4.00 or higher. Students whose GPA drops below this average must meet this requirement in the following semester of enrollment or be placed on academic probation. While on probation, students will not receive financial aid or fellowships. After two semesters on probation, the student will be dismissed from the program.
    5. Time Limitation
      Master’s degree: within 5 consecutive years of initial registration. Students may petition the Graduate College for an extension of the time limit; petitions require the recommendations of the student’s adviser and the DGS. Extensions are not automatic.
    6. Leave of Absence.
      Except for international students whose visas require continuous registration, and doctoral students who have passed their preliminary exams, graduate degree-seeking students may take one semester (fall or spring) plus the summer session off without formal leave approval from the Graduate College. Degree students who desire to take an additional consecutive semester off, for a total maximum of 3 consecutive terms, must file a Graduate Petition for Leave of Absence by the tenth day of the third term for which leave is requested. For exceptions to this policy, please consult the Graduate College catalog (http://www.uic.edu/gcat/GS.shtml). NOTE: Time spent of leave formally approved by the department and the Graduate College does not count towards the time to complete the degree.
  2. Requirements for the MA degree
    1. Course Work
      All MA students are required to complete the following:
      1. A minimum of 36 semester hours including a minimum of 16 hours at the 500-level in Art History courses (AH 598—Thesis Hours count toward the 36 hour minimum but do not count toward the required 16 hours at the 500-level).
      2. Two core courses, AH 510 and AH 511 (8 semester hours).
      Highly Recommended
      The department encourages interdisciplinary study and research: students should explore course offerings in other departments within the College of Architecture and the Arts and UIC, at the University of Illinois at Urbana (UIUC) and at other institutions that are members of the CIC (Committee on Institutional Cooperation) Traveling Scholar Program; (http://www.cic.uiuc.edu/programs/TravelingScholars/index.shtml), including the Big Ten Universities and the University of Chicago. Courses that provide students with a broad general knowledge of the world history of architecture and art necessary to pass the Master’s Comprehensive Exam are also recommended.
    2. Transfer Credit
      1. The specific number of transfer credit hours accepted for transfer is determined on an individual basis. No transfer is automatic.
      2. Maximum allowed transfer credit: No more than 9 semester hours of previous graduate work.
      3. The GPC evaluates the student’s petition for transfer credit and makes a recommendation to the Graduate College.
      4. Non-degree credit: Individuals enrolled as non-degree students who are subsequently admitted as degree candidates may petition to transfer a maximum of 12 semester hours of graduate credit in which grades of A or B were earned.
    3. Foreign Language Requirement
      1. Selection of language
        Reading knowledge of a foreign language relevant to the student’s plan of study is required. The DGS or faculty advisor will approve the selection of a language. French and German are the languages most frequently selected for those pursuing the degree, but the study of any language important to the student’s area of research interest will be considered.
      2. Proof of language competence
        The student must do one of the following:
        1. Receive a grade of B or better in a UIC foreign language reading course for graduate students (or its equivalent at another institution, with the approval of the DGS). These courses will not count toward the 36 credit hours required for the MA or PhD degree.
        2. Pass a language exam administered by a language department at UIC. The department recommends that students take the language exam during their first year of graduate study. In case of failure, the student may repeat the examination until it is passed. The foreign language requirement must be satisfied before the student registers for thesis research.
        3. A test administered by or through the Department of Art History of no more than two hours. The language test usually consists of a translation of a passage into English with the aid of a dictionary.
        4. 4 semesters of college/university language study, with a grade of B or better. Courses where readings are in translation may not be used. The last semester of study can be no more than 5 years prior to the student’s first year of graduate study.
        5. The equivalent of the above (determined by the Director of Graduate Studies) in workshops, summer programs, fieldwork or research in a foreign language, or other language-learning activities.
        6. A degree from a foreign university where English is not the primary language of instruction. In cases of languages, such as some Native American languages, where there is not a significant body of written material in the language, courses focusing on grammar and conversation, or spoken fluency as demonstrated by testing, may be used.
        7. Native speakers with advanced reading skills as determined by the Director of Graduate Studies are exempt from the language requirement as are those students who have completed: 1) study in a foreign language at a foreign university, 2) field work conducted in a second language, or 3) summer intensive second language programs at an advanced level.
