TYLER SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Learn more about the Doctor of Philosophy in Art History.

About the Program

The PhD in Art History program at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture provides the broad-based training needed for teaching, research and curatorial positions at the highest levels of the discipline. Offering both the resources of one of the nation’s top art schools and a large research university, Tyler PhD students work with faculty members who have expertise in diverse and global areas, including new digital technologies. Students take full advantage of faculty contacts and the extraordinary variety of research opportunities opened by Tyler’s location in Philadelphia, a vibrant center of art, culture and history strategically situated near New York and Washington, D.C.

The Department of Art History offers a doctoral program for students with an MA degree, as well as for exceptionally well-prepared students with a BA, who may be admitted directly without first earning a master's degree. A strong art history background, appropriate languages and indicators of high achievement are requisites for students entering with a BA only. Upon entering the program, all students are assigned a primary advisor and are expected to work closely with the advisor during their studies. Students may change primary advisors in accordance with Graduate School procedures.

A number of resources are available at Temple to Art History PhD students:

• The Loretta C. Duckworth Scholars Studio in Charles Library offers opportunities for research in the digital humanities with high-end computing and visualization resources, a virtual reality studio, collaboration spaces, and 3-D printing and media-capture capabilities.
• Temple Contemporary, Tyler’s innovative exhibitions and public programs space, offers opportunities to learn curatorial practice.
• Expansive world-class art and architecture buildings provide direct access to all aspects of the creative process via fellow students and faculty artists and designers.
• State-of-the-art digital resources include 8,000 digital images and access to millions more via Tyler’s Artstor Digital Library membership.
• Tyler’s art history community is enriched by a steady stream of compelling lectures by leading scholars and practitioners.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Study Abroad: Many Tyler Art History graduate students take advantage of research opportunities at Temple University Rome, among the oldest and largest facilities of its type, and elsewhere around the globe, as guided by faculty members' extensive connections. Students researching Italian topics may be eligible for a fellowship to study in Rome.

Accreditation: This degree program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Areas of Specialization: The curriculum concentrates on Western art history, broadly conceived, including ancient, the Black Atlantic, early modern, Europe, Islamic, Latin America, and modern and contemporary in the United States. Curricula are informed by the historiography and critical theory of art history. Tyler graduate students in Art History may participate in Temple University’s Teaching in Higher Education certificate program to gain advanced training for a career in higher education or in the Cultural Analytics graduate certificate program offered by Duckworth Scholars Studio.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students must contact the Graduate Director for information.

Financing Opportunities: Exceptionally qualified students who apply for the PhD may be nominated by the Department of Art History for prestigious University Fellowships upon receipt of their complete application.

The Department also offers Teaching/Research Assistantships and one Academic Internship. Applicants interested in being considered for these awards must submit their application by December 15. Assistantships carry a stipend, health insurance, and full tuition remission for up to 9 credits per term.

Eligible graduate students are encouraged to apply for work study.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: December 15
Spring: November 1

Applicants should declare an intention to enter the program by establishing contact with the Graduate Director in the Department of Art History. They are also encouraged to establish contact with at least one faculty member whose area of research interest overlaps with their own and who could potentially serve as their faculty advisor. Information on the faculty can be found at https://tyler.temple.edu/programs/art-history.

Applicants who wish to be considered for a University Fellowship must apply by December 15. Those who would like to be considered for a Teaching Assistantship are also strongly encouraged to apply by December 15, but November 1 applications for Spring admission may be considered.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members, gallery directors and/or curators who can speak to the applicant's academic and art historical competence. The letters should be submitted by the referee at the time of application at https://apply.temple.edu/Tyler/.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Five courses in Art History are desired for admissions consideration: two general surveys and one upper-level course in each of three periods, in any geographical area: ancient art (to circa 1400), art produced circa 1400-1800, and Modern/Contemporary art. Official transcripts from all universities/colleges attended, whether or not a degree was awarded and whether the courses were taken as an undergraduate or a graduate student, must be sent as part of the online application.

Master's Degree in the Discipline/Related Discipline: Generally, a master's degree in Art History is required, but a background in Art History and a master’s degree in a related field suffice. Alternatively, exceptionally well-prepared students with a BA may be admitted directly to the PhD program.

Bachelor's Degree in the Discipline/Related Discipline: A baccalaureate degree is required, but it need not be in Art History.

Statement of Goals: In approximately 500 to 1,000 words, describe your interest in Temple's program, research goals, future career goals, academic and research achievements, and how you will contribute to the Tyler School of Art and Architecture mission. Submit at https://apply.temple.edu/Tyler/.

Standardized Test Scores:
GRE: Due to testing limitations related to COVID-19, the Tyler School of Art and Architecture is temporarily waiving submission of GRE scores for applicants to the MA and PhD Art History programs. Applicants may still voluntarily submit GRE test scores, but scores will only be used as a supplement to required application materials. All other admission requirements, including submission of scores for a standardized test of English, if applicable, still need to be met. In some circumstances, the Graduate Admissions Committee may request additional supplemental application materials or an interview as part of the admissions process.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 79
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 53

Resume: Current curriculum vitae required. Submit at https://apply.temple.edu/Tyler/.

