Master of Arts in Art History - African American - African Diaspora Art Histories

In the African American - African Diaspora art histories concentration, students focus on the in-depth study and critical analysis of art and visual culture related to African American and African Diaspora communities. The curriculum is designed to explore the historical, cultural, social, and political contexts that shape the artistic expressions of these marginalized communities. Throughout the program, students examine a wide range of visual art forms, including traditional art, contemporary art, photography, sculpture, painting, and other forms of creative representation.

Courses delve into the art of the African continent, the African Diaspora, and the contributions of African American artists to the broader art world. Students analyze how these artistic expressions reflect identity, resistance and cultural heritage.

The program places a significant emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, encouraging students to draw connections between art history, anthropology, sociology, and other relevant fields. By exploring various academic perspectives, students gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and nuances of African American and African Diaspora art.

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