        8. A test of language proficiency from the MA degree (must be noted on transcript).
    4. Master's Comprehensive Examination
        All candidates for the Master of Arts degree must pass the departmental Master’s Comprehensive Examination. The exam will test general knowledge of world art history from the prehistoric to the modern eras, familiarity with theories and approaches to the study of the history of art and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing. The Master’s Comprehensive Examination requirement must be completed before the student registers for thesis research.
      1. Format
        The examination is open book and take home. Students will answer one question in each area from a group of two or three choices. The three areas are:
        1. Modern
        2. Ancient to Modern
        3. Non-Western
        The DGS can provide sample questions.
      2. Preparation
        The Comprehensive Exam is a major part of the graduate program. It is intended to assure that all students who complete the program, no matter what their undergraduate preparation, leave with a strong background in the discipline, strong research skills, and the ability to communicate effectively in writing. Particularly for students with a limited art history background, preparation for this exam may be quite time-consuming, requiring a great deal of work beyond what is routinely done in classes. Because many seminar courses are highly focused, they may not provide the broad coverage of subject matter or theoretical points of view that students in the program are expected to master. Students are strongly advised to audit undergraduate surveys in areas where they feel they are inadequately prepared, though this, too, is rarely sufficient to master the materials and methods requisite to passing the examination. It is good policy to gather reading lists from appropriate faculty in the areas tested.
      3. Faculty Expectations
        Students are expected to cite sources appropriate to graduate study and are therefore discouraged from using undergraduate textbooks or encyclopedias, or area survey works as source material. Answers must be clear, grammatical, and comprehensible to a scholar in any field. Questions should be answered in good essay fashion with a convincing argument that is supported by a discussion of specific artists, writers, works of art, as appropriate.
      4. Examination Schedule
        The examination is normally given twice a year. It is ordinarily distributed at 9 A.M. on the Friday of the first week of the fall and the spring semesters. Students are required to take all three parts on the first attempt and the remaining parts as needed on subsequent attempts according to the following schedule. Students taking all three parts will have four days to take the exam, those taking two parts: three days, and those taking one part: two days. The answers should either be brought to the Art History office or e-mailed to the address specified on the exam by 9 A.M. of the appropriate day. Students should contact the office by noon of the day they submit their answers to verify that the exam was received and printed. Results of the exam will be given within two weeks.
      5. Examination Grading
        Examinations are graded by the members of the GPC with the addition of Art History faculty specialists in cases where they are deemed necessary by the GPC. Exams are identified only by UINs to ensure independence of judgment on the part of the graders. After individual grading is completed, the GPC meets as a whole to assess the examination results and reach agreement on the grading of each section answered. The DGS notes the comments, criticisms and suggestions of the committee members to pass on to the student if requested. The identities of students who have taken the Exam are given to the GPC only after grading has been completed and recorded.
      6. Timing of the Comprehensive Exam within Course of Study
        Full-time students take the Comprehensive Exam no later than the third semester of enrollment. Students enrolled on a part-time basis take the Exam no later than the beginning of the semester in which they expect to complete all coursework.
      7. Retaking the Comprehensive Exam
        If a student does not pass one or more parts of the Exam the first time, he or she must retake all parts not passed the next time the exam is offered. In cases of a second partial or full failure, a student may petition the GPC in writing to retake part or all of the Exam a third time. The petition should provide a rationale for retaking the exam. Approval of the petition is not automatic.
      8. Appeals
        Every student has the right to discuss his or her Comprehensive Exam with the DGS, who will explain verbally or by e-mail whatever problems the readers found. The student may also wish to speak to other members of the GPC or the other readers. If, after this process of consultation, the student still feels that his or her exam was not properly evaluated, that student may make an appeal in writing to the DGS explaining the grounds for the appeal and why the student feels that the exam deserves a different evaluation. The GPC will determine whether there are sufficient grounds for the appeal. If so, they will select at least three readers, including at least one faculty member not previously involved, to read the Exam again. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the GPC will issue its determination within ten days of the initial appeal
    5. Thesis and Two-Paper Option
      Students meet the writing requirement for the Master of Arts degree in one of two ways: by writing a Master’s thesis, or by writing two qualifying papers. In general, the MA thesis requires significantly more time to write than the two papers. Students who intend to pursue additional graduate study or to engage in research as part of their professional work are encouraged to select the thesis option. Students must have completed all requirements and passed the Master’s Comprehensive Examination.
