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This program is founded on the conviction that critics engaged with modern and contemporary art need to understand curatorial strategies and that curators must be able to write with full knowledge of critical theory. Taking advantage of both Columbia's location in one of the world's major centers for the production and display of modern art, and the department's close ties with the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and other institutions, the program immerses students in the art world of New York City. At the heart of the program are the two MA colloquia described below.

The MA Critical Colloquium, required of all students in the program and taken in the first term of study, is designed to explore issues of historical and critical method by focusing on them through the lens of a particular area of concern within the modernist field. These "lenses" will change from year to year, but an example would be the rise of photography within modernism. Another example might be notions of "primitivism,"which would encompass discussion of ethnographic models in contemporary art; or contemporary architecture and theories of urbanism. The structure of the colloquium combines reading and analysis of texts by the major theorists and critics, among them several members of the department faculty.

The MA Curatorial Colloquium, required of all students in the program and taken in the second semester of study, focuses on the theory and practice of museum and gallery display and is taught through consortial arrangements with institutions in New York City, including MoMA and the Whitney Museum of American Art. In addition to department faculty, curators from MoMA, the Whitney, the International Center for Photography, and other institutions regularly participate in the colloquium.

Full-time students are expected to complete all requirements for the MA degree in two years, of which the second year may involve part-time study. Part-time study for the MA is also possible, and part-time students typically complete the degree in three to four years. The program for all MA candidates regardless of specialization is determined in discussion with the student's adviser and is a mix of seminar and lecture courses. All MA programs require ten courses (30 points of credit) and 2 cumulative Residence Units of registration. In the first year, the standard full-time program includes a total of eight courses. Of the ten courses required for the degree, at least three should be lecture courses at the 3000, 4000 or 6000 level (no more than two at the 3000 level). The MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies requires the Critical Studies Colloquium and the Curatorial Colloquium, both for a letter grade. Two of the lecture courses may be taken for R (registration) credit. Students must demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language in order to complete the degree. With the approval of the adviser, students may take courses in the culture, literature, history, and philosophy of their areas of interest. Language courses and studio art courses do not count towards the degree. In the second year of full-time study, or final year of part-time study, students must register for one thesis course in each semester, completing the ten-course requirement.

The resources of the Department of Art History and Archaeology extend beyond the classroom: The Avery Memorial Architecture and Fine Arts Library, the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery, the Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture, and the many museums and art galleries of New York offer an incomparable array of world art on permanent and temporary exhibition. In addition, courses are taught by the curatorial staffs in the various museums. The Media Center for Art History provides learning opportunities for graduate students in the area of new imaging and information technologies. More information about the Department of Art History and Archaeology is available on the Web at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/arthistory/.

In addition to the requirements listed below, all students must submit 1 official transcript showing courses and grades per school attended, a Statement of Academic Purpose, a writing sample (a course paper, term paper, etc.) and 3 letters of evaluation from academic sources. All international students whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is 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) or IELTS. For more information, refer to our Admissions Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages.

DEGREE:	Master's Only
Deadline for Fall Admission	February 3rd
Deadline for Spring Admission	no spring admission
Resume/CV	yes
Writing Sample	Yes, a critical writing sample(10-15 pages)
GRE General	yes
GRE Subject	No
Miscellaneous	see below