Art History (M.A.*)

UAB Faculty

Jessica Dallow, Associate Professor (Art History); Contemporary Art, American Art, African American Art

Katherine McIver, Professor (Art History); Renaissance and Baroque Art

Heather McPherson, Professor (Art History); 18^th-20^th Century European Art

Cathleen Cummings, Assistant Professor (Art History); South Asian Art 

*A program leading to the Master of Arts degree in art history is offered jointly by UAB and the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa). The MA degree in Art History prepares students for further academic study at the doctoral level or for professional careers in museums, galleries, and other arts-related fields.

Tuscaloosa Faculty

Amalia Amaki, Professor (Art History); Modern/Contemporary Art

Lucy Curzon, Assistant Professor (Art History); Modern/Contemporary Art

Robert Mellown, Associate Professor (Art History); Nineteenth-Century Art

Mindy Nancarrow, Professor (Art History); Baroque Art

Catherine Pagani, Professor (Art History); Asian Art

Admission Requirements

Applicants may seek admission to either UAB or the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), but admission is upon recommendation of the joint art history faculty of the two institutions. For admission in good standing, applicants to UAB must meet Graduate School requirements for scholarship and GRE General Test scores. A Minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for acceptance into the program. The applicant should have complet 24 semester hours in art history and related areas such as history, aesthetics, archaeology, and anthropology. With the concurrence of the joint faculty, this requirement may be reduced. It is desirable that an applicant be able to read a foreign language related to the proposed field of study. Students may apply for admission for either the fall or spring semester.

Degree Requirements

Courses

Students must complete 24 semester hours in art history.* Students must take courses in two (as of Fall 2011; students admitted prior to this will take course in three fields) of the following five general areas: Renaissance Art, Baroque Art, Nineteenth-Century Art, Twentieth-Century/Contemporary Art & Criticism, and Asian Art. A maximum of 3 semester hours of independent study will be permitted. Each student must take ARH 680 (Literature of Art). Each student must take at least 6 semester hours of coursework at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa). *Note: A maximum of 6 of the required hours in art history may be taken in a related field with the concurrence of the joint faculty.

Foreign Language Requirement

Each student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of French or German. This is tested by examination by the Department of Foreign Languages or by passing French 201 or 202 or German 201 or 202 with a grade of B or better. For students specializing in Asian or other areas, a relevant language may be substituted with the approval of the faculty advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies. This requirement should be satisfied in or before the term in which the student has passed 15 semester hours of coursework. A reading knowledge of a second foreign language is strongly recommended.

Comprehensive Examination

For admission to candidacy, the student must pass a comprehensive examination prepared and graded by the joint art history faculty. Written examinations are scheduled twice a year, fall and spring.

Thesis

The student must present a thesis under the direction of a member of the joint art history faculty. Each student will register for ARH 699 for 6 semester hours of credit.

Additional Information

Contact Information

For detailed information, contact Dr. Katherine McIver, Graduate Program Director, UAB Department of Art and Art History, Humanities Building, Room 113, 900 13th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1260.

Telephone 205-934-4941; Fax (205) 996-6639

E-mail mciver@uab.edu

Course Descriptions

For courses at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), see the graduate catalog of that university.
Unless otherwise noted, all courses are for 3 semester hours of credit. Course numbers preceded with an asterisk indicate courses that can be repeated for credit, with stated stipulations.

Art History (ARH)

A student may take any seminar twice for credit (see UAB Class Schedule for announcement of subjects). Prerequisite for admission to a seminar is permission of the instructor.
507. Art of Rome. Covers Ancient Rome, but focuses on Medieval through early Baroque painting, sculpture, and architecture. Examines the city of Rome over time. Also considers the impact of the papacy on the city and its use of ancient Roman models.  (McIver)

521. Renaissance Art in Italy: 1300-1480. Painting, sculpture, and architecture with an emphasis on the artistic centers of Florence, Venice, Rome and Siena. (McIver)

522 Renaissance Art in Italy: 1480-1580. Painting, sculpture, and architecture from major artistic centers of Florence, Venice, Rome, and Milan. (McIver)

523. Study Abroad: Art in Italy: On-site study of works of art and architecture in Italy, 1300-1650. (McIver)

524. Renaissance Painting in Northern Europe. Paintings in Holland, Belgium, and Germany, 1350-1550. (McIver)

530. Eighteenth-Century Art in Europe Visual culture in eighteenth-century Britain and France including study of eighteenth-century holdings in the Birmingham Museum of Art. (McPherson)

531. Northern Baroque Painting. Painting in Holland and Belgium, 1580-1680. (McIver)

535. Southern Baroque Art. Painting, sculpture, and architecture, with an emphasis on the artistic centers of Rome, Florence, and Venice and painting in Spain, 1580-1680. (McIver)

540. Nineteenth-Century Art I: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, and Realism. Painting, sculpture, and graphic arts in Europe, emphasizing France, 1780-1860. (McPherson)

541. Nineteenth-Century Art II: Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Symbolism. Painting, sculpture, and graphic arts in Europe,1850-1900. (McPherson)

550. American Art to 1900: Painting, sculpture, and architecture in the U.S., with an emphasis on 19th century. (Dallow)

560. Twentieth-Century Art to 1945. Painting, sculpture, and architecture in Europe and the United States, 1900-1945. (McPherson)

561. Modern Design. History of modern design. Will examine various design disciplines, design theory, well as the relationships between design, fine art, architecture, and popular culture. (Staff)

564. Art Since 1945. Painting, sculpture, and architecture, primarily in the United States, 1945 to the present. (McPherson, Dallow)

565. Aspects of Contemporary Art. Topics in Contemporary Art, c. 1970 to the present.  Course offerings will vary from year to year and will study a specific historical moment, medium, theme, or subject. (Dallow)

567. Modern Architecture. History of modern architecture, covering examples from the late 18th century to the present and emphasizing the United States. Focus on understanding and conceptualizing plans, diagrams, and space. (Dallow)

568. Race and Representation. History of 20th-Century African American art in the contexts of contemporary theories of identity and issues of diversity, and in relation to African art. Includes study of objects in the Birmingham Museum of Art.(Dallow)

570. Art and Culture in China. An in-depth survey of the art and culture of China from the Neolithic era through the eighteenth century. (Cummings)

571. Topics in Asian Cinema. This course offers students an introduction to a vital aspect of contemporary Asian culture, recognizing that film can be an important locus of contemporary cultural commentary and critique. (Cummings)

573. Japanese Prints and Printmakers. History of Japanese wood-block prints and printmakers, 17th-20th centuries. (Cummings)

575. Japanese Art. Art and culture of Neolithic era through 19th century. (Cummings)

577. Art and Architecture of India. Explores the visual culture of South Asia from the Indus Valley Civilization until the beginning of British rule in India, c. 2500 BCE-1700 CE. (Cummings)

578. Buddhist Arts of Asia. Study of Buddhist art and architecture in Asia, with an emphasis on the original context and function of painting, sculpture, and monuments. The specific historical and cultural theme will vary with each course offering. Will also examine ethical issues surrounding display and preservation of objects and monuments. (Cummings)

579. Study Abroad: Art and Culture of Asia. This course will allow students to become immersed in the art and culture of Asia through direct experience in the field. Focus will be primarily South Asia. (Cummings)

580. Art Criticism and Theory. Critical theory and contemporary issues focusing on art from the 1960s to the present. Explored through writing, lectures, and discussion. (Dallow)

*582. Topics in Art History. Study of thematic topics throughout art history.

587. Field Study. Trips to prominent museums and galleries in the United States or foreign art centers.

585. Museum Studies. Museum operation; organization and preparation of exhibitions; cataloging objects in collection; experience with UAB Visual Arts Gallery and Birmingham Museum of Art. (Dallow)

*590. Seminar in Art History: May be repeated if focus is different.

592. Museum Internship. Through active participation in the daily operations of one or more curatorial departments, students acquire a working knowledge of museums through a program of internships at cooperating institutions. The student will be required to work at the institution a minimum of 12 supervised hours per week during the term. Prior approval of the instructor is required for registration.

620. Seminar: Renaissance Art. (McIver)

630. Seminar: Baroque and Rococo Art. (McPherson, McIver)

640. Seminar: Nineteenth-Century Art. (McPherson, Dallow)

660. Seminar: Twentieth-Century Art. (McPherson, Dallow)

670. Seminar: Asian Art. (Cummings)

680. Literature of Art. Principles and methodology of literature of art as described in writing of founders and chief makers; bibliographical research methods and mastery. (McPherson)

698. Independent Study. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

*699. Thesis Research. Prerequisite: Admission to candidacy. 3 or 6 hours.

Art Studio

Although UAB does not offer a graduate degree in studio art, courses in this area are available to interested graduate students. For additional information, contact Erin Wright, Chair, UAB Department of Art and Art History, Humanities Building, Room 113, 900 13th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294-1260 (telephone 205-934-4941).

Faculty

James R. Alexander, Professor (Art); Sculpture, Ceramic Sculpture

Doug Barrett, Assistant Professor (Art); Graphic Design

Douglas Baulos, Assistant Professor (Art); Drawing & Bookmaking

Bert Brouwer, Professor (Art); Painting, Drawing

Gary Chapman, Professor (Art); Painting, Drawing

Derek Cracco, Associate Professor (Art); Printmaking

Christopher Lowther, Assistant Professor (Art); Time-Based Media

John Powers, Assistant Professor (Art); Sculpture

Sonja O. Rieger, Professor (Art); Photography

Erin Wright, Chair/Professor (Art); Graphic Design

Last modified 09/19/2011