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What are the programs
of study in the Department of Art History and Archaeology? |
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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
"Masterpieces" courses, taught
in part by advanced graduate students, fulfilling requirements
for students in three undergraduate schools.
Major and Concentration/Minor
in Art History; Major and Concentration/Minor in History
and Theory of Architecture; Major in Art History and
Visual Arts
Auditors
Program and Lifelong Learners Program; Second Majors
Program; Postbaccalaureate non-degree program
The
Barnard College Department of Art History and the Department
of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University
share faculty and resources. Barnard faculty teach undergraduate
and graduate courses taken by Columbia students, and
Columbia faculty teach courses taken by Barnard Students.
Barnard faculty teach in the Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences and sponsor dissertations and MA theses.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND
SCIENCES
Sequential MA-MPhil-PhD program
Sequential MPhil-PhD program (for students with advanced
standing based on an MA in art history earned elsewhere)
(Note:
These programs are non-sequential, leading to an MA. Separate
application is required for PhD admission)
MA in Modern Art: Critical Studies Track
and (NEW) Curatorial Studies Track/Whitney Museum of
American Art
MA in Art History and Archaeology (e.g., Renaissance
art, Chinese art, architectural history) |
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Is admission possible
for a spring or summer semester? |
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Graduate admission to the Department is
for the fall term only. |
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What is the timetable
for admissions decisions? |
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All applications received by the deadline of 3 January are reviewed carefully and thoroughly by faculty
over a
period
of several
weeks in January. Admissions decisions are
communicated only by the Office of the Dean of the
Graduate
School of Arts and Sciences; decision letters from the
Dean usually go out around mid-March.
All applications received by the deadline of 2 March are reviewed carefully and thoroughly by faculty
over a period
of
several
weeks in March. Admissions decisions are communicated
only by the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences; decision letters from the Dean
go out usually around late-April. |
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Does the Department have
"rolling" admissions?? |
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No. All applications must be received
by the deadline. |
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How can I obtain a graduate application
and catalog (bulletin)? |
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These materials are not available from the Department
of Art History and Archaeology.
To obtain an application you may:
Visit
the GSAS Admissions Office, 107 Low Library
Call (212) 854-4737 (choose option 3 on the voicemail
menu)
Make an online
request for a paper application
Write to the Graduate School and request an application:
Columbia University Graduate
School of Arts and Sciences
107 Low Memorial Library
535 West 116th Street, MC 4304
New York, NY 10027
You may also complete an online
application. Some materials, such as transcripts,
letters of reference, and writing samples, application
fee, etc. will still have to be mailed in. Bulletins
are available only online.
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What are the deadlines for submission
of applications? |
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Application deadline for the PhD
program (MA-MPhil-PhD and MPhil-PhD) is .
Application deadline for all non-sequential, "terminal"
MA programs (Modern
Art Critical or Curatorial Tracks)
and other fields) is .
All application materials must be received by the respective
application deadlines. Applicants are strongly encouraged
to take their GRE test (and TOEFL if required) in sufficient
time to ensure that the scores arrive by the deadline.
It is recommended that applicants submit all materials
at the same time to ensure that the application is complete. |
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Is there anything I need to send directly
to the Department? |
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No. All materials should be sent to the
GSAS Admissions Office, at the above address. Sending
materials to the Department can cause delays in processing
the application. |
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What percentage of students who
apply to the PhD are admitted? What percentage are offered
fellowship? What is the percentage for applications
to the non-sequential MA programs? |
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In winter 2002 the faculty of the department considered
about 300 applications for Fall 2003 admission to the
PhD program and made an offer of admission to about 7.6%.
About 4.3% of all applicants were offered fellowship
admission. The faculty considered about 100 applications for Fall 2004 admission to the Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies program and made an offer of admission to about 25%. The faculty considered about 30 applications for Fall 2004 admission to the MA in Art History and Archaeology program and made an offer of admission to about 45%. Unfortunately, fellowship assistance is not available to students in MA programs. |
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How many students are enrolled in
the PhD program? The MA program? |
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As of December 2002 the approximate number of students
in the PhD program is 170, more than half of whom have
completed coursework and are researching and writing
the
dissertation. The number of students in the PhD entering
class for Fall 2002 is 13. The approximate number of students in all MA programs is 50. The number of students in the Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies entering class for Fall 2004 is 16. For Fall 2004 we welcome five students pursuing a non-sequential Masters with a faculty mentor (in Islamic, Roman, History of Architecture, and Renaissance). |
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What is the required preparation
in art history for admission to the Department’s
graduate programs? |
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The prerequisite is a minimum of 4 courses in art history
or studies closely related (e.g., archaeology, architectural
history, art-historical anthropology). An undergraduate
major in art history is not a requirement. In evaluating
the application, faculty must try to predict the applicant’s
ability to succeed in this demanding program. Obviously,
applicants who are better-prepared and who have achieved
academic success have a better chance for admission.
Preparation
for graduate study does not, however, consist solely
of taking as many art history classes as possible. Nor
does
suitability for this program always accompany high academic
achievement as evidenced on an application. The program
presumes a readiness to contribute to advanced seminars
and to sophisticated discussion of the history of art.
It is not an introductory program and students without
the minimum number of undergraduate-level (or higher)
courses are not likely to be admitted. For improving
one’s
background in art history, the School
of Continuing Education can
be a resource (see below). |
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I only have a Bachelors (baccalaureate)
degree, no Masters. Can I apply directly to the PhD program? |
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Yes. In fact the majority of first-year
students in the PhD program do not enter the program with
a Masters Degree in art history. (Having an MA does not
automatically increase or decrease an applicant’s
chances for admission.) In the first year of this sequential program students without an MA in art history earn the
Masters and then continue on in two more years of coursework.
Regardless of previous degrees, all students take the
methodological Proseminar and fulfill similar requirements
in the first year. Applicants who have or will have earned
an MA in art history before matriculation should consult
the GSAS regulations on Advanced Standing (and see related
question, below). |
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For my application do I need to indicate
a field of specialization? |
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Yes; this is very important. Although the personal
statement should make clear what is the intended field
of study
(e.g.,
Modern,
Ancient,
East Asian, Renaissance art, Pre-Columbian archaeology,
or Baroque architectural history, etc.) all applicants
should declare their intended field of specialization
on the application where it says "subfield."
Modern Art: Critical Studies MA applicants may write,
"Modern Art: Critical Studies." Modern Art:
Curatorial Studies MA applicants may write "Modern
Art: Curatorial Studies." MA applicants in other
fields should give their intended field, as well,
and
refer to the special application instructions for the
non-sequential MA degree in fields other than Modern
art.
PhD applicants may refer to the M.Phil. programs of study
as described. Note that in this program the "History
of Western Art" M.Phil program covers all of
the following subfields: Western Medieval; Byzantine;
Italian,
French, and British Renaissance and Baroque art; Northern
Renaissance art; 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-Centery European
art; American art; and the history of photography.
Please make
sure to indicate
which of these fields you are interested in under
"subfield." |
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I just want to do an MA degree, no
PhD. Do I still need a field of specialization? |
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Yes; there is no "general" MA
in art history in this department. All MA students
must complete the M.A. Thesis which by definition requires
research in a particular area. You must indicate your
inteneded field of study on the application form under
subfield; omitting your subfield may
exclude your application from reviews of faculty in the
proper field. MA applicants whose interest is not
Modern art must, as per the application
instructions, gain the sponsorship of a faculty member
in the proposed field of study. See question about interviews,
below. |
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I didn’t major in art history
in college but I took a few courses years ago and I’ve
always done reading on my own. Do I meet the minimum admission
requirement? |
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Graduate admissions is selective and competitive. If
you are planning to specialize in, say, Modern art and
theory, but you have never taken a class on Twentieth-century
art and you have not done extensive reading and writing
in that area, then, you’ll have to make clear in
your personal statement how you have gained adequate
knowledge
and skills that prepare you to contribute to graduate
seminars and do independent research in Modern art.
The personal essay
as well as your critical writing sample should demonstrate
some sophistication about the field. Remember, you need
to indicate a specialization. |
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I may not be ready or qualified for
the graduate program. How can I improve my background
in art history and still study at Columbia? |
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One way in which prospective graduate
students commonly seek to explore art history or improve
their
background, get to know faculty in this department, and
make plans for future study is to enroll as a postgraduate
non-degree student in Columbia’s
School of Continuing Education and Special Programs.
Most undergraduate courses and most graduate lectures
in the Department of Art History and Archaeology are
open to students in this school. A limited number of
graduate
courses taken for credit in the School
of Continuing Education may be applicable to a graduate degree in
this department.
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Can I audit courses in the Department? |
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Auditing of certain courses is available to non-degree
students via the Auditing Program or the Lifelong Learner’s
Program of the School
of Continuing Education. |
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I have a Master of Fine Arts Degree
(MFA) and would like to apply to the PhD program. Do I
qualify for Advanced Standing and am I exempt from the
Columbia MA in art history? What about other MA degrees?
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The MFA does not exempt you from the MA. Consult the
GSAS regulations on Advanced Standing. On the recommendation
of faculty in the department the Graduate School will
admit an applicant with Advanced Standing only in the
case of an earned MA degree in art history. In such a
case the new student begins the program at the level of
the second year (although certain first-year requirements
still apply) and is not allowed to receive the MA in art
history from Columbia. A partial exception to the GSAS
policy may be granted to students transferring from other
graduate programs at Columbia University. For example,
if an MFA student in the School of the Arts at Columbia
took a number of art history courses during enrollment
in the Visual Arts Division, then, after matriculation
in the Department of Art History and Archaeology, that
student may be eligible to receive a limited amount of
credit towards the MA degree. But the MA in art history
would still be required of the student.
There are no generalizations to be made about applicants
with a background in the studio or other visual arts.
All compete on even ground for admission to the PhD program
next to applicants without such training. But the Masters
Degree in this department is an MA in art history, which
in turn is the prerequisite for the MPhil programs of
study in art history. So, while the MFA can be for some
a valuable component of background preparation for the
PhD in art history, the faculty still requires the Master
of Arts Degree.
Applicants holding a Master of Arts in such fields as
Archaeology, Anthropology, English or Comparative Literature,
Film Studies, Liberal Studies, History, etc.—ordinarily
are not eligible for Advanced Standing and are required
to earn the MA in art history in the first year of study
toward the PhD. |
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Can I continue on to the PhD after
receiving the "non-sequential" MA in Modern
Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies or the "non-sequential"
MA in Art History? |
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Students who receive the Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial
Studies (MODA) MA degree or the MA degree in Art History
may subsequently apply to the PhD program.
Such applicants compete for admission (directly to the
MPhil-PhD program) with all other new PhD applications.
The terminal MA programs are not designed to be a stepping-stone
to the PhD program in this department, however. Applicants
with good undergraduate training and a clear resolve
ultimately to pursue the PhD should apply directly to
the MA-MPhil-PhD
program and indicate their intended
field of specialization (such as Modern art, Renaissance,
Architectural History, etc.). |
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Is a writing sample required as part
of the application? What kind of writing sample should
I submit? |
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All applicants to all programs should submit a writing
sample. It is a very important component of the application.
Typically the writing sample will be an undergraduate
senior thesis, a seminar paper, an article or other
published
piece; it should be a critical or scholarly work in art
history or a closely related field. Applicants to the
MPhil-PhD program (i.e., those with an MA in art history
earned elsewhere) should submit their MA Thesis or similar
sample
of graduate-level
work. There is no minimum or maximum number of pages
for the writing sample. Applicants whose first language
is
other than English may submit a sample in the original
language. |
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Are interviews
required for admission? How do I go about meeting with
faculty? Should I meet with the Chair of the Department
and the Director of Graduate Studies? |
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Although interviews are not required as
part of the PhD application process, applicants are
strongly
encouraged to consult with a faculty member in the intended
field of specialization. The best time to do this
is during the fall semester.
