Admissions deadline: January 10, 2015
University of British Columbia
Department of Art History, Visual Art & Theory
400 – 6333 Memorial Road
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6T 1Z2
The Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory (AHVAT) aims to foster critical thinking within an inclusive and supportive environment. The department maintains the highest standards of intellectual practice, seeking to be innovative in pedagogy, and international in scholarly perspective. AHVAT faculty are actively involved in research and bring this strength into their teaching at all levels. Many of our graduates have established distinguished careers in the artistic, scholarly and curatorial fields. The department regards interaction with the social sphere as an essential component of academic study and engages with professional and community groups associated with their practices. Recent visitors to the department include Dave Beech, Paul Chaat Smith, Peter Galison & Caroline Jones, Rachel Haidu, Stanya Kahn, Miwon Kwon, Reza Negarestani, Josephine Pryde, R.H. Quaytman, Kaja Silverman, and Cheyney Thompson. Always evolving, AHVAT recently expanded into new, purpose-built spaces at the Audain Art Centre. The Centre includes MFA and senior undergraduate studios, the Print Media Research Centre, the AHVA Gallery, and artist-in-residence studios. Cathy Busby, Beau Dick, and Garry Neill Kennedy are current artists-in-residence.
Graduate programs
MA Art History
PhD Art History
MA Critical & Curatorial Studies
MFA in Visual Art
The Masters of Arts in Art History is a two-year thesis program designed to instruct students in methods of research and presentation of scholarly materials. The program offers advanced study in areas of European and North American art, Asian art, and the Indigenous arts of the Americas. Enriched by access to the full complement of university offerings, students are encouraged to situate art in its broadest context and analyze its impact on the world around us. The program provides excellent preparation for a wide range of art-related careers, in addition to further study at the PhD level.
The Doctorate of Philosophy in Art History fosters art historical research and scholarship at the highest level and promises exacting study and deepening experience of the field. Combining high scholastic achievement, original research, and a firm theoretical grounding, the program involves coursework, two foreign languages, two comprehensive examinations in minor and major fields, thesis proposal, roundtable presentation, thesis and oral defense. Four-year funding packages are available for Canadian and international students.
The Master of Arts in Critical and Curatorial Studies is the oldest graduate curatorial studies program in Canada and the only one that results in a MA in Art History in the milieu of a graduate Art History and Studio Department. The program combines studies in the methodology and history of exhibitions, art history and contemporary art with the practice of making an exhibition(s). In addition to coursework, students have access to the visitