Art History (PhD, MA)

Program Overview

Binghamton University’s Department of Art History is a pioneering site of new methodologies and approaches to the field of art history, which is constantly evolving. The program offers students training in the history and theory of art and architecture in its global dimensions and trains its graduates to embark on careers in museums, galleries, libraries, archives, universities and other types of cultural institutions.

Offering graduate programs at the Master of Arts (MA) and doctoral (PhD) levels, the department gives students the opportunity to undertake cross-disciplinary, cross-cultural and innovative studies, with emphasis on the development of critical, theoretical and historical perspectives in relation to the visual arts, photography, architecture, planning and the wider built environment. A combined MA/PhD track is also available.

Our program is highly interdisciplinary. Students often take courses in multiple related fields to provide a well-rounded and rigorous approach to research. This sort of intersectional scholarship is supported emphatically by department faculty, many of whom are invested in multiple fields and modes of study as well.

This broad and inclusive sense of scholarship extends to our department’s contributions to university life. In addition to organizing the department's cross-disciplinary lecture series, workshops and symposia, faculty and students are actively involved in teaching and the conference activities of other interdisciplinary centers and programs.

Students come from all over the world to study in our program. See where by viewing our interactive map.

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

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!