Interviews are not required as part of the process of applying to the MA in Art History; MA in Modern Art: Critical Studies; and MA in Modern Art: Curatorial Studies programs. However, prospective students may visit faculty during their office hours. For information about faculty please consult the
faculty
directory.
You may call or visit during office hours in the
fall term, or early in the spring term. Information about
office hours is posted on the faculty
directory at the start
of each term. Office hours are "open hours," that
is to say, no appointment is necessary during the period
of the office hour unless indicated on the faculty directory.
There may be a short wait, especially at the beginning
and
end
of
a
term when
students
are
consulting
with their instructors. Some faculty may prefer to set
an appointment for you.
It is generally not necessary to meet with either the
Chair of the Department or the Director of Graduate Studies.
Such a meeting would not be expected of prospective PhD
applicants unless either of these professors is a potential
advisor in the respective field of study. Most inquiries
for the Chair and/or DGS are properly directed first to
the Student Coordinator in the department office. General
inquiries about the program—questions about program
requirements, deadlines, course offerings, etc.—are
properly directed to the Student Coordinator.
EMAIL: If you have specific questions
related to your research interests you may direct these
questions to faculty via email, but be advised that they
get many unsolicited emails each week and it may take
time to get any response. Some faculty may prefer to respond
only after having met you during their office hours.
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How many letters of reference are
required? Who should be my referees? Must they be art
historians, architectural historians or archaeologists?
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As per the GSAS application instructions for all programs,
three letters of recommendation are required. Ideally
the letters are from professors and scholars who can speak
to your abilities and your suitability for graduate study
in this program at Columbia. Typically letters come from
art and architectural historians or archaeologists, professors
who have taught or supervised the applicant in college
or at the Masters level, but a letter from an academic
in another discipline, preferably the humanities, would
be acceptable. Letters from museum professionals are acceptable.
The referee ought to know you well, know your work, and
know what your goals are. The letters of reference are
an important component of the application. |
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Are the GREs required?
Is there a required subject test? Does the department
set a minimum score cutoff for consideration of the application?
What is the average range of scores? |
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The University requirement is that all
applicants must report General
Test GRE scores that
are
no more than five years old. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to take the test as early as possible to
have the scores
arrive in the Admissions Office by the application deadline.
There is no subject test requirement for admission to
the Department
of Art
History
and Archaeology. There are no minimum score requirements
for applications to programs in this department and we
currently keep no statistics on the GRE scores of successful
applicants. The GRE scores constitute one component of
an application. Poor scores can hurt the chances for
an
application that is incomplete or borderline and weak
in other areas. For an application that is complete
and
stellar in all other respects, low scores are not the
end of the story. Great scores cannot earn admission
all
by themselves.
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ code for GRE and TOEFL is 2162. GSAS does not use department codes, since all application materials should be sent to the GSAS Admissions Office." |
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Is the TOEFL required of all international
students? |
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All international students whose native language is
not English and who have received an undergraduate degree
from an institution in a country whose official language
is not English, must submit scores of the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered in foreign
countries by the Educational Testing Service. If you
have received an undergraduate degree from a non-English
speaking country and are now studying at the graduate
level in the U.S. or an English-speaking country, you
must take TOEFL. The Graduate School normally requires
a score of 600 on the paper-and-pencil test or 250 on
the computer-based test. Applicants are strongly urged
to make arrangements to take the examination in early
fall. Inquiries about this test should be addressed to
TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08540,
U.S.A; Tel.: (609) 771-7100; Web site: http://www.ets.org
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ code for GRE and TOEFL is 2162. GSAS does not use department codes, since all application materials should be sent to the GSAS Admissions Office." |
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What are the language proficiency
requirements for applicants? What is the best preparation
for the Departmental language exams? |
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Reading knowledge of two or three foreign languages (either
German or an East Asian language, plus a second language
in the student’s area of interest) is strongly
recommended for applicants. Consult the MPhil
Programs of Study in the GSAS Bulletin for information
about language proficiency requirements in the program.
Demonstration of proficiency
in at least one language will be required during the
first year of study. Most MPhil programs require two
beyond
the one language used to satisfy the MA degree requirement.
