Degree Requirements
The requirements are set according to the general Requirements for Degree Programs specified in the Graduate Calendar.
Option A (Pattern I):
- Four term-length courses in art history (of which, if appropriate, one term-length course may be taken in another discipline)
- A Master's Thesis of 20-25,000 words. which can follow a traditional format, or manuscript, project, or portfolio format.
Option B (Pattern II):
- Six term-length courses in art history (of which, if appropriate, one term-length course may be taken in another discipline)
- A Major Research Paper of 10-12,000 words. The student shall choose a potential supervisor for an major research paper topic by the end of the second term.The decision on which option the student shall follow is made in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and approved by the Art History Graduate Committee, normally at the end of the second term of study in the program.
Language Requirements
A reading knowledge of a language other than English, usually chosen from French, German, or Italian, is required either at the time of application or to be demonstrated during the M.A. degree. Depending on the area of concentration and the thesis research of the individual student, a reading knowledge of an additional language or languages may also be required. The language requirement must be satisfied before a thesis or major research paper proposal can be submitted. Tests are normally administered in the department unless previous language training at an advanced level is recorded on a university transcript.
For the test students will be given two hours total to translate two passages (usually one primary source and one secondary source), with the aid of a dictionary. Each passage will be no more than 500 words in length, and the source for each passage will be identified. The aim is to write a readable translation that conveys the sense of the passage. The language test may be taken multiple times, if necessary, and the result will only be entered into the student's record when the test has been passed.
Research
Option A (Pattern I): Master's Thesis
Students will choose a potential supervisor for a thesis topic and notify the Graduate Coordinator in Art History. After preliminary research, a Thesis Proposal (see Guidelines Regarding the M.A. Thesis), shall be approved by the Art History Graduate Committee before preparation of the thesis can begin. Students preparing the Master's thesis register in ARTH 899, and must obtain the electronic publication "General Form of Theses" from the School of Graduate Studies, and read the entire document carefully. Additional information on these formatting and preparation guidelines can be found on the School of Graduate Studies for oral examination by committee. The committee shall be selected by the supervisor in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator. Once it has been passed and any required changes made, the thesis is submitted in electronic format and sent to be bound and the student may graduate at the next convocation.
Option B (Pattern II): Major Research Paper
The student shall choose a potential supervisor for the research paper topic and notify the Graduate Coordinator in Art History. After preliminary research, a Research Paper Proposal, shall be approved by the Art History Graduate Committee before preparation of the paper begins. Once the supervisor and candidate are satisfied that the research paper is complete, it shall be submitted to the Art History Graduate Committee, which shall select two readers. once it has been passed and any required changes made , the research paper is sent to be bound and the student may graduate at the next convocation.
Schedule
Option A (Pattern I), normally 18-24 months:
Year 1:
- 4 half courses (2 per term)
- Pass necessary language requirement
- Choose a topic for the thesis and submit a thesis proposal by the end of the Winter term
- Begin researching the thesis over the summer
Year 2:
- Finish researching and writing the thesis
- Defend the thesis by the end of the Winter term
Option B (Pattern II), normally 16-18 months:
Year 1:
- 4 half courses (2 per term)
- Pass necessary language requirement
- Choose a topic for the Major Research Paper and submit a proposal by the end of the Winter term
- Begin researching over the summer
Year 2:
- 2 half courses (normally in the fall term)
- Submit the Major Research Paper by the end of the Winter term
Courses
Courses should be chosen in consultation with the Coordinator of Graduate Studies in Art History and the instructors concerned. Students normally register in two art history seminars each term, one of which should be taken with their proposed supervisor, in addition to any language courses that may be needed. A complete list of the graduate courses offered in Art History can be found in the Graduate Calendar.
Funding
All applicants to the program with an "A" average (80% minimum) in their last two years automatically compete for named Queen's University Graduate Fellowships. Queen's Graduate Awards and Teaching Assistantships are used to ensure M.A. students up to two years of competitive support. Employment as teaching assistants also helps to familiarize students with the skills and duties of a teaching career. The Joseph S. Stauffer Foundation Scholarship, awarded in an annual competition, is available to a student entering the second year of the Master's program who intends to write a thesis on a topic in Canadian art or architecture. Students with at least an 80% average must seek outside funding and must apply for SSHRCC and OGS awards in order to qualify for a second year of funding at Queen's. Teaching assistantships may be awarded.