Admission to the MA Program

The Department of Art + Design offers a comprehensive graduate curriculum leading to a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Art, with concentrations in Art History and Critical & Curatorial Studies.

General Admission Information

Admission application deadlines:

  • February 15th; Fall semester admission only.

    If spaces are available in the program after the February 15 deadline, applications will be considered until May 1. Please check with the department prior to applying.

Application Requirements

  • All MA programs in the Department of Art + Design require a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
  • International students must meet all criteria, including the TOEFL examination, set forth in the University’s Graduate Catalog.
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores: The department is removing the requirement for GRE scores and they will not be required at the time of application for Fall 2025 admission to the program. However, you are welcome to submit scores if you have them.

Supplemental Application Materials

In addition to the credentials required by the Graduate School, the department requires students applying to the Art History and Critical & Curatorial Studies Programs to provide a statement of purpose (approximately 500 typed words), and a writing sample (normally an advanced-level Art History paper).

Applicants to all programs must provide two current, substantive letters of recommendation specific to the program (appended to the Graduate School recommendation forms) in which the applicant’s academic and/or artistic achievements and promise are discussed. Candidates normally enter the Master’s Program with the equivalent of an undergraduate degree in Art History, or a related field.

MA Art History Concentration

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Applicants to this program must fulfill the general admission requirements of the Graduate School. To meet the Graduate School requirements a student must:

    • Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
    • Have, in most cases, completed an undergraduate major or equivalent in the intended field of study.

Submitting Application Materials

Applicants must submit the following to the Graduate School at the University of Louisville (http://louisville.edu/graduate/futurestudents/apply-materials/application):

  • A formal Application for Graduate Admission, including a $65 nonrefundable application processing fee,
  • At least two letters of recommendation specific to the program,
  • Official transcripts of all college work
  • A statement of about 500 typed words detailing the applicant’s educational and professional goals in Art History
  • A writing sample (normally an advanced-level Art History paper).

Applicants to the Master of Arts with a concentration in Art History must meet the following additional requirements: A bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

All application materials required by the Department for the Art History concentration must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than February 15 for fall semester admission. All requests for Departmental scholarship aid must be submitted directly to the Department by February 15.

For questions about our graduate program in Art History, please email Jennifer Sichel, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for Art History.

MA Critical & Curatorial Studies Concentration

Admission Requirements & Procedures

Applicants to this program must fulfill the general admission requirements of the Graduate School. To meet the Graduate School requirements a student must:

      • Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
      • Have, in most cases, completed an undergraduate major or equivalent in the intended field of study.

Submitting Application Materials

Applicants must submit the following to the Graduate School at the University of Louisville (http://louisville.edu/graduate/futurestudents/apply-materials/application):

  • A formal Application for Graduate Admission, including a $65 nonrefundable application processing fee,
  • At least two letters of recommendation specific to the program,
  • Official transcripts of all college work
  • A statement of about 500 typed words detailing the applicant’s educational and professional goals in in the field of Fine Arts,
  • A writing sample (normally an advanced-level Art History paper).


Applicants to the Master of Arts with a concentration in Critical & Curatorial Studies must meet the following additional requirements: A bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

    All application materials required by the Department for the Critical & Curatorial Studies concentration must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than February 15 for fall semester admission. All requests for Departmental scholarship aid must be submitted directly to the Department by February 15.

    For questions about our graduate program in Critical & Curatorial Studies, please email Jennifer Sichel, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for Critical and Curatorial Studies.

     

    Accelerated BA/MA in Art History

    Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Art History can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master’s degree through the Accelerated BA/MA program in Art History.

    Interested students will apply through the department for admission into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the BA program (application deadline is February 15).

    Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program will take three 500-level graduate courses (nine (9) credit hours) as an undergraduate during their final year of undergraduate studies that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master’s degree. Students must have at least a 3.0 university grade point average when they apply to the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program and must maintain a 3.0 once accepted.

    PATHWAY students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and are interested in moving into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the Accelerated Master’s program in their last semester before they graduate. Acceptance into the PATHWAY program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.

    Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program then graduate with a bachelor’s degree and move straight into the Accelerated MA in Art History. Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least 12 credit hours of their 31-credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours.

    For questions about our Accelerated BA/MA in Art History, please email Jennifer Sichel, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for Art History.

    Accelerated BA/MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies

    Students enrolled in the BA in Art, track in Art History who are considering pursuing a master’s degree (MA) in Critical and Curatorial Studies can speed up the process by applying some of their undergraduate credit hours toward a master’s degree through the Accelerated BA/MA program in Critical and Curatorial Studies.

    Interested students will apply through the department for admission into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program no later than the end of their junior year to be eligible to enroll in graduate coursework in their final year of the BA program (application deadline is February 15).

    Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program will take three 500-level graduate courses (nine (9) credit hours) as an undergraduate during their final year of undergraduate studies that apply toward both the bachelor’s degree and the eventual master’s degree. Students must have at least a 3.0 university grade point average when they apply to the Accelerated Master’s PATHWAY program and must maintain a 3.0 once accepted.

    PATHWAY students who meet the minimum requirements for the Master’s program and are interested in moving into the Accelerated Master’s program will need to apply to the Accelerated Master’s program in their last semester before they graduate. Acceptance into the PATHWAY program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the Accelerated Master’s program.

    Students accepted into the Accelerated Master’s program then graduate with a bachelor’s degree and move straight into the Accelerated MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies. Students in the accelerated program must meet all the requirements for the Master of Arts, including completing at least 12 credit hours of their 31-credit hour program in 600-level courses. Once admitted to the Accelerated Master’s program, students are expected to maintain a full graduate load of nine (9) credit hours.

    For questions about our Accelerated BA/MA in Critical and Curatorial Studies, please email Jennifer Sichel, Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for Critical and Curatorial Studies.

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