School Review Process
Admission to a degree program at CSULB is a two-part process that requires application to and acceptance by both the University and the School of Art into a specific degree program. (See the detailed information on CSULB graduate application and admission requirements earlier in this catalog.)
For graduate programs, the School of Art accepts applications for Fall admission only. Application forms and deadlines are available on the web via the School of Art Website.
The application for Graduate Admission to the University is available online through Cal State Apply. Official transcripts must be submitted to university admissions via mail or electronically to determine grade point average eligibility. Failure to submit transcripts in a timely manner will result in a delayed review of the application.
Some art programs may conduct applicant interviews, in which case program faculty will contact the applicant directly. Acceptance decisions are normally sent out by the last week of March.
Acceptance to Degree Program in Art
Graduate applications are reviewed within the School of Art by appropriate faculty. The admissions process for graduate programs is highly competitive, and only those applicants who are recommended by the reviewing faculty may be admitted. Applicants are admitted as either Classified or Conditionally Classified. A Classified Graduate Student has been recommended for admission and has satisfied all prerequisites. A Conditionally Classified Graduate Student has been recommended for admission, but has outstanding prerequisites to complete.
Acceptance is not complete until the applicant has received both notification of acceptance from the School of Art and official notification from the CSULB Office of Enrollment Services.
All applicants must be accepted by the School of Art in order to be officially accepted by the University. There is a fee for the Cal State Apply Application. There is no fee for the School of Art’s supplemental Slideroom application process.
International Students must be accepted by both the School of Art and International Admissions English language demonstrations are required, though under certain conditions, the requirement may be waived. Please see the International Admissions website for more information. Questions regarding international admissions may be directed to cie-admission@csulb.edu.
CSU general requirements include: a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution; a grade point average of at least 2.5 in the last 60 semester units taken; and good standing at the last college attended.
MA Prerequisites
An applicant may be accepted if, in addition to having satisfied specific prerequisites set by the School of Art for each degree, the applicant has satisfied the minimum university standards found in Admission to CSULB section of this catalog.
The School of Art requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper-division (junior and senior level) art prerequisite units.
Prerequisites
An applicant who has deficiencies in prerequisites, but who in the judgment of the School of Art can meet these prerequisites with additional preparation specified at time of admission, may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate standing. Students who have deficiencies in prerequisites, but who are willing to engage in additional preparation to meet them, may apply.
NOTE: Courses taken as prerequisites for a graduate degree may not be counted toward the graduate degree program of study.
Art History Prerequisites
Applicants must complete the following prerequisite coursework. Equivalents to listed prerequisites must be approved by the Art History faculty.
MA Art History applicants should have completed prerequisite coursework prior to beginning coursework in the MA program. Applicants must have maintained a 3.0 GPA or better in all prerequisite coursework. Prerequisite coursework with grades lower than a C or grades of “pass” or “credit” will not be considered as having satisfied stated prerequisites.
The core Art History faculty functions as a committee of the whole in reviewing all materials and information in the application file. Applicants who have been recommended for admission by the Art History faculty, and who have met all university entrance requirements and have fulfilled all MA Art History prerequisites, shall be admitted with classified status.
In some instances, applicants who have not met all prerequisites may, upon the recommendation of the Art History faculty, be admitted to the MA program on a conditional basis but must complete all prerequisites by the end of the second semester in the MA program. Students may complete the foreign language prerequisite by completing the required coursework, or by passing a departmentally administered foreign language exam in French, German, or other pre-approved language. Completion of all prerequisites by the end of the second semester is a requirement for the student to advance to candidacy and continue study in the MA program.
By the time of program entry, applicants should have completed four upper-division art history courses and four sequential semesters (or the equivalent) of a college-level language appropriate to the applicant’s intended area of research with a 3. 0 grade point average or better in the language courses.
The School’s Application Requirements
Prior to the fall term for which the applicant seeks admission, applicant must submit the school’s application materials as follows:
Applicants may contact the School of Art Graduate Advisor for additional information about applying. Additionally, faculty contacts for each of the programs can be found on the school website.
Art History:
School of Art application, statement of purpose, writing sample, résume or CV, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.
Transcripts
When you formally apply to the University, one official (sealed) set is required; send to University Admissions or International Admissions electronically or by mail.
Transfer Units
Transfer units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. With faculty approval, up to 12 post-baccalaureate units from another university may be accepted into the MA degree program.
MA Degree Requirements
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.0, with no grade below a “C”.
- Successful completion of an Advancement to Candidacy review. Reviews generally occur when a student has completed between one third and one half of the units required for the degree and require the submission of a complete list of coursework for the degree. Additional advancement requirements:
- Art History majors present a qualifying paper and satisfy the language requirement in either French or German (or an approved substitution).
Maintaining Enrollment
If all scheduled units for the MA degree have been completed but the final written component has not been approved and submitted, registration in GS-700F (0 unit, no credit) through CPIE is required in order to maintain enrollment until the semester of graduation. Care should be taken not to exceed the University limit of seven years for all masters’ degrees.
Art History
In addition to providing advanced analytical and communication skills broadly applicable to numerous careers, the art history graduate program prepares students with the necessary research skills and experiences to enter the professional fields of teaching, museum work, art gallery management, art consultancy, arts management, and art writing, or to continue their studies at the doctoral level.
Our faculty train graduate students in the following areas: Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology; Asian Art/20th Century Asian Art and Architecture; Contemporary Art; Latin American Art and Architecture; Medieval Art and Architecture; Museum and Curatorial Studies; Renaissance and Baroque Art and Architecture; 18th and 19th Century Art and Architecture of Europe and the United States; and 20th Century Art. Additional areas of strength across disciplines include gender and sexuality studies, critical theory, colonial and post-colonial studies, critical race theory, materiality, empirical and archival research, reception theory, global art studies, the history of emotions, and Marxist and post-Marxist methodologies.
36 approved units to include:
