Graduate Program in Art History: Rules and Regulations

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​Approved Spring 2009, updated Fall 2019. See Revision History for update details in relation to year of matriculation.

The Rules and Regulations are effective for students entering the program in Fall 2009 and after.

• Admission and Financial Support​​
  
• ​Genera​​​​l Program Regulations
  
• Language Requirements
  
• ​M.A. Program
  
• Direct Ph.D. Program
  
• Ph.D. Program
• ​CTPhD Program
  
• ​Revision History

The University of Delaware’s Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogue contains the basic rules and regulations governing graduate work throughout the University, especially under the heading Academic Regulations for Graduate Students. These rules are available in the online catalogue at:

https://catalog.udel.edu/index.php

Assessment: For the Graduate Program Assessment Plan, go to:

https://www.arthistory.udel.edu/content-sub-site/Documents/assessment-graduate.pdf​​

The following provisions explain the particular features of the Department of Art History’s graduate programs, based upon and consistent with the University Catalogue.

Admission to the M.A. Program

Those seeking admission to the M.A. Program in Art History must hold, or be a candidate for, the bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and must give evidence to the Graduate College of the University and to the Department of having completed that degree prior to enrollment. Students will normally have completed an undergraduate major in art history, or at least show extensive preparation across a wide range of areas within the field. To be considered, an application form must be presented, along with a brief personal essay discussing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate work in art history, plans, and special interests within art history, letters of recommendation from three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), official transcripts from all institutions attended, and a writing sample. The writing sample will normally be an academic essay bearing upon the history of art or a related field. The writing sample should be what the applicant considers his or her best work in art history, demonstrating his or her ability to write cogently, to conduct art historical research, and to present a critical reading or interpretation. Applicants should also have a reading knowledge of one language other than English adequate to read art historical scholarship (see Language Requirements). The application deadline is January 2 of each year for admission during the next academic year, beginning the following September. Students are admitted only in the fall academic term.

Admission to the Ph.D. Program

For students seeking a Ph.D. in art history, the department offers two routes to degree completion. One is designed for students who hold an M.A. in art history or its equivalent. The other, the Direct Ph.D. Program, is designed for students who hold a Bachelor’s Degree in art history, or a related field, and are seeking a Ph.D. in art history. Students admitted to the Direct Ph.D. Program have the option of stepping out of the program at the M.A. level, having fulfilled the requirements for the M.A. degree.

Applicants to the Direct Ph.D. Program in Art History must hold, or be a candidate for, the bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and must give evidence to the Graduate College of the University and to the Department of having completed that degree prior to enrollment. Students will normally have completed an undergraduate major in art history, or at least show extensive preparation across a wide range of areas within the field. To be considered, an application form must be presented, along with a brief personal essay discussing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate work in art history, plans, and special interests within art history, letters of recommendation from three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), official transcripts from all institutions attended, and a writing sample. The writing sample will normally be an academic essay bearing upon the history of art or a related field. The writing sample should be what the applicant considers his or her best work in art history, demonstrating his or her ability to write cogently, to conduct art historical research, and to present a critical reading or interpretation. Although it is not a requirement that the writing sample deal with material related to the applicant’s proposed area of specialization, it is essential that it demonstrate the candidate’s ability to write well and pursue art historical research at a high level. Applicants should also have a reading knowledge of two languages other than English adequate to read art historical scholarship (see Language Requirements). The application deadline is January 2 of each year for admission during the next academic year, beginning the following September. Students are admitted only in the fall academic term.

Applicants to the Ph.D. Program in Art History must have completed, or be in the process of completing, a Master’s degree. Usually this Master’s degree will be in Art History, although students with degrees in other fields, such as in History, American Studies, or Art may be considered, but must show extensive academic preparation in art history.

Those whose M.A. degree is from another institution must submit an application form, along with a brief personal essay discussing the applicant’s reasons for pursuing graduate work in art history, long-term goals, special interests within art history, letters of recommendation from three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, the Aptitude Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), official transcripts from all institutions attended, and a writing sample. The writing sample will normally be an academic essay bearing upon the history of art or a related field. The writing sample should be what the applicant considers his or her best work in art history, demonstrating his or her ability to write cogently, to conduct art historical research, and to present a critical reading or interpretation. Although it is not a requirement that the writing sample deal with material related to the applicant’s proposed area of specialization, it is essential that it demonstrate the candidate’s ability to write well and pursue art historical research at a high level. Applicants should also have a reading knowledge of two languages other than English adequate to read art historical scholarship (see Language Requirements). The application deadline is January 2 of each year for admission during the next academic year, beginning the following September. Students are admitted only in the fall academic term.

Students admitted to the M.A. Program and who decide to seek a doctoral degree in Art History, must apply to the Ph.D. Program, using the on-line admission application process provided by the Graduate College.

Whether receiving their M.A. degree at Delaware or at another institution, students admitted into the Ph.D. Program are not permitted to register for courses in the doctoral program nor to receive financial aid unless they have already officially obtained their M.A. degree prior to the first day of classes of the semester in which they are to begin Ph.D. coursework. Students who are accepted to the Ph.D. Program but who do not complete the requirements for the M.A. degree by the fall semester in which they are to begin Ph.D. work may make a one-time petition to defer enrollment to the immediately succeeding spring term, if necessary.

Fellowships, Assistantships, and Scholarships

The Department of Art History, the Graduate College, and several outside donors and/or agencies offer a number of graduate fellowships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, graduate assistantships, and tuition scholarships. All of these awards are determined each spring by means of competitive application. Applicants for admission to the program must indicate their wish to be considered for financial aid with their application. Continuing students in the program must indicate their request for financial aid in the coming year by February 1 of each year.