In all cases the languages required for the PhD is determined
in consultation with the faculty advisor.
In some cases
it can be as many as five, depending on the field of
specialization.
A reading knowledge of one foreign language relevant
to the students area of study must be demonstrated
in order to complete the degree.
General Information About Languages
Applicants are not
tested on language proficiency as part of the application
process.
All applicants
are
asked to
give a brief report of their language proficiency on
the main application form. The critical writing sample
may
also demonstrate some level of proficiency. To meet the
requirements given above all new students are expected
to be proficient with languages when they begin the program.
Students can pursue language studies
after matriculation. Language courses may not be applied
towards any degree in the department. Language skills
are an absolutely essential component of graduate education.
Applicants without language proficiency in the intended
field of study are at a disadvantage in the admissions
process, and new students find, upon matriculation,
that language study hinders progress in coursework, as
assigned readings may be in foreign languages.
Once matriculated, students demonstrate their language
skills by taking proficiency exams administered and graded
by faculty in the department. Each exam, in any language,
is a test of reading/translation and interpretation skills
both with and without a dictionary. It does not matter
by what method a student develops proficiency: it could
be a traditional or rapid reading course, a total immersion
course, overseas travel, or regular study on one’s
own. The language exams are not oral exams and the student
preparing for them should keep this in mind. Language
instruction that greatly emphasizes speaking skills may
not help you read the critical literature. But of course,
art historians tend to be good linguists and in all but
a very few cases in this PhD program, travel and intensive
research in foreign countries is a major part of preparing
a dissertation. |
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Are there any tours of the campus?
May I visit classes in the Department? |
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Campus tours are offered by the Visitors’ Center.
The Visitors’ Center is located in Room 213 Low
Memorial Library, just inside the main front door. Low
is the domed building at the center of campus. The phone
number is 212-854-4900.
Prospective students are often welcome to sit in on a
class in the Department of Art History and Archaeology.
Large lectures are the best option—consult the class
schedule or contact the department office for suggestions.
It is a courtesy for visitors to introduce themselves
to the instructor and ask permission to sit in on a class
meeting, even a large lecture. Ordinarily, prospective
applicants do not sit in on seminar classes but with
the prior permission of the instructor and early in
the semester it may be possible. |
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How can I get in touch with graduate
students in the program to ask them about their experiences? |
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The best way to contact current graduate
students is to visit Columbia and the department, sit
in on some classes and introduce yourself. The Department
of Art History and Archaeology Newsletter is a good resource
to see what graduate students are up to. A list of current
dissertation topics is also on the Department home page. |
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I have been admitted for the next
fall term but my plans have changed. Can I defer my admission?
Do I need to reapply? |
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The Graduate School does not allow deferral of admission.
In order to be considered for the next year, an applicant
must re-apply and submit again a complete application. |
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I was rejected for the PhD but I’d
still like to come study for the MA. Is it possible for
faculty to reconsider my application? |
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In a very few instances during the process of evaluating
applications, faculty may determine that an application
that is not ready for the PhD program would be suitable
for the non-sequential MA program. In those cases usually
the DGS or the Student Coordinator will contact the
applicant to find out if they are interested in such
a course. If you know in advance that you would like
such consideration, it is advisable to indicate as much
in your personal statement or in a separate note included
in your application. Applications rejected for the PhD
are not automatically re-considered for the MA. Applicants
to MA programs in fields other than Modern art are
still required to have a sponsor for their admission,
a faculty member who agrees to be their mentor. Therefore,
those applicants to the PhD who are keen on studying
in this department whether for a terminal MA or for
the sequential MA-MPhil-PhD, whether on fellowship or
not, and who would like such re-consideration—ought
to meet with faculty in their field, as per the PhD
application instructions. |
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What financial aid is available to
students in department programs? |
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Applicants should consult the GSAS Application and
the Office of Financial Aid for information about financial
assistance including fellowships, loans, and work-study.
Fellowships are awarded to PhD students in recognition
of academic achievement
and in expectation of scholarly success. Only the very
strongest applications to the PhD program are recognized
with an offer of fellowship assistance in the first year.
