MA Program in Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism and Theory
Application deadline: February 15, 2014
The MA Program in Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism and Theory at Purchase College, State University of New York offers a unique, in-depth course of graduate study. The program augments historical and methodological training with an object-based approach, incorporating into the curriculum the collection and exhibitions of the internationally acclaimed Neuberger Museum of Art. Students are introduced to some of the most prominent artists, critics and curators in the field through the first-year graduate colloquium. The MA prepares students for advanced academic study or professional training; for careers in galleries, museums, art centers, colleges and secondary schools; and to write about art for a range of publishing venues and media.
Students who qualify for acceptance into both programs may take the MA in art history in conjunction with the MFA in visual arts, offered by Purchase College’s School of Art + Design.
Museum training opportunities
The MA program offers a concentration in curatorial practices, which includes hands-on experience with exhibition projects through coursework and internship opportunities at the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College’s campus museum, as well as at nearby New York City arts institutions. The Neuberger’s collection places it within the top ten university art museums in the United States. The Neuberger Fellowship program allows selected students the opportunity to curate an exhibition of their own devising. Recent Neuberger Fellowship exhibitions curated by MA students have been reviewed in such publications as the New York Times.
Close faculty supervision
One of the many strengths of the Purchase College MA in art history is that students work closely with full-time faculty members. Unlike other Master’s programs that are mere add-ons to existing PhD programs or that primarily employ part-time or adjunct faculty, students in the MA program at Purchase work one-on-one with full-time faculty, receiving valuable educational and professional training. Among other opportunities, students collaborate on faculty research or work as editorial assistants on academic journals.
Competitive financial advantage
Purchase College’s position in the State University of New York system offers a significant financial advantage. Depending on their residency status, students can expect to pay one-half to one-third the cost of tuition of equivalent private programs. In addition, substantial support is available through fellowships and teaching and research assistantships.
Recent graduate colloquium speakers include Damali Abrams, Greg Allen, Thomas Crow, Mia Fineman, Mary Reid and Patrick Kelley, Lisa Sanditz, and Ming Tiampo.
For more information: www.purchase.edu/ArtHistoryMA
