Art History (PhD, MA)

Program Overview

Building on more than 60 years of graduate study and a reputation for pioneering new methodologies and approaches to the field, Binghamton University’s Art History program will prepare you to engage with fundamental questions that relate to the history and theory of art and architecture.

The program’s emphasis is on transdisciplinary and transregional approaches to art history. From Medieval to contemporary art, from the study of America’s built environments to those of Asia, Africa and beyond, we approach art, visual culture and architecture as central to the shaping of our shared visual and material worlds.

The program’s strengths include:

  • global postwar and contemporary art
  • media history and theory
  • modern to contemporary architecture and urbanism
  • anthropology of art and its institutions
  • materials and materiality

We offer a wide range of graduate courses, grounded in an in-depth understanding of the discipline of art history and leading to an independent research project at the MA or PhD level.


Degrees Offered

  • PhD in Art History
  • MA in Art History

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

The Art History Department is home to VizCult: The Harpur College Dean’s Workshop on Visual Culture, which for over twenty years has provided a focus for dialogue and exchange both within the Art History Department and across related disciplines. Faculty, graduate students and undergraduate students meet in this bi-weekly workshop forum to share new research in the broader interdisciplinary field of visual and built culture studies. Speakers are invited from the University’s faculty and graduate community as well as outside institutions. For information and the VizCult schedule, visit the department's blog.

The Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development is dedicated to assisting students in all aspects of career planning. The Center's myriad of services include résumé critique, mock interviews, job search assistance, internship placement, and much more.

After You Graduate

Recent doctoral graduates are employed in permanent or postdoctoral positions at such institutions as the University of Pittsburgh, University of Richmond, University of South Carolina, American University of Beirut and Jordan University of Science and Technology. See the list of Recently Completed PhDs.

Admission Requirements

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at Binghamton. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards, and visit the program's website for additional information. PhD students who are registered and/or certified full-time will receive a scholarship that covers the cost of broad-based fees (this does not include international student fees). Note: Master's students are generally self-funded, although funding opportunities occasionally arise.

Accelerated/4+1 Degrees

You may also be interested in our accelerated/4+1 degree programs which allow students to complete their bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just 5 years!

For more information, visit the Art History website.