Admissions, Registration, & Graduation

Admissions

Application Information and Materials

Applications for admission to the Department of Art History are reviewed once annually in January for enrollment in the following Fall Semester. Incomplete applications cannot be considered for admission.

Completed application materials for Fall Semester 2009 entry are due on December 1, 2008. For information about our program or about the application process, please study this website, which contains the most up to date information. If you have specific questions or would like to arrange a visit, send a message to arthist@umn.edu or contact the Graduate Studies Secretary at (612) 624-4500.
For more information on graduate admissions at the University of Minnesota, check the Graduate School Office of Admissions. Information on undergraduate admissions is available from the Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Please use the list below as a reference to determine which materials to send to the Graduate School and which to the Department of Art History.

Please note that Professors Frederick Cooper, Robert Poor, and John Steyaert are currently on phased retirement and will not be available to advise new students.

The following materials must be sent to the Graduate School only:

University of Minnesota Graduate School Application form, including statement of objectives.
Check covering application fee, or credit card authorization form, included in the downloadable University of Minnesota Graduate School Application form.
GRE scores (Students from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea must refer to the Graduate School web site for additional instructions- http://www.grad.umn.edu/Prospective_Students/Application_Information/GRE.html)
Official Transcripts from all undergraduate institutions.
TOEFL scores (international students only)

Send the following to the Department of Art History only:

One or more research papers
Three letters of recommendation

Graduate School and Department of Art History addresses:

Graduate School Office of Admissions
University of Minnesota
309 Johnston Hall
101 Pleasant St., S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Graduate Studies Secretary
Department of Art History
University of Minnesota
338 Heller Hall
271 - 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0121

Explanation of the Application Materials

University of Minnesota Graduate School Application form. Includes the personal statement (item number 23) which should explain immediate and long-term goals. Describe your intellectual and academic interests in pursuing an M.A. in Art History. Outline as specifically as possible the proposed area of study within the field of Art History. Indicate faculty members with whom you are interested in working. Even if you plan on ultimately pursuing the Ph.D., please check only the box for the M.A., or your application might get filed with those of students applying directly to the Ph.D. program.
Transcripts. Include transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended, including study abroad programs and community colleges. If the institution uses a non-traditional grading system, include any available information that would allow for comparison to an A-F grading scale. Include current and prospective course registration information if available.
TOEFL Scores. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required for international students by the Graduate School. The minimum acceptable score is 550.
Application Fee. Please check with the Graduate School Office of Admissions for the current rate.
GRE scores. GRE scores are required by the Art History Department. Scores of at least 500 are recommended. The exam is administered via computer, and the scores are sent to the Graduate School approximately 10 days after the exam is taken; however, the exam is offered on a first come, first served basis, so it is best to take the exam well in advance of the admissions deadline. If the exam scores are not received by the admissions deadline, the application will not be considered!
Research Paper(s). Include one substantial research paper (10+ pages), preferably in Art History. If one substantial paper is not available, submit two smaller research papers. The work will be evaluated for the skill and promise it demonstrates in the areas of research, writing, and critical analysis.
Letters of Recommendation. Solicit three letters of recommendation from individuals best able to comment on your potential to succeed in an academic graduate program. Letters from Art History instructors are most suitable. Letters from business supervisors often do not provide sufficient indication of graduate study potential. Letters should be sent directly to the Art History Department. Applicants are strongly encouraged to follow-up with recommenders to insure timely arrival of the letters of recommendation.

The admissions process takes place soon after the January deadline. Department decisions are then sent to the Graduate School for review, and the Graduate School will notify applicants in February. Students who are accepted may enroll the following fall semester. Admission can be deferred, although this may affect prospects for financial aid. Students who are not admitted or whose applications are incomplete must wait until the following January to reapply.

Change of Status (M.A. to Ph.D.)

Students completing their M.A. degrees in the Department of Art History may apply during either semester, but not during the summer, to enter the Ph.D. program. Application to the Ph.D. program should be made when the M.A. degree is nearly completed. The majority of students apply in early January for the following Fall. Students will not be allowed to enter the Ph.D. program officially until all M.A. degree requirements have been completed.

To apply, students file a Change of Status Form with the Graduate School in order to change their degree objective from M.A. to Ph.D. Students submit to the Department updated transcripts, research papers, and a statement of purpose outlining their proposed area of research, dissertation topic, and adviser. Students should have the support and commitment of their proposed adviser before applying. At least one Plan B paper should be fully completed and the second should be close to completion at the time of applying for Change of Status. Please request Letters of Recommendation from two professors. Call the Graduate School at (612) 625-3014 or visit the Graduate School Change of Status information page for further information. http://www.grad.umn.edu/gsss/registration/readmission.html

Change of Status (Change of Major)

Graduate students already admitted to the Graduate School who wish to change their major to the field of Art History may apply to do so with the Change of Status Form, which can be obtained on-line or at the Graduate School on the 3rd floor of Johnston Hall. Call the Graduate School at (612) 625-8060 or visit the Graduate School Change of Status information page for additional information.

The Change of Status Form and all application materials that are required for outside applicants (i.e. transcripts, three letters of recommendation, application form, GRE scores, statement of purpose, and a writing sample) required by the Department must be submitted by the January application deadline. If accepted into the program, registration as an Art History major may begin as early as the following semester.

Deferral of Admission

Deferral of admission may be requested by notifying the Graduate School and the Art History Department. The Art History DGS decides, in consultation with relevant faculty members, whether the deferral will be granted. Deferrals only can be granted for a maximum of one year.

Registration

New Graduate Students

Students must register in the Graduate School for the semester they are admitted. Click here for class schedules or registration information. Graduate students registering for the initial semester of enrollment must first see the DGS before registering. First semester registration takes place in 202 Fraser or on the web. Identification cards (U-Card).can be obtained before or after registration at the U-Card Office - 825 Washington Avenue SE, Room 107.

International Students

For information regarding the University, Immigration & Naturalization Service rules or any other questions specific to non-U.S. citizens, contact the International Student and Scholar Services, 20 Nicholson Hall (612) 626-7100.

Current and Previously Enrolled Graduate Students

Consult the Graduate School Catalog and the Class Schedule. Registration information can be found online at http:onestop.umn.edu/onestop/registration.html. You register online using your University e-mail account username and password. The username and initial password will be issued to you at orientation. To initialize your e-mail account, visit the site http://www.mail.umn.edu.

Graduate students must enroll at a minimum once every year to maintain their active status. Students who have not registered every year must apply to the Graduate School for readmission, with the understanding that such admission is not guaranteed. See the Bulletin, the Graduate School Catalog or call the Graduate School at (612) 625-3014 for more details.

Graduation

Information on graduation can be obtained from 316 Johnston Hall. Application for Degree forms must be filed with Students Relations, 150 Williamson Hall, on or before the first business day of the month in which a student wishes to graduate.

Commencement ceremonies are held fall and spring semesters. If you wish to participate in commencement, contact 316 Johnston Hall one semester in advance of the ceremony.
Questions? Call the Graduate School at (612) 625-0168 or (612)625-4019.

Site last modified on August 28, 2008

Send comments and suggestions about this website to arthist@umn.edu.