Continuing students in good standing, including those
who were not offered a fellowship for the first year,
are eligible to apply for Fellowships in Teaching and
dissertation research, and in fact the Graduate School
has moved in recent years towards better and more complete
funding of its PhD student body. Nearly all of the department’s
2nd- and 3rd-year students in good standing are fully
funded Fellows in Teaching. Applicants to the PhD program
are encouraged to apply for non-Columbia funding as well
(i.e. Ford, Mellon, and Javits.) All PhD students in
coursework who receive a fellowship, either from Columbia
or elsewhere, are
required to assume teaching or curatorial assistant positions.
Unfortunately, fellowship funding is not available to
students in MA
programs. |
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Is part-time study permitted in the
Department? |
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Refer to the GSAS Bulletin for regulations on registration,
satisfactory academic progress and the completion of degree
requirements.
Part-time study is discouraged. During coursework, part-time
study for a limited time may be approved in special
cases
by the Director of Graduate Studies. Seven years is the
time limit for the PhD (less any Advanced Standing granted);
only with special permission of the Dean may a student
register for an eighth or later year of study. The MA
must be completed within four consecutive terms and the
MPhil in three years (less Advanced Standing granted).
Thus, going part-time makes it more difficult to meet
the time-to-degree requirements of the Graduate School.
Moreover, it can be difficult for faculty to get to know
a student’s work if that student is not carrying
a full load of courses. This may hinder a student’s
ability to compete for a fellowship and to obtain
proper
advising. All Fellowship recipients are required to go
to school full-time.
Part-time study is possible and the MA programs are structured
to accommodate students whose work or family responsibilities,
or financial pressures, make part-time study more feasible.
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Are there opportunities for evening
study in the Department? |
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The Department offers a very limited number of courses
beginning after 5pm. Consult the class schedule for
updates. Given
that the MA Colloquium and the PhD Proseminar are daytime
courses, and that most department courses are offered
between 10am and 4pm, it would not be possible to earn
a degree exclusively with evening coursework. Some students
who work full-time but have some flexibility will set
aside evenings, plus a full day or an afternoon for
courses. |
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Are there opportunities for summer
study in the Department? |
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The Summer Session of the School of Continuing Education
and Special Programs includes several courses in art history
each year. A limited number of these are graduate-level,
i.e., 4000-level and above. |
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Is there a joint MA-MBA program with
the Columbia Business School? |
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At the present time there is no such joint program.
If you wish to pursue such a course—with Business
or with any other professional school outside the Graduate
School—you must consult the respective Offices
of the Dean at GSAS and CBS for permission to register
in
both schools. Teachers
College at Columbia University offers graduate programs
in Arts Administration. |
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How many years does it take to earn
the PhD? |
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It varies widely. The normative time is seven years,
minus a year for those who matriculate with a Masters
Degree in art history and thus are granted Advanced Standing.
Currently the Department does not provide statistics on
time-to-degree. The length of time that it takes depends
on a number of factors not all of which are predictable
at the outset: student achievement in coursework and languages,
on the oral examination, and in teaching; faculty advising
and sponsorship; the all important question of funding;
and the dissertation topic itself. Students whose topic
requires extensive archival research abroad may require
a little more time than another student whose research
is more straightforward or more easily accomplished in
residence at Columbia. Students in certain fields may
find that outside funding can be difficult to obtain.
And of course "real life" has a way of intruding
on such a lengthy endeavor as doctoral study. |
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I am mostly interested in research.
How much emphasis does the PhD program place on teaching? |
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Columbia University and the faculty of the Department
of Art History and Archaeology recognize that the training
of teachers is an essential aspect of advanced graduate
education. All PhD students after the first year are expected
to balance their own coursework and research with teaching.