All graduate fellowships, teaching assistantships, research or graduate assistantships are accompanied by a grant of the full cost of tuition and include a stipend. Tuition scholarships carry no stipend. It is the policy of the Department to offer financial support for up to five years for Direct Ph.D. and Ph.D. students. Financial support is awarded on a competitive basis and will be continued only for students who are making good progress toward their degree (see below, for discussion of continuation in the program). The type of support, whether fellowship, teaching or research assistantship, or tuition scholarship, may vary from year to year. It is the Department’s expectation that all students who receive financial aid that includes a stipend will receive at least one full year of that support in the form of a teaching assistantship. Assignment as a teaching assistant or research assistant is an academic assignment, and failure to meet the expected standard of performance may result in the termination of the assistantship.

Language Requirements

The Department of Art History considers the ability to read scholarly works in foreign languages essential. All graduate students entering the M.A. Program in the Department are expected to have upon enrollment or to gain at the earliest possible moment the ability to read works in the history of art in one language other than English, as approved by their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies and as appropriate to their course of study. All graduate students entering the Ph.D. Program are expected to have upon enrollment or to gain at the earliest possible moment the ability to read works in the history of art in two languages other than English, as approved by their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies and as appropriate to their course of study.

Foreign language proficiency will be tested by the Departmental language examinations. During a period of one hour, with the use of a dictionary, the student must translate a passage of art historical writing. The student will be expected to demonstrate a sound grasp of the language, including its grammar, as well as a familiarity with the basic art historical terminology in that language. The Department offers examinations at specified times during the first weeks of the fall and spring terms, in September and February, and may also offer the examinations at other times. Entering students are expected to take the Departmental examination in at least one language in September of the year in which they enter the program, that is, immediately upon enrollment.

It is difficult to acquire knowledge of new languages while fully engaged in a demanding graduate program in art history. Students lacking sufficient language ability to satisfy the Department’s requirements should consider gaining such ability before entering the program—if necessary, delaying application for admission until they have done so. Students will be expected to read materials in the required languages in their seminar work from the first semester of their first year of residence and must assiduously prepare themselves to do so prior to their arrival. Those who do not satisfy the foreign language requirements upon enrollment must present by October 1 of their incoming year to the Director of Graduate Studies and to the designated faculty coordinator of foreign language requirements a plan for achieving the required proficiency prior to the beginning of their second year of study. Failure to satisfy the foreign language requirements will be considered by the faculty when reviewing students’ progress and when allocating financial aid. No student in the Ph.D. Program will be permitted to take the Ph.D. examinations, or to secure the approval of a dissertation topic, or to register for dissertation credits, until all language requirements have been satisfied.

Travel Grants for Graduate Students in Art History

If funds permit, the Department will provide some support for graduate students who are presenting papers at scholarly conferences, or conducting dissertation research with primary materials away from the University campus. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but applications must be submitted at least one month prior to the beginning of travel. Applications should be made using the form provided by the Department office (conference and dissertation research travel grants each have a separate form). Applications will be considered competitively. Any grant awarded must be spent within one year from the date of notification of the award to the student, or the balance of the grant will be rescinded. Students are also advised that grants may also be available from other units of the University.

Conference Travel

The Department encourages students to present papers at scholarly conferences. Students who wish to do so are advised to consult with their adviser or advisers in preparing an abstract, and in preparing the paper for presentation. The Department will consider providing funds for travel and registration only, not for food or lodging. No student will be awarded more than four grants for conference travel support during their career in the Department, and no student will receive total awards during their career in the Department exceeding $2000.

Dissertation Research Travel

The Department has some funds available to support travel for dissertation research. Students must have passed their Ph.D. exams to be eligible to receive these funds. The Department will consider providing funds for travel and lodging only, not for food and other expenses. No student will be awarded more than three grants for dissertation research travel support during their career in the Department, and no student will receive total awards during their career in the Department exceeding $4000.

Special Problems and Independent Projects (ARTH666, 860, and 866)

Individual or independent study courses under the designation ARTH666 or 866 are intended for intensive investigation of a specific research problem that grows out of or is significantly different from a regularly offered course. Such courses cannot normally be used to satisfy distribution requirements. It should be noted that these numbers are also used when students enroll in regularly scheduled courses at other institutions, for example at Bryn Mawr College or the University of Pennsylvania. Such non-Delaware courses are encouraged, and with the approval of the student’s adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies may be used to satisfy distribution requirements. Courses ARTH666 and 866 may not total more than 6 credits required for the M.A. or Ph.D. degree (up to 9 credits are permitted for students in the Direct Ph.D. Program).

ARTH860 (Reading and Research) and ARTH964 (Pre-Candidacy Study) are intended for preparation for the Ph.D. examinations and will be marked on a Pass/Fail basis. These directed reading courses cannot be included in the credits of course work required for the M.A. and Ph.D. and can only be taken either (1) in the last semester in which course work is being completed or (2) in the extra “study” semester between the completion of course work and the taking of the Ph.D. comprehensive examinations. ARTH860, which is, of course, optional, will enable students on fellowship or with an assistantship to be enrolled full-time during a regular semester of graduate course work and/or the last semester before the Ph.D. examinations without having to take a full schedule of seminars. The function of this last semester would be guided reading for the exams.

Special permission forms for ARTH666 and 866 are available from the Business Administrator in the Department, and should be filled out by the student. These forms require the signature of the student’s adviser, the faculty member agreeing to offer the course, and the Director of Graduate Studies, as well as the student. These approvals must be obtained prior to registering for the course.

Continuation in the Program

The progress of all students in the graduate program is monitored regularly by the Departmental faculty and by the Director of Graduate Studies. Graduate students in the Department of Art History will receive grades for each course in which they enroll. Grades are intended to convey the faculty member’s evaluation of the quality of students’ work. All students are expected to do work of a high standard, which will result in the grade of “A” (excellent) or “A-” (very good) or at least “B+” (satisfactory). A grade of “B” indicates a quality of work markedly below this standard, while “B-” indicates a very serious failure to meet expectations. Any student might receive one or even more than one “B” grade, but should take this assessment as a caution and an admonition, and should seek advice from the professor who assigned the grade, and/or from her or his primary faculty adviser as to how to attain a higher level of performance. A significant preponderance of excellent and very good grades (“A” or “A-”) is an indication that at least in course work the student is making good academic progress. Failure to earn a significant preponderance of such grades indicates that the student is not making academic progress at the standard expected by the Department. A pattern of taking incomplete grades, especially if those incompletes are not finished promptly, also indicates that the student is not making academic progress at the standard expected by the Department.

Those students whose work taken as a whole falls below the expected high level of achievement, indicated through grading and in other assessments of performance, or who do not satisfy the requirements specified by the Graduate College or the Department Rules and Regulations will not be permitted to continue in the program. A recommendation for termination because of sub- standard academic performance will be preceded by written notification to the student by the Director of Graduate Studies that she or he is not making satisfactory academic progress at the standard expected by the Department. The written notice will include specific areas of improvement that will be required. The student will be given one semester in which to demonstrate adequate improvement. That is, students will be notified prior to the end of the free add-drop period of either semester that they must improve their performance during that semester or face a recommendation for termination in the program at the end of that semester. Normally, such formal notification will come at the beginning of the spring semester, but it may be given at any time of the year, if warranted. Students should meet with their primary academic adviser and with the Director of Graduate Studies as soon as possible after receiving such notification, so that the problem and the possible means of addressing the problem can be discussed. If the student fails to make adequate improvement, a recommendation to dismiss the student from the program will be by vote of the Department faculty, and will be conveyed to the Graduate College for action (see Graduate Student Probation and Dismissal Policy in the University Catalogue).

Academic Honesty

All students are expected to abide by the University’s policies concerning academic honesty. The University’s policy on academic honesty is found at:

http://www1.udel.edu/stuguide/19-20/code.html

Requirements for the M.A. Degree

Requirements for the M.A. degree in Art History consist of 27 credits of course work plus 3 Master’s Paper credits, satisfactory completion of the foreign language requirement (see Language Requirements), and satisfactory completion of the Master’s Paper.

All students will be required to take 27 credit hours, of which at least 21 hours must be Art History graduate seminar courses (see course distribution requirements below). Beyond the required 21 credits in regular Art History graduate courses, the other 6 hours may be selected from additional Art History seminars or independent study courses or a combination of these. With prior permission from the Director of Graduate Studies, students may substitute one or more courses in such related fields as Anthropology, Early American Culture, Historic Preservation, History, Museum Studies, and Philosophy. Upon the approval of the student’s primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, Museum Studies, Historic Preservation, and Early American Culture courses may be considered as Art History courses rather than as “related fields” for the purpose of satisfying the distribution requirements. Candidates for the master's degree are required to register for a total of 3 credits of ARTH870 Master’s Paper credits, which are graded upon completion of the Master’s Paper.

The Department believes that students should be broadly conversant in the diverse geographic as well as chronological areas and the diverse methods of the discipline. Students are strongly advised to take courses that will prepare them for professional work in art history.

Students enrolled in the M.A. Program must take at least one graduate seminar or graduate-level lecture course (600 or 800 level) in each of the following four time periods (if a course cuts across boundaries between time periods, it will count as one period only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

Before the year 1400

1400–1700

1700–1900

1900–present

AND

Students in the M.A. Program must take at least one course in three of the following five areas (if a course cuts across boundaries between areas, it will count as one area only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

European

Art of the Americas

African

East Asian

Art of Islam

N.B. A single course may fulfill both a chronological and a geographical area distribution requirement.

At the beginning of each semester, all Department of Art History courses will be identified as satisfying the requirement in one (or none) of these areas. Students who wish to satisfy the distribution requirement with courses taken outside the Department of Art History must petition the Director of Graduate Studies in writing before enrolling in such a course, and must receive approval for the satisfaction of the distribution requirement by that course from the Director of Graduate Studies.

Master's Sustaining

After the completion of all course and other degree requirements (including the foreign language requirement), and until the Master’s Paper is submitted and approved, a master's candidate is required to register for sustaining credit as follows:

UNIV895, Masters Sustaining (0 credits), is used to maintain active status in the program until the degree is earned. This registration is designed to ensure that the student is active until he or she completes the degree requirements. The student must register continuously until the degree is received.

Application for the M.A. Degree

An application for the master’s degree should be completed by the student and submitted to the Graduate College at the beginning of the term in which he or she expects to receive the degree prior to the appropriate deadline announced by the Graduate College. The Application for Advanced Degree form can be obtained at the Graduate College, 234 Hullihen Hall, in the Department office, or on the web.

The Master’s Paper

The Master's Paper (research essay) is intended to be a concise demonstration of the student’s ability to carry out independent research and present his or her findings in a systematic and professional manner. The Master’s Paper may be, indeed most commonly is, an amplification of a research paper initially undertaken as part of one of the regular seminars. It could also be developed as a separate project. The Master’s Paper should be approximately 25-35 typed pages of text (6,250-9,000 words), including notes and bibliography, and must be of excellent quality. The completed Master’s Paper should conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.

The Master’s Paper topic should be such that it can be researched and written within a three- month period or less. In order to complete the Master’s Paper in a timely manner, each student should select a topic by the end of the second semester of graduate study, at the latest. It is the responsibility of the student to propose a topic to a member of the faculty, and to secure the agreement of that faculty member to serve as first reader/adviser for a Master’s Paper on that topic. It is also the student’s responsibility to secure the agreement of a second reader. At least one of the readers must be a member of the Department of Art History at the University of Delaware. After identifying a research topic and finding two qualified readers, the student shall compose a prospectus, which must be approved, first, by the primary faculty adviser and, second, by the Director of Graduate Studies. The student will be notified by the Director of Graduate Studies of the approval of his or her research topic and proposed readers, or may be asked to revise the topic or proposal or seek a different reader or readers.

The Master’s Paper must be submitted no later than February 1 and approved by a Departmental committee no later than March 1 within the student’s second year of the program. Failure to meet these deadlines is an indication that a student is not making adequate and timely progress toward the degree. In order to be accepted as satisfying the requirement for the M.A. degree, the Master’s Paper must be evaluated and approved by a departmental committee of three members: the adviser, second reader, and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

The Direct Ph.D. student is required to be in continuous residence at the University of Delaware and pursue a full-time program of study for a minimum of one year (two connected semesters or consecutive spring and fall semesters).

