MA in Art History - African American - African Diaspora Art Histories in Memphis United States | University of Memphis

University of Memphis | Memphis United States
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Qualification
Masters Degree
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD 17,010
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
18 months

The African American - African Diaspora art histories specialization offers students an intensive exploration of artistic works and visual culture within African American and global African diaspora communities. This academic track investigates the historical, sociocultural, and political frameworks influencing creative outputs from these historically underrepresented groups. Participants engage with diverse visual mediums spanning traditional crafts, modern installations, photographic works, three-dimensional pieces, two-dimensional compositions, and other innovative visual formats.

The coursework examines artistic traditions from the African continent, global diaspora communities, and the impactful legacy of African American creators within international art circles. Learners critically assess how these visual forms articulate cultural identity, acts of resilience, and ancestral traditions.

This curriculum strongly promotes cross-disciplinary methodologies, urging students to synthesize insights from art historical study with anthropological, sociological, and related academic domains. Through this multifaceted approach, scholars develop sophisticated comprehension of the intricate dimensions characterizing African American and diasporic artistic practices.


Destination of Study

Subjects of Study

Language Requirements

English
IELTS 6.0

Qualification Requirements

For Fall semester admission with assistantship, completed materials must be received at the University by February 15. Applications received after April 1 cannot be guaranteed consideration for the Fall semester. For Spring semester admission, the deadline is November 1. For the concentrations in African American - African Diaspora Art Histories, an undergraduate course in each of the major areas of art history is desirable: American, ancient, medieval, renaissance, baroque, and modern. If, after evaluation of the student’s transcript, the art history faculty perceives a deficiency in these areas, the student may be required to successfully complete courses that will not count toward the Master of Arts degree. A letter of intent, explaining the applicant’s motivation and objectives in pursuing a graduate degree in art history. A sample of undergraduate writing, preferably in art history. Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from a college faculty member who knows the student well. Admission to the Graduate School is open to anyone holding a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university. In cases, where a program’s accrediting body allows alternate admissions standards, exceptions may be made. Applicants should have completed undergraduate or graduate work of sufficient quality and scope to enable them to successfully pursue graduate study. The University of Memphis offers equal educational opportunity to all persons without regard to race, religion, sex, creed, color, national origin or disability. Baccalaureate Degree: The applicant must provide an official transcript showing that a bachelor’s degree was awarded by an accredited college or university. If you are a UofM undergraduate student applying to Graduate School at UofM, you do not need to request that an official transcript be sent to Graduate Admissions. This office has access to your transcript. In addition, transcripts from any other college or university attended may be requested. Only transcripts received directly from an issuing institution are considered official. Personal copies are not acceptable as official documents. GPA: The applicant must have earned an acceptable grade point average, typically a minimum of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0, but departments may make exceptions for students whose overall GPA does not adequately reflect their ability to succeed in their chosen field. English proficiency test scores required by the University: Duolingo English Test- For students affected by test center closures due to COVID-19, the University is temporarily accepting Duolingo as an alternative. 100 or higher on the overall score, all sub scores must be at least 80. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Institution code 1459. TOEFL - 550 or higher on the paper version, 79 or higher on the internet-based test IELTS (International English Language Testing System- 6.0 or higher PTE (Pearson Test of English) - 53 or higher

Tuition USD 17,010

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