Overview
Seminars, Internships, and a Student Symposium Provide Exciting Academic Opportunities for History of Art Students
Bryn Mawr College has a notable history in the study of visual arts. The History of Art Department is one of three independent departments providing degrees in a graduate group that also includes archaeology and classics. Faculty and students within this group often work cooperatively on shared initiatives.
The interdepartmental seminars are an example of this collaboration; they are team-taught by faculty from group departments. The seminars provide information on interdisciplinary subjects in theory, methodology, and interpretation. The interdepartmental seminars look into an expansive range of topics related to archaeology, classics, and history of art.
Curatorial internships are another opportunity for graduate students in the group. The internships are supported in part by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Students can take part in curatorial internships that involve working with Bryn Mawr's resources or those in other associated institutions. These institutions include the Philadelphia Museum of Art and University of Pennsylvania Museum. Curatorial internships allow graduate students special opportunities to work with unique collections and experts in their fields.
The biennial Graduate Student Symposium is yet another chance for students to build a foundation of interdisciplinary knowledge. The Graduate Student Symposium calls upon the talents of students throughout the group as they organize a major undertaking. The symposium is attended by graduate students from throughout the U.S. and other countries who contribute papers.
The Graduate Program in History of Art Takes Students into Ancient and Contemporary Eras
The Bryn Mawr History of Art Department provides M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Western art history, including film, to its candidates. The departmental programs cover all areas of Western art history from ancient periods up to present times. The graduate program in history of art falls within a graduate group that also contains graduate studies in archaeology and classics.
The Bryn Mawr History of Art Department provides M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Western art history, including film, to its candidates. The departmental programs cover all areas of Western art history from ancient periods up to present times. The graduate program in history of art falls within a graduate group that also contains graduate studies in archaeology and classics.
This diverse and unique program in Western art history can be individualized to the professional goals and field interests of each student. Preferably, the M.A. and Ph.D. applicants for the program should demonstrate proficiency in two languages. Graduates of the History of Art Department have gone on to contribute significantly to the field through careers in academic institutions, museums, galleries, and foundations.
Faculty Members Present a Range of Interpretive Positions during History of Art Courses
The History of Art Department's faculty members engage students in art and film subjects from early Christian Rome through contemporary times. Specific faculty focuses could take students into the periods of the Italian Renaissance, colonial Spain, or 19th-century France. In their scholarship and class lectures, the faculty members present a range of critical and interpretive positions.
The graduate group's three departments share academic space, resources, and research facilities. The Center for Visual Culture is a multidisciplinary resource for each department in this graduate group and a venue for research and valuable discussions. The center holds weekly meetings that revolve around discussions and also plans organized lectures that benefit all students interested in visual imagery. Graduate students preparing for careers in art history can plan to visit nearby Princeton University, the Institute of Fine Arts of New York University, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art to gain exposure to additional resources and research facilities.
A central research facility located at Bryn Mawr College is the campus library dedicated specifically to art and archaeology. The library has approximately 125,000 volumes and 500 periodical titles to support student and faculty research. Students can access additional resources and tools in the college's main library. Students interested in related art history courses at the University of Pennsylvania or Temple University may participate in a cooperative study program at these institutions.