A minimum of 36 credits of graduate course work is required, with at least 27 of these credits to be in Art History seminar courses and the other 9 to be selected from additional seminars, graduate lecture courses, or independent study courses, or a combination of these. In addition to the 36 credits of graduate course work, 3 credits of ARTH870 Master’s Paper and 9 Dissertation Credits are required.

The Department believes that students should be broadly conversant in the diverse geographic as well as chronological areas and the diverse methods of the discipline. Students are strongly advised to take courses that will prepare them for professional work in art history.

Students enrolled in the Direct Ph.D. Program must take at least one graduate seminar or graduate-level lecture course (600 or 800 level) in each of the following four time periods (if a course cuts across boundaries between time periods, it will count as one period only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

Before the year 1400

1400–1700

1700–1900

1900–present

AND

Students must take at least one course in three of the following five areas (if a course cuts across boundaries between areas, it will count as one area only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

European

Art of the Americas

African

East Asian

Art of Islam

N.B. A single course may fulfill both a chronological and a geographical area distribution requirement.

At the beginning of each semester, all Department of Art History courses will be identified as satisfying the requirement in one (or none) of these areas. Students who wish to satisfy the distribution requirement with courses taken outside the Department of Art History must petition the Director of Graduate Studies in writing before enrolling in such a course, and must receive approval for the satisfaction of the distribution requirement by that course from the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Department of Art History considers the ability to read scholarly works in languages other than English essential. All graduate students entering the Ph.D. Program are required to have upon enrollment or to gain at the earliest possible moment the ability to read works in the history of art in two languages other than English, as approved by their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies and as appropriate to their course of study.

Expected course of study for the Direct Ph.D. Program:

Year 1: coursework; pass one language exam

Year 2: coursework (complete at least 27 credits + 3 cr. ARTH870); complete Master’s Paper

Year 3: complete coursework; pass second language exam; pass one of two Ph.D. exams

Year 4: pass second Ph.D. exam; submit dissertation proposal by February 1*; dissertation research

Year 5: dissertation research and writing

*Note: The fifth year of funding in the Direct Ph.D. Program is contingent upon completion of the dissertation proposal by February 1 of the fourth year and advancing to candidacy by the spring semester of the fourth year.

Upon the successful completion of 27 credits of coursework and 3 credits of ARTH870, a language exam, and the Master’s Paper, students will be awarded an M.A. degree.

The Master's Paper (research essay) is intended to be a concise demonstration of the student's ability to carry out independent research and present his or her findings in a systematic and professional manner. The Master’s Paper may be, indeed most commonly is, an amplification of a research paper initially undertaken as part of one of the regular seminars. It could also be developed as a separate project. The Master’s Paper should be approximately 25-35 typed pages of text (6,250-9,000 words), including notes and bibliography, and must be of excellent quality. The completed Master’s Paper should conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.

The Master’s Paper topic should be such that it can be researched and written within a three- month period or less. In order to complete the Master’s Paper in a timely manner, each student should select a topic by the end of the second semester of graduate study, at the latest. It is the responsibility of the student to propose a topic to a member of the faculty, and to secure the agreement of that faculty member to serve as first reader/adviser for a Master’s Paper on that topic. It is also the student’s responsibility to secure the agreement of a second reader. At least one of the readers must be a member of the Department of Art History at the University of Delaware. After identifying a research topic and finding two qualified readers, a brief prospectus should be composed by the student and presented to the primary faculty adviser and, if she or he approves, to the Director of Graduate Studies. The student will be notified by the Director of Graduate Studies of the approval of his or her research topic and proposed readers, or may be asked to revise the topic or proposal or seek a different reader or readers.

The Master’s Paper must be submitted no later than February 1 and approved by a departmental committee no later than March 1 within the student’s second year of the program. Failure to meet these deadlines is an indication that a student is not making adequate and timely progress toward the degree. In order to be accepted as satisfying the requirement for the M.A. degree, the Master’s Paper must be evaluated and approved by a departmental committee of three members: the adviser, second reader, and the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Master’s Paper is circulated to faculty and discussed as part of the general review of the student’s work in the fourth semester. This review is intended to ensure that students are making satisfactory and timely progress toward the Ph.D. and to provide appropriate feedback to students.

Satisfactory and timely progress includes: passing at least one language exam by the third semester; completion of at least 27 hours of coursework and 3 hours of ARTH870 hours by the end of the fourth semester with the majority of grades being A- or higher; and acceptance of the Master’s Paper by March 1 of the second year in the program. Students who do not satisfy these requirements in a timely and satisfactory manner will be notified that they are eligible to receive the M.A. degree only.

All students in the Direct Ph.D. Program must advance to Candidacy by the end of their fourth year in order to remain eligible for funding from the University.

After consultation with the student, the Director of Graduate Studies will assign the student to a member of the faculty, normally someone familiar with the student’s area of special interest, who will serve as a temporary adviser. After having successfully completed all course requirements and foreign language examinations, the student will seek to secure the agreement of one member of the faculty to serve as her or his adviser for the remaining degree requirements, the comprehensive examinations, and the dissertation. The faculty adviser should be someone familiar with the general area in which the student intends to take the major field examination and to write the dissertation. It is the responsibility of the student to secure the faculty member’s agreement to serve. No faculty member is obligated to serve a student in this capacity. After an advisement agreement has been established between the student and a faculty member, the Director of Graduate Studies will be notified by both, and will thereafter assist both in the formation of committees for the comprehensive examinations and the dissertation.

Comprehensive Examinations

(Approved by the University Graduate Studies Committee on March 11, 2005, and effective for all students entering the Ph.D. Program in Fall semester 2005 and after.)

The Ph.D. student is required to take the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination (including both major and minor field examinations) no later than the end of the second week of the second semester following the completion of Ph.D. course work, but not before having completed Ph.D. course work and having satisfactorily completed the foreign language requirements. Successful completion of both parts of the comprehensive examination is required for admission to Doctoral Candidacy.

Both the major and minor field examinations are assessed as either passing or failing. An affirmative vote for a passing grade by a majority of the examiners is necessary for the examination to be considered passing. Should the student fail either the major field or the minor field examination, the student will be given an opportunity to take that portion only for a second time. (The part already passed need not be retaken.) The second attempt to pass the examination must be made not later than the end of the first semester after the first attempt to pass that portion. That is, for example, if an examination is failed at any point during the fall term, it must be taken again by the end of the following spring term. Failure to pass the examination on the second attempt will result in termination from the program effective at the end of that term. No third attempt will be permitted.

A student’s major and minor fields should be reasonably distinct from one another, separated by some combination of geography, time period, media, or other factors as appropriate. Definition of the major and minor fields, although proposed by the student, must have the approval of the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students should indicate their intention to take the comprehensive examination at least four weeks in advance, using a special form available in the office. The major and minor examination may be taken with a computer by arrangement with the Business Administrator in the Department.

A. Major Field

The major field exam comprises written and oral components, both administered by an examining committee. The members of this committee will be determined by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies after consulting with the student. Typically, the examining committee will include the primary faculty adviser and two or three other members. At least two (of the total 3 or 4) must be faculty in the Art History Department or in another Department at the University of Delaware; one member of the committee should be a member of the Art History faculty who is not a specialist in the field being examined.

The written component of the exam is designed to test the student’s knowledge of the field (including works of art and significant themes and issues in the scholarship) and critical thinking. After consulting with the student the examining committee will define five to eight broad areas or themes that will guide preparation for the exam. Each area should encompass a broad segment of the field and command a substantial bibliography (e.g. the reception of antiquity in the Renaissance; nationalism in modern art; word and image in medieval art; portraiture and group portraiture in Dutch art; transcendentalism and American art). A bibliography usually containing 25 to 40 items (a mix of books and articles) for each theme will be prepared by the student and approved by the committee. The exam itself will consist of six questions designed by the examiners to engage the prepared areas. The student will be expected to answer three such questions within a period of six hours.

The oral component, a two-hour exam, will be held no more than one week after the written exam is completed. It may return to the questions posed in the written exam but is not restricted to them, and the student may be asked to relate particular works to themes addressed in the written exam.

B. Minor Field

The minor field examining committee will contain two members of the department faculty determined by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies after consultation with the student. Students should have taken seminars in the area of the minor field as part of the preparation for the exam. Unlike major fields, minor fields may be defined in a variety of ways that may be distinct from the major fields. The scope of the minor field may be proposed by the student but must be approved by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.

The minor exam is designed to test the student's knowledge of the field (including works of art and significant themes and issues in the scholarship) and critical thinking. Three to five broad areas or themes will be defined by the examining committee after consulting with the student. A bibliography containing 10 to 15 items for each theme will be prepared by the student and approved by the committee. The exam itself will consist of two parts and last for five and one- half hours. The first part will contain six questions designed by the examiners to engage the prepared areas. The student will be expected to answer three questions within a period of three and one-half hours. In the second part of the exam, the student will have two hours to answer three of six questions based on specific works or groups of works which may be visual or textual.

Admission to Candidacy for the Ph.D. Degree (for students in the Direct Ph.D. Program)

Upon the recommendation of the student’s primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies of the Department, a student may be admitted to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree if he or she has (1) satisfactorily completed 36 credits of graduate course work, including two connected semesters of full-time graduate work, (2) demonstrated a reading knowledge of two languages other than English, (3) passed his or her Comprehensive Examination (both major field and minor field), and (4) had a dissertation proposal accepted by his or her primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. A student should request admission to Candidacy prior to the appropriate deadline announced by the Graduate College.

Ph.D. Sustaining

Ph.D. candidates are required to register for Ph.D. sustaining after the completion of all other degree requirements until the dissertation is submitted to the Graduate College. UNIV999 Doctoral Sustaining (0 credits) is used for this purpose. This registration is designed to ensure that the student is active until he or she completes the degree requirements.

Application for Ph.D. Degree

An application for the Ph.D. degree should be completed by the student and submitted to the Graduate College at the beginning of the term in which he or she expects to receive the degree, prior to the appropriate deadline announced by the Graduate College. The Application for Advanced Degree form can be obtained at the Graduate College, 234 Hullihen Hall.

Dissertation

Students can begin investigation on a dissertation topic at any time, but she or he can register for the 9 Dissertation Credits (ARTH969) only after having been admitted to Candidacy. The student can register for 9 credits of ARTH964 (Pre-Candidacy Research) during the semester when he or she is studying for the Comprehensive examination, but this will only be converted by the Graduate College to the required Dissertation Credits (ARTH969) if the student passes into Candidacy (as described above) either during that semester or by the last day of the free add-drop period of the following semester.

Students should confer with the primary faculty adviser and other faculty members, as appropriate, on the selection of a dissertation subject. If the subject appears to be suitable, the student will be invited to submit a dissertation proposal to his or her adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. Such proposals are usually 5-10 pages in length, and include major bibliography for the topic. If approved by the adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, the student will be notified. If not approved, the proposal may be either rejected, or returned for revision. If approved, the student should then notify the CAA of the topic of the dissertation and its approval (see Listing with CAA).

For the Ph.D. dissertation, there are at least, and usually, four readers: (1) the student's adviser, (2) a second reader chosen because of his or her familiarity with the subject, and (3) third and fourth readers. In addition, the dissertation must be approved by the Department Chair. If the Chair is one of the four readers, then three other readers will be a sufficient number. After consultation with the student, the committee for the Ph.D. dissertation and dissertation defense will be selected by the faculty adviser in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The committee for the Ph.D. dissertation and dissertation defense will comprise at least, and usually, four members, of whom at least half will be faculty members of the University of Delaware, and at least one on the faculty of the Department of Art History. At least one member of the committee will be a specialist from outside the Department of Art History; this member may be from a different Department at the University of Delaware or from outside the University. It is understood that for purposes of serving on such committees, individuals who hold either a secondary appointment or an adjunct appointment in the Department of Art History will be considered to be members of the Department, regardless of their primary appointment elsewhere.

