The Art History M.A. is a two-year program. Our courses are taught by a dynamic faculty of internationally recognized scholars. Seminars are small and hands-on learning is encouraged, and there are abundant opportunities to conduct interdisciplinary research in conjunction with other programs. Students have opportunities to teach, conduct research for credit, hold internships for credit, and engage with arts communities on campus and in the region as part of their studies. Access to important museums and a world-class library create a stimulating setting for learning.

Students study the theory and the methodology of art historical research and writing, explore a broad range of specialized fields based on their scholarly interests, and conduct independent research. Multiple opportunities for language training, advanced research, and for collaboration with campus museums and galleries exist. After completing the M.A., our students work in nationally significant museums, galleries, and arts institutions, pursue doctoral work at prestigious universities in the United States and abroad, or teach at community college.

Our Culture

The Master’s Program in Art History at UC Davis offers an international approach to Art History, one that balances the discipline’s traditional Western focus with plentiful courses in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American art. We seek to provide students with knowledge of art’s significance in diverse global settings, as well as to develop the critical and intellectual skills necessary to pursue careers or further education in the arts.

Why Art History at UC Davis?

UC Davis offers a rich environment for studying the arts. The campus is ethnically diverse, with especially strong representation from Latinx and Asian American communities. Art History students have opportunities to intern, work, or study in three campus museums: the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, the C. N. Gorman Museum (devoted to Native American art), and UC Davis Design Museum. In nearby Sacramento is the Crocker Museum of Art, which has one of the strongest collections of Northern California art in the nation, including many works by UC Davis professors and alumni. The Sacramento region is home to a number of art centers and commercial galleries, many with connections to UC Davis.

World-class arts institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area are easily accessible, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (the DeYoung Museum and Legion of Honor), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the African Diaspora, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and many other art centers and galleries. Davis is also home to a thriving gallery scene, part of its classic college town ambience. And for downtime, UC Davis is not far from Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, the California coast, and wine country in every direction, all ready for exploration.

Funding

The M.A. program at UC Davis is exceptional in that all students are fully funded. Funding includes full tuition remission, a stipend for living expenses, guaranteed research travel money, a health insurance subsidy, payment of most fees, and a salary associated with a teaching, research, or reader assistantship. Most of our students graduate with no additional debt incurred while at UC Davis.

For a general description of the program, please click here.

See our People page to learn about the research of program faculty members.

To see a list of MA thesis titles, please click here.

For information on Financial Aid, click here.

Prospective graduate students are encouraged to direct their questions to our graduate advisor, Rachelle Agundes.

To download a brochure about our program, click here.