Degree Requirements

For admittance to degree candidacy, students must have completed a minimum of 40 approved course credits, achieved a final grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, and completed one official internship. Students must have advanced to degree candidacy before being permitted to attend graduation ceremonies.

Internship

All students are required to complete an internship at an appropriate art institution. Internships may be pursued during the third semester of the program or during the summer prior to the third semester. They require a minimum commitment of 135 hours, which is the equivalent to one or two days per week for a full semester, or for summer internships, four to six weeks of full-time work.

Past student internships have included positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Artnet, Mitchell-Innes & Nash, Gagosian Gallery, James Cohan Gallery, Paula Cooper Gallery, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, the Romare Bearden Foundation, the Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Foundation, the International Center of Photography, and Christie's and Sotheby's auction houses.

Third Semester

In their third semester — in addition to completing an internship — students may elect to pursue additional coursework or they may embark on a thesis project. Students who choose the thesis track will enroll in AM 655 Thesis Seminar and AM 701 Thesis Preparation. The Thesis Seminar guides students through the research and writing process, while also providing background on research methodologies and academic standards. At the same time, the student also regularly meets one-on-one with their advisor. Totaling 12,000 to 15,000 words, the resulting project will represent an original contribution to the field. 

The second track — which comprises two business-oriented courses: AM 600 Case Study Research and AM 602 Innovation in the Creative Industries — guides students in identifying specific business problems within the art market and considering viable solutions. Whereas Innovation in the Creative Industries primarily supports the development of a new business venture, Case Study Research focuses on the research and analysis of an existing organization, with the end goal of producing a business case study and teaching note suitable for publication.

Time Requirement for Degree Completion

The MA program is designed to be completed in three semesters. In the event of special extenuating circumstances, the Department Chair, in consultation with the Dean, may provide a student with an extension through the end of the second academic year of the program. Part-time study is only possible in unique cases with the approval of the Department Chair. In such instances, students may take up to three years to earn their degrees.