The adviser will work with the student to prepare the dissertation. Candidates should follow closely the regulations published by the Graduate College, as well as conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The second reader may be brought in toward the later phases of preparation, reading the dissertation when it is in its final form, or nearly so, depending on the wishes of the adviser and the second reader. It is advisable for the remaining readers and the Department Chair (or her or his designated representative) to read the penultimate copy of the dissertation before its final typing, in the event of possible minor errors, but they should normally not be expected to read copies that are not in final form nor free of obvious corrections. In order to be accepted as satisfying the requirement for the Ph.D. degree, the thesis must be approved by all readers, whose signatures on the thesis constitute the necessary approval. The dissertation must also be signed by the Chair of the Department, whose signature signifies approval on behalf of the Department.

Only after the Chair has signed the dissertation can it be submitted to the Graduate College. Two copies should be submitted to the Department and then, after approval, one will be forwarded to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The completed Ph.D. dissertation should conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The University of Delaware’s Thesis and Dissertation Manual is available online at: https://grad.udel.edu/policies/step-by-step-guide-to-graduation/ or it may be purchased in the University Bookstore. The form of submission must follow University guidelines.

Oral Defense of the Dissertation

Upon completion of the dissertation, a Ph.D. final oral examination must be passed, consisting of a defense of the dissertation and a test of the candidate’s mastery of the area in which the dissertation was written. Candidates should deliver the completed work to the Department office and to examiners at a date mutually agreed upon to assure adequate time for review. That oral dissertation defense must take place not less than one week before the deadline date established by the Graduate College for the submission of dissertations.

Normally, the oral defense of a dissertation is based on the dissertation draft approved by the adviser. All readers of the dissertation will participate in the oral dissertation defense. The defense, moreover, will be open to all members of the Department or to any other interested person, although only members of the candidate’s committee will be permitted to pose questions or make any statements. The examination will normally last approximately two hours.

The dissertation may be approved conditionally at the final defense, subject to required corrections being made by the candidate. If corrections or changes are suggested at the final defense, and if the committee approves them, the adviser will check to see that the changes have been made in the final copies submitted by the candidate.

Listing with College Art Association

Every year the Art History Departmental office requests information from Ph.D. candidates and submits the following information to the College Art Association office: (1) approved dissertation topics; (2) changed dissertation topics, if applicable; and (3) dissertations accepted. This information will be published annually by the CAA in the June issue of The Art Bulletin.

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree

The Ph.D. student is required to be in continuous residence at the University of Delaware and pursue a full-time program of study for a minimum of one year (two connected semesters or consecutive spring and fall semesters).

A minimum of 24 credits of graduate course work beyond the M.A. is required, with at least 18 of these credits to be in Art History seminar courses and the other 6 to be selected from additional seminars, graduate lecture courses, or independent study courses, or a combination of these. In addition to the 24 credits of graduate course work, 9 Dissertation Credits are required.

The Department believes that students should be broadly conversant in the diverse geographic as well as chronological areas and the diverse methods of the discipline. Students are strongly advised to take courses that will prepare them for professional work in art history.

Students who enter the Ph.D. Program with an M.A. in Art History from another institution must take at least one graduate seminar or graduate-level lecture course (600 or 800 level) in three of the following four time periods (if a course cuts across boundaries between time periods, it will count as one period only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

Before the year 1400

1400–1700

1700–1900

1900–present

AND

Students must take at least one course in three of the following five areas (if a course cuts across boundaries between areas, it will count as one area only at the judgment of the faculty and in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies):

European

Art of the Americas

African

East Asian

Art of Islam

N.B. A single course may fulfill both a chronological and a geographical area distribution requirement.

At the beginning of each semester, all Department of Art History courses will be identified as satisfying the requirement in one (or none) of these areas. Students who wish to satisfy the distribution requirement with courses taken outside the Department of Art History must petition the Director of Graduate Studies in writing before enrolling in such a course, and must receive approval for the satisfaction of the distribution requirement by that course from the Director of Graduate Studies.

The Department of Art History considers the ability to read scholarly works in languages other than English essential. All graduate students entering the Ph.D. Program are required to have upon enrollment or to gain at the earliest possible moment the ability to read works in the history of art in two languages other than English, as approved by their faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies and as appropriate to their course of study.

Expected course of study for the Ph.D. Program:

Year 1: coursework; pass language exams

Year 2: complete coursework; pass one of two Ph.D. exams

Year 3: pass second Ph.D. exam; submit dissertation proposal by February 1*; dissertation research

Year 4: dissertation research and writing

*Note: The fourth year of funding in the Ph.D. Program is contingent upon completion of the dissertation proposal by February 1 of the third year and advancing to candidacy by the spring semester of the third year. Fifth year funding is also available, but students are expected to apply to sources outside the Department for financial support.

After consultation with the student, the Director of Graduate Studies will assign the student to a member of the faculty, normally someone familiar with the student’s area of special interest, who will serve as a temporary adviser. After having successfully completed all course requirements and foreign language examinations, the student will seek to secure the agreement of one member of the faculty to serve as her or his adviser for the remaining degree requirements, the comprehensive examinations, and the dissertation. The faculty adviser should be someone familiar with the general area in which the student intends to take the major field examination and to write the dissertation. It is the responsibility of the student to secure the faculty member’s agreement to serve. No faculty member is obligated to serve a student in this capacity. After an advisement agreement has been established between the student and a faculty member, the Director of Graduate Studies will be notified by both, and will thereafter assist both in the formation of committees for the comprehensive examinations and the dissertation.

Comprehensive Examinations

(Approved by the University Graduate Studies Committee on March 11, 2005, and effective for all students entering the Ph.D. Program in Fall semester 2005 and after.)

The Ph.D. student is required to take the Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination (including both major and minor field examinations) no later than the end of the second week of the second semester following the completion of Ph.D. course work, but not before having completed Ph.D. course work and having satisfactorily completed the foreign language requirements. Successful completion of both parts of the comprehensive examination is required for admission to Doctoral Candidacy.