Second- and third-year fellows in teaching gain experience
by assisting professors or leading sections in the larger
undergraduate courses. At the most advanced level, after
the oral examinations and the M.Phil. degree, students
can apply to be appointed a Teaching Fellow in the Columbia
Core Curriculum, which involves both a highly organized
training program and unusual independence as teachers
in a small seminar setting. The Core Curriculum and its
art historical component—the Art Humanities Program—provide
an invaluable laboratory for teacher training and become
a special experience for undergraduates and doctoral students
alike. Research does not grind to a halt because of teaching
duties, however; the structure of the Art Humanities teaching
program allows doctoral students to continue to research
and write the dissertation in anticipation of a travel
or fellowship year, or a defense, as the case may be.
(Our students do very well in competition for research
grants from University and external sources.) But the
PhD at Columbia is not a pure research degree. |
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How can I go about studying Archaeology
in the Department? |
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Although the name is Art
History & Archaeology,
the balance of faculty in this department favors the
art and architectural historians over the archaeologists.
But the field of archaeology has a long and illustrious
history in this department and in recent years the
program
has grown. We expect the trend to continue with the new
leadership of Professors Zainab
Bahrani, Clemente
Marconi, and Joanna
Smith and the continued leadership of Professors Natalie
Kampen, Esther
Pasztory,
and Richard Brilliant.
The opportunities for the study of archaeology at Columbia
extend beyond this department, too. The Departments of
Anthropology, Classics, Historic Preservation, History,
Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, and other departments
and centers offer a variety of specialties and in many
cases students will take courses and find advisors in
adjacent departments. A centralized resource for archaeology
at Columbia is found at www.columbia.edu/cu/archaeology.
For prospective applicants to a PhD or to an MA
program
in archaeology, it may be difficult to determine which
program or department is most appropriate. Since the
optimal
course may depend on your field of interest—whether
Precolumbian, Aegean Bronze Age, Classical, Egyptian,
Middle Eastern, Near Eastern etc.—the single most
useful avenue of investigation is to consult with
faculty whose work interests you, whether in the Department
of Art History and Archaeology or in another department.
So the first step is to familiarize yourself with the
faculty areas of specialization. If the professor you
wish to consult is unavailable, consult the Director
of Graduate Studies in the appropriate department or
departments. |
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How can I go about studying Architecture
in the Department? |
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Both the Department of Art History and Archaeology and
the Graduate
School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) offer the PhD in architectural history. Prospective
students are often unsure of which program is best suited
to their needs. University regulations prohibit simultaneous
application to both programs. Consultation with faculty
members in each program is strongly advised. (In this
department: Hilary Ballon, Barry Bergdoll, Joseph Connors,
Robin Middleton, Stephen Murray; in GSAPP: Kenneth Frampton,
Mary McLeod, Joan Ockman, Gwendolyn Wright, Mark Wigley.)
But generally speaking the PhD program in GSAPP is intended
for students with substantial professional training in
architectural design, generally holding the M. Arch. degree.
Its focus is exclusively on architecture since 1700. Courses
in both divisions are open to students in each program,
and cross-registration is common. The PhD candidates in
architectural history in this department and those in
GSAPP form a joint social and intellectual community.
A non-sequential MA in architectural history is offered
only in the Department of Art History and Archaeology.
As per the admission requirements for non-sequential MA
programs other than Modern art, applicants must obtain
the sponsorship of a member of the faculty, so they are
advised to consult with the department faculty named above. |
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Does the Department offer a studio
arts, film, or media studies program? |
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No. For the Visual Arts Division
(painting, sculpture, etc) and The Film Division contact
the Columbia
University School of the Arts. For media studies we
might suggest The
New School University here in New York or William
Paterson University of New Jersey. |
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Does the Department offer a Museum
Studies program? |
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No. Try the Teachers
College program in Arts Administration or the Museum
Anthropology MA Program from the Department of Anthropology
or the graduate
program in museum studies at New York University or
the graduate
program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC). |
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Does the Department offer a program
in Art Restoration? |
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No. Professor James Beck, a Renaissance scholar on the
faculty of the Department of Art History and Archaeology,
has a critical interest in this area and his Web
site can be a resource. |
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How can I learn more? |
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Consult the Department of Art History and Archaeology
Web site
Obtain an application and a Bulletin from GSAS
Visit the Department in Schermerhorn Hall; consult faculty,
meet students, and ask questions of Department staff.
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