Art History

Testimonials
"I have no doubt that the exceptional way in which the Department’s faculty combine professional and academic training was instrumental in my finding a tenure-track position during the final year of my doctoral studies.” Erin Morton, PhD ‘09, Associate Professor, University of New Brunswick
"Choosing the Department of Art at Queen’s University to pursue doctoral studies in Art History was one of the best decisions I have ever made” John Potvin,PhD ‘05, Associate Professor, Concordia University
Program Contact
Anna Fischer
Graduate Assistant
Department of Art
Ontario Hall
University Ave, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6
Phone: 613.533.2517
E-mail: aljf@queensu.ca
Website: www.queensu.ca/art
Program Overview
The M.A. and Ph.D. programs in Art History offer advanced training in the study of visual and material culture from the Middle Ages to the present. The Queen’s Art History program is strongly committed to mentoring and training graduate students in a variety of interdisciplinary approaches, methodologies, and issues, including the technical examination of art, gender studies, critical theory, cultural representation and the relationships among art, literature, and science.
Opportunities
Students have the opportunity to receive credits for specific courses for time spent in Agnes Etherington Art Centre, the ROM and the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal. The Bader Fellowship allows Ph.D. students to research in Europe. Other opportunities depend on the topic and funding available.
Career paths – employment opportunities
- Academic and teaching appointments
- Museum, curatorial and cultural policy positions
- Writing and publishing
- Commercial Galleries and Auction Houses
Degrees Offered
M.A.: 2 years
Ph.D.: 4 years
Method of Completion
M.A: Course work, demonstration of a reading knowledge of an appropriate second language, thesis or major research paper
Ph.D.: Course work, demonstration of a reading knowledge of language(s) (depending on the topic), field essays and field exams, thesis proposal, thesis
New M.A. students must choose a supervisor during the second term of study. Ph.D. candidates must have a supervisor in place before applying.
- Gauvin Alexander Bailey: 16th-18th century Southern and Central European arts and their international diffusion in Latin America and Asia
- Una Roman D’Elia: Southern European Renaissance and Baroque painting, sculpture and architecture
- Stephanie Dickey: Dutch and Flemish art of the 17th century
- Cathleen Hoeniger: Italian Renaissance Painting, and the History of Conservation and Heritage Preservation
- Lynda Jessup: Canadian visual culture and Museum Representation
- Jen Kennedy: Contemporary Art in a Globalizing World
- Allison Morehead: French, Scandinavian, and German Art of 19th and early 20th centuries.
- Matthew Reeve: Medieval art and architecture in Northern Europe
- Juliana Ribeiro da Silva Bevilacqua: Arts and Visual Cutures of Africa and its Disapora
- Katherine Romba: Modern architecture with research interests in German and American modernism
- Joan Schwartz: History of photography
- Ron Spronk: Technical Art History, Netherlandish painting
- Norman Vorano: Indigenous Arts of North America
Funding Information
Basic Funding Package (teaching assistantship, internal fellowships).
- Master’s Programs: minimum $9,000 per year
- Ph.D.: minimum $18,000 per year
We encourage you to apply for additional funding through external scholarships (SSHRC, OGS, etc.). Entering graduate students who win federal government tri-council awards are automatically provided a $5,000 (masters) or $10,000 (PhD) top-up award by Queen’s.
Academic Prerequisites
M.A.: Honours B.A. in Art History or a related discipline, minimum B+ average, A- average preferred. We consider your average over all four years.
Ph.D.: Honours B.A. or equivalent, M.A. with A average in the primary courses
Application Requirements
MA
- A reading knowledge of a language other than English, usually chosen from French, German or Italian
- Writing sample
- Statement of Research Interest
Ph.D.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Writing sample
- Statement of Research interest
- Reading Knowledge of Languages relevant to the field of study
Test Requirements
For international students, if required, a TOEFL total score of at least 600 (paperbased) or TOEFL iBT minimum scores of: writing (24/30); speaking (22/30); reading (22/30); listening (20/30), for a total of 88/120. Applicants must have the minimum score in each test as well as the minimum overall score.
Key Dates and Deadlines
Application Deadline: January 10th
Notification of Acceptance: Early March
Degree Level Expectations - M.A (259 KB)
Degree Level Expectations - Ph.D (259 KB)
Grad Maps
View the Grad Maps for this department and all graduate degrees on the Career Services website