Both the major and minor field examinations are assessed as either passing or failing. An affirmative vote for a passing grade by a majority of the examiners is necessary for the examination to be considered passing. Should the student fail either the major field or the minor field examination, the student will be given an opportunity to take that portion only for a second time. (The part already passed need not be retaken.) The second attempt to pass the examination must be made not later than the end of the first semester after the first attempt to pass that portion. That is, for example, if an examination is failed at any point during the fall term, it must be taken again by the end of the following spring term. Failure to pass the examination on the second attempt will result in termination from the program effective at the end of that term. No third attempt will be permitted.

A student’s major and minor fields should be reasonably distinct from one another, separated by some combination of geography, time period, media, or other factors as appropriate. Definition of the major and minor fields, although proposed by the student, must have the approval of the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students should indicate their intention to take the comprehensive examination at least four weeks in advance, using a special form available in the office. The major and minor examination may be taken with a computer by arrangement with the Business Administrator in the Department.

A. Major Field

The major field exam comprises written and oral components, both administered by an examining committee. The members of this committee will be determined by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies after consulting with the student. Typically, the examining committee will include the primary faculty adviser and two or three other members. At least two (of the total 3 or 4) must be faculty in the Art History Department or in another Department at the University of Delaware; one member of the committee should be a member of the Art History faculty who is not a specialist in the field being examined.

The written component of the exam is designed to test the student’s knowledge of the field (including works of art and significant themes and issues in the scholarship) and critical thinking. After consulting with the student the examining committee will define five to eight broad areas or themes that will guide preparation for the exam. Each area should encompass a broad segment of the field and command a substantial bibliography (e.g. the reception of antiquity in the Renaissance; nationalism in modern art; word and image in medieval art; portraiture and group portraiture in Dutch art; transcendentalism and American art). A bibliography usually containing 25 to 40 items (a mix of books and articles) for each theme will be prepared by the student and approved by the committee. The exam itself will consist of six questions designed by the examiners to engage the prepared areas. The student will be expected to answer three such questions within a period of six hours.

The oral component, a two-hour exam, will be held no more than one week after the written exam is completed. It may return to the questions posed in the written exam but is not restricted to them, and the student may be asked to relate particular works to themes addressed in the written exam.

B. Minor Field

The minor field examining committee will contain two members of the department faculty determined by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies after consultation with the student. Students should have taken seminars in the area of the minor field as part of the preparation for the exam. Unlike major fields, minor fields may be defined in a variety of ways that may be distinct from the major fields. The scope of the minor field may be proposed by the student but must be approved by the primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.

The minor exam is designed to test the student's knowledge of the field (including works of art and significant themes and issues in the scholarship) and critical thinking. Three to five broad areas or themes will be defined by the examining committee after consulting with the student. A bibliography containing 10 to 15 items for each theme will be prepared by the student and approved by the committee. The exam itself will consist of two parts and last for five and one- half hours. The first part will contain six questions designed by the examiners to engage the prepared areas. The student will be expected to answer three questions within a period of three and one-half hours. In the second part of the exam, the student will have two hours to answer three of six questions based on specific works or groups of works which may be visual or textual.

Admission to Candidacy for the Ph.D. Degree

Upon the recommendation of the student's primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies of the Department, a student may be admitted to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree if he or she has (1) satisfactorily completed 24 credits of graduate course work, including two connected semesters of full-time graduate work, (2) demonstrated a reading knowledge of two languages other than English, (3) passed his or her Comprehensive Examination (both major field and minor field), and (4) had a dissertation proposal accepted by his or her primary faculty adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. A student should request admission to Candidacy prior to the appropriate deadline announced by the Graduate College.

Ph.D. Sustaining

Ph.D. candidates are required to register for Ph.D. sustaining after the completion of all other degree requirements until the dissertation is submitted to the Graduate College. UNIV999 Doctoral Sustaining (0 credits) is used for this purpose. This registration is designed to ensure that the student is active until he or she completes the degree requirements.

Application for Ph.D. Degree

An application for the Ph.D. degree should be completed by the student and submitted to the Graduate College at the beginning of the term in which he or she expects to receive the degree, prior to the appropriate deadline announced by the Graduate College. The Application for Advanced Degree form can be obtained at the Graduate College, 234 Hullihen Hall.

Dissertation

Students can begin investigation on a dissertation topic at any time, but she or he can register for the 9 Dissertation Credits (ARTH969) only after having been admitted to Candidacy. The student can register for 9 credits of ARTH964 (Pre-Candidacy Research) during the semester when he or she is studying for the Comprehensive examination, but this will only be converted by the Graduate College to the required Dissertation Credits (ARTH969) if the student passes into Candidacy (as described above) either during that semester or by the last day of the free add-drop period of the following semester.

Students should confer with the primary faculty adviser and other faculty members, as appropriate, on the selection of a dissertation subject. If the subject appears to be suitable, the student will be invited to submit a dissertation proposal to his or her adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies. Such proposals are usually 5-10 pages in length, and include major bibliography for the topic. If approved by the adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies, the student will be notified. If not approved, the proposal may be either rejected, or returned for revision. If approved, the student should then notify the CAA of the topic of the dissertation and its approval (see Listing with CAA).

For the Ph.D. dissertation, there are at least, and usually, four readers: (1) the student's adviser, (2) a second reader chosen because of his or her familiarity with the subject, and (3) third and fourth readers. In addition, the dissertation must be approved by the Department Chair. If the Chair is one of the four readers, then three other readers will be a sufficient number. After consultation with the student, the committee for the Ph.D. dissertation and dissertation defense will be selected by the faculty adviser in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The committee for the Ph.D. dissertation and dissertation defense will comprise at least, and usually, four members, of whom at least half will be faculty members of the University of Delaware, and at least one on the faculty of the Department of Art History. At least one member of the committee will be a specialist from outside the Department of Art History; this member may be from a different Department at the University of Delaware or from outside the University. It is understood that for purposes of serving on such committees, individuals who hold either a secondary appointment or an adjunct appointment in the Department of Art History will be considered to be members of the Department, regardless of their primary appointment elsewhere.

