Graduate Student Opportunities

Art Museums

The Department is fortunate to have working relationships with several museums in the Twin Cities:

The University of Minnesota Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

The Weisman opened in November of 1993 and now is the permanent home for the University’s main art collection. The holdings are primarily modern art, with rotating exhibits. Director Lyndel King and curators Colleen Sheehy and Diane Mullin are affiliate members of the Art History Graduate faculty. The Weisman hosts dance and theatre performances and a lively lecture series. Art History graduate students and faculty have presented lectures at the Weisman.

Research assistant positions and volunteer opportunities occasionally become available at the Weisman. Notices are posted in Heller Hall and in the weekly departmental bulletin.

The Goldstein Museum of Design

Located in McNeal Hall on the St. Paul campus, the Goldstein Gallery is the design museum for the University of Minnesota. The Goldstein collections include costumes, textiles, and decorative arts. There is a Collections Research Center and a Reference Library in conjunction with the Gallery.

The Walker Art Center

The newly renovated and expanded Walker is the centerpiece for modern and contemporary art exhibitions in the Twin Cities. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is on the grounds and will also be expanded in the next few years. The Walker hosts film series and artists’ discussions. There is a reference library containing material on contemporary art, which students may access by making an appointment with the reference librarian.

Students may volunteer or intern at the Walker in a variety of positions. The graduate bulletin board and on line newsletter occasionally contain notices from the Walker on volunteer and paid position openings.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The MIA has both permanent and rotating collections of international acclaim. The MIA also has holdings in Asian, African, European, Native American, and Decorative Arts.

The Minnesota Museum of American Art

MMAA's new riverfront gallery opened in 2004 in downtown St. Paul. The MMAA concentrates its exhibitions on the work of regional contemporary artists. Currently, the museum focuses on work with a multi-cultural emphasis.

Presenting Papers at Conferences

The Art History faculty strongly encourages students to present research papers at academic conferences such as the College Art Association Conference, the American Studies Association Conference, the Midwest Art History Society meeting, or the Association for Asian Studies conference . The Department has a limited amount of funding to assist students with transportation and other expenses. Students prepare to participate in a conference in consultation with their adviser, the DGS and the Chair. Students must present their papers to a Department audience that must include at least two faculty members prior to any presentations outside the Department and before receiving travel funds.

Notices on national and international conferences are posted on the graduate bulletin board and in the weekly on line newsletter.

Art History Graduate Student Association

The Art History Graduate Association is both a vehicle for student involvement with the Department and a liaison between graduate students, faculty, and staff. The Association elects officers as well as representatives to Department committees.

The Association also organizes Trading Papers, a forum for students to present recent research work. Trading Papers facilitates an exchange of ideas and feedback on student work.

In addition, the Art History Graduate Association has organized graduate student symposia including a symposium in 2000 entitled [Re]Constructing Community and Identity Through Art. The event was co-sponsored by the Weisman, as well as the Minnesota Museum of American Art and several departments in the College, with additional support from the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts Scholarly Events Fund and the Graduate and Professional Student Association (http://www.arthist.umn.edu/symp2000/index.html

Graduate Colloquium Series

The Art History Department sponsors a series of informal talks for graduate students on topics such as publishing, grant writing, teaching strategies, ethics in research and teaching, and the job market. Colloquia are held once a month on Fridays, usually around the noon hour. Click here to see the line-up for the 2004-2005 series (pdf file).

Site last modified on February 16, 2007

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