      1. Master’s Thesis:
        1. Advisor and Thesis Committee
          No later than the 12th week of the semester preceding intended graduation, students who have selected the Thesis Option:
          • formally choose a thesis advisor and two additional members of the Thesis Committee. Though it is common to select all three members of the Thesis Committee from the Art History faculty, one member may be drawn from outside the department or university;
          • notify (in writing) the DGS of the intent to write a thesis and provide the names of the Thesis Committee members. The DGS and the Graduate College must approve the membership of the committee;
          • discuss the scope and direction of the thesis with the thesis advisor and produce a thesis proposal. The student should meet with the committee as soon as possible after the completion of the proposal to obtain their approval before beginning the process of research and writing;
          • submit names of Thesis Committee members to the Graduate College for approval and official appointment (the form is available on the Graduate College website under “downloadable forms”: http://grad.uic.edu/pdfs/CommRecForm.pdf).
        2. Thesis Semester Credit Hours
          Students selecting the thesis option must register for at least 5 hours of thesis research (AH 598). No more than 8 hours of AH 598 can be applied to the degree. To register for AH 598, students must have successfully completed all course requirements including the foreign language requirement, passed the Comprehensive Examination, and submitted the Committee Recommendation Form.
        3. Completion of Thesis
          • The thesis draft must be complete and distributed to the full committee no later than the first Friday of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. The thesis draft must be approved by the advisor prior to its distribution to the full committee.
          • To declare your intention to graduate for a certain term, you must complete the steps listed in the UIC Web for Student for the Pending Degree List as given on the following web page http://www.uic.edu/depts/ims/webstudent/graduationpdl.htm. The Pending Degree List form may be submitted from the start of registration for your graduation semester until the Friday of the third week of fall and spring semester or second week of the summer semester.
          • A final revision is expected by the sixth week of the semester. Students should allow two to Three weeks turnaround time by committee members for each thesis draft and should also be aware that committee members routinely require extensive revision and rewriting of the thesis drafts before final approval.
          • The oral defense of the thesis will take place after the committee has approved the final draft of the thesis. The committee members will attend the defense, which will take place no later than 3 weeks after the final version of the thesis has been approved.
      2. Two-Paper Option:
        1. Two Papers
          Students who select the Two-Paper Option must submit two substantial research papers written in graduate courses taken at UIC or at a CIC institution. Qualifying papers should be based on two different seminar papers or one seminar paper and one independent study paper. Each paper should be at least equivalent in quantity and quality to an excellent seminar paper and should use primary sources, ask critical questions of the material being presented, and be potentially useful for other scholars. No additional course credit is granted for these papers.
        2. Readers
          No later than the 12th week of the semester preceding intended graduation, students who have chosen the Two-Paper Option:
          • formally select two professors to read each paper: the professor for whom each paper was written, whether from Art History or from another department, shall be one of the readers. At least one of the readers must be from the Department of Art History. The same two professors may serve as readers for both papers;
          • notify (in writing) the DGS of the intent to choose the Two-Paper Option and provide the names of the faculty members who originally assigned the papers and of any additional readers. Complete the Two-Paper Option form (available in the Art History office). It will be placed in your file for reference.
        3. Registration
          Students who select the Two-Paper Option may register twice for AH 590 MA Paper Research (0 credit hours). Registration is not required but does entitle students to registered student status.
        4. Completion of Two Papers
          • A draft must be distributed to the respective primary reader of each paper no later than the first Friday of the semester in which the student intends to graduate. Each draft must be approved by the respective primary reader prior to its distribution to the second readers. Students should allow two to three weeks turnaround time by readers for each paper draft and should also be aware that readers routinely require extensive revision and rewriting of drafts before final approval.
          • To declare intention to graduate for a certain term, students must complete the steps listed in the UIC Web for Student for the Pending Degree List as given on the following web page http://www.uic.edu/depts/ims/webstudent/graduationpdl.htm. The Pending Degree List form may be submitted from the start of registration for the graduation semester until the Friday of the third week of fall and spring semester or second week of the summer semester.
          • Both papers should be completed and approved by all readers by the tenth week of the semester. The departmental Two-Paper Option form must be signed by all readers and given to the DGS.
    6. Annual Departmental Review of Graduate Student Progress
      Each student’s progress will be reviewed annually by the Graduate Program Committee and the graduate faculty. Each student will submit a one-page Progress Report by the last Monday in March of each academic year. This report should list completed and current courses, progress toward the fulfillment of requirements (including coursework, the foreign language requirement, and the Master’s Comprehensive Exam), and advancement toward the thesis or paper option, where appropriate. As each student nears completion of the program, the GPC may request that he or she give a presentation of research to the faculty and students.

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