The adviser will work with the student to prepare the dissertation. Candidates should follow closely the regulations published by the Graduate College, as well as conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The second reader may be brought in toward the later phases of preparation, reading the dissertation when it is in its final form, or nearly so, depending on the wishes of the adviser and the second reader. It is advisable for the remaining readers and the Department Chair (or her or his designated representative) to read the penultimate copy of the dissertation before its final typing, in the event of possible minor errors, but they should normally not be expected to read copies that are not in final form or free of obvious corrections. In order to be accepted as satisfying the requirement for the Ph.D. degree, the thesis must be approved by all readers, whose signatures on the thesis constitute the necessary approval. The dissertation must also be signed by the Chair of the Department, whose signature signifies approval on behalf of the Department.

Only after the Chair has signed the dissertation can it be submitted to the Graduate College. Two copies should be submitted to the Department and then, after approval, one will be forwarded to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The completed Ph.D. dissertation should conform to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The University of Delaware’s Thesis and Dissertation Manual is available online at https://grad.udel.edu/policies/step-by-step-guide-to-graduation/ or it may be purchased in the University Bookstore. The form of submission must follow University guidelines.

Oral Defense of the Dissertation

Upon completion of the dissertation, a Ph.D. final oral examination must be passed, consisting of a defense of the dissertation and a test of the candidate's mastery of the area in which the dissertation was written. Candidates should deliver the completed work to the Department office and to examiners at a date mutually agreed upon to assure adequate time for review. That oral dissertation defense must take place not less than one week before the deadline date established by the Graduate College for the submission of dissertations.

Normally, the oral defense of a dissertation is based on the dissertation draft approved by the adviser. All readers of the dissertation will participate in the oral dissertation defense. The defense, moreover, will be open to all members of the Department or to any other interested person, although only members of the candidate’s committee will be permitted to pose questions or make any statements. The examination will normally last approximately two hours.

The dissertation may be approved conditionally at the final defense, subject to required corrections being made by the candidate. If corrections or changes are suggested at the final defense, and if the committee approves them, the adviser will check to see that the changes have been made in the final copies submitted by the candidate.

Listing with College Art Association

Every year the Art History Departmental office requests information from Ph.D. candidates and submits the following information to the College Art Association office: (1) approved dissertation topics; (2) changed dissertation topics, if applicable; and (3) dissertations accepted. This information will be published annually by the CAA in the June issue of The Art Bulletin.

Requirements for the CTPhD

A. Students with a B.A. entering the Art History Direct Ph.D. Program and admitted to the Curatorial Track will follow all the rules and regulations of the Art History Direct Ph.D. (see above) except as follows:

• The credit minimums and distribution for CTPhD students will be:
• ​​8 courses (24 credits) in Art History graduate courses, following the same breadth requirements, etc., as the current Art History Direct Ph.D. Program
  
  and
  
  
• ​6 courses (18 credits) in CTPhD Program Courses (see below for specific distribution requirements)​
• The total minimum courses/credits for CT students in the Direct Ph.D. Program will therefore be 14 courses (42 credits), plus 3 Master’s Paper credits (ARTH870), plus 9 Dissertation credits (ARTH969) = 54 credits

B. Students with an M.A. admitted to the CTPhD follow all the rules and regulations of the Art History Ph.D. Program (see above, section V), except as follows:

• The credit minimums and distribution for CTPhD students will be:
• ​​6 courses (18 credits) in Art History graduate courses, following the same breadth requirements, etc., as the regular Art History Ph.D. Program
  
  and
  
  
• 6 courses (18 credits) in CTPhD Program Courses (see below for specific distribution requirements)
• The total minimum courses/credits for CT students entering the program with an M.A. will therefore be 12 courses (36 credits), plus 9 Dissertation credits (ARTH969) = 45 credits

Area Requirements for the Concentration in Curatorial Studies in Art History Ph.D. Program

A minimum of 6 graduate courses (18 credits), one in each of the following six areas:

1. Art Conservation, Technical Art History, Preservation Studies, Techniques and Materials.
   Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus on such topics as: techniques and materials of paintings; examination and treatment of art objects; conservation ethics and research methods.
2. Curatorial Studies, Museum Studies, Exhibition Courses.
   Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus on such topics as: collections management; museum education; exhibition design and organization; acquisitions and fund-raising; public engagement.
3. Business and Non-Profit Management, Organizations, Human Resources, Administration, Accounting, or a course in a similar area with adviser’s approval.
   Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus on such topics as: understanding people in organizations; ethical issues in the business environment; non-profit management.
4. Elective.
   One course in any area (e.g.: Material Culture Studies, Art Conservation, Business and Non-Profit Management, Art History, etc.) with the approval of the adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.
5. Internship A (ARTH664, max. 6 credits).
   One semester of curatorial internship in an area art museum (a 2-month or longer summer internship will be deemed to count as a semester).
6. Internship B (ARTH664, max. 6 credits).
   A second semester of curatorial internship, either in the same museum as the first or in a different one (a 2-month or longer summer internship will be deemed to count as a semester).

Doctoral Examination for the CTPhD

• Major Field Exam will include a connoisseurship component, which, when feasible, will include original objects.
• The Minor Field exam is not required.

Internship Colloquium

• Upon completion of the second semester of the CT Internship, the student will organize a colloquium for a scholarly audience on a topic approved by the student’s adviser in consultation with the museum curator who has sponsored and overseen the internship.

Rules and Regulations revised and approved April 20, 2009; updated January 31, 2011 to include Assessment Plan; updated August 26, 2011 to include approved Curatorial Track Ph.D. in Art History; updated Winter 2012 to place new limits on Conference Travel and Dissertation Research Travel; updated Fall 2017 to include fourth year Ph.D. funding; updated Fall 2019 to include fifth year Ph.D. funding.