Writing Sample: The writing sample should demonstrate your ability to research and write a scholarly paper on a topic in Art History. The paper or excerpt submitted should be no more than 10 pages in length and be fully referenced according to a professional, scholarly style manual. Submit at https://apply.temple.edu/Tyler/.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 30
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 60

Required Courses:

PhD for Students Entering with a Master’s Degree¹

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
ARTH 5601	Historiography of Art History 2	3
Electives 3		6
	Credit Hours	9
Spring
Electives 3		9
	Credit Hours	9
Year 2
Fall
Electives 3		9
	Credit Hours	9
Spring
ARTH 9994	Preliminary Examination Preparation 4	1
	Credit Hours	1
Year 3
Fall
Select one from the following:		1
ARTH 9998	Pre-Dissertation Research 4
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 4,5
	Credit Hours	1
Spring
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 4,5	1
	Credit Hours	1
	Total Credit Hours	30

¹

Prior to registering for any course, students are expected to consult with their primary advisor and/or the Graduate Director.

²

If they have not taken a comparable class at the master's level, students must register for ARTH 5601.

³

Electives must be taken at the 5000 level or higher. With approval from the primary advisor and Graduate Director, up to 9 credits of electives may be taken outside of Art History.

⁴

Enrolling in 1 credit of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 or ARTH 9999 grants a PhD student full-time status.

⁵

Students may only register for ARTH 9999 after the dissertation proposal has been accepted by the Graduate Faculty and the student has advanced to candidacy. Additionally, a minimum of 2 credits of ARTH 9999 are required to earn the degree.

PhD for Students Entering with a Baccalaureate Degree¹

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
ARTH 5601	Historiography of Art History 2	3
Electives 3		6
	Credit Hours	9
Spring
Electives 3		9
	Credit Hours	9
Year 2
Fall
Electives 3		9
	Credit Hours	9
Spring
ARTH 9891	Directed Research 4	3
Electives 3		6
	Credit Hours	9
Year 3
Fall
Electives 3		9
	Credit Hours	9
Spring
ARTH 9994	Preliminary Examination Preparation 5	6
	Credit Hours	6
Year 4
Fall
ARTH 9998	Pre-Dissertation Research 5,6	3
	Credit Hours	3
Spring
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
Year 5
Fall
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
Spring
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
Year 6
Fall
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
Spring
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
Year 7
Fall
ARTH 9999	Dissertation Research 5,7	1
	Credit Hours	1
	Total Credit Hours	60

¹

Prior to registering for any course, students are expected to consult with their primary advisor and/or the Graduate Director.

²

Upon admission to the PhD program, students are required to complete ARTH 5601 in their first Fall term.

³

Electives must be taken at the 5000 level or higher. With approval from the primary advisor and Graduate Director, up to 9 credits of electives may be taken outside of Art History.

⁴

In ARTH 9891, students write their Qualifying Paper, which the Department reviews and must approve prior to formally accepting the student into the PhD program.

⁵

The number of credits shown in this grid for ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 and ARTH 9999 are recommended, but can be adjusted to fit a student's schedule and timeline for dissertation research. Ultimately, 15 credits of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 and ARTH 9999 are required to complete the degree, including a minimum of 2 credits of ARTH 9999. Enrolling in 1 credit of ARTH 9994, ARTH 9998 or ARTH 9999 in an academic term grants a PhD student full-time status.

⁶

In ARTH 9998, students write their dissertation proposal.

⁷

Students may only register for ARTH 9999 after the dissertation proposal has been accepted by the Graduate Faculty and the student has advanced to candidacy.

Language Examination: Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages necessary to complete research in the given field. The language examinations are taken with the permission of the student's primary advisor.

Culminating Events:
Qualifying Paper:
The qualifying paper is only required of those entering the program with a bachelor's degree on the direct track. At the end of the fourth term of coursework, these students are required to submit a qualifying paper to demonstrate their command of scholarly research and writing. The ability to continue in the PhD program is contingent on the quality of this paper. If the qualifying paper is not deemed acceptable, the student is transferred to the MA program and works with an advisor to determine the progress made toward completion of the master's degree. When any outstanding courses are successfully completed, the student is awarded the MA.

Doctoral Examinations:
The purpose of the doctoral examinations is to demonstrate critical knowledge of current research and historiography in the student’s primary field of interest. The examinations consist of two written exams, one in the student’s broad field and one in the specialized field, and an accompanying oral examination. See Graduate School Policy 02.27.11.

Dissertation Proposal:
The dissertation proposal, which must be approved by the Department’s Graduate Faculty, demonstrates the student’s knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. The dissertation proposal may only be submitted after the student has successfully completed their doctoral examinations. After the proposal has been accepted by the Department’s Graduate Faculty, the student is raised to candidacy. See Graduate School Policy 02.28.12.

Dissertation:
The doctoral dissertation is an extended written study that shows evidence of the candidate’s original thought and research and their mastery of the scholarly method. The dissertation makes a contribution to the field of Art History. With the consent of the primary advisor and members of the dissertation defense committee, the student presents an oral defense of the dissertation. The goal of the dissertation is to have a manuscript that is publishable in a scholarly venue. See Graduate School Policy 02.28.

Contacts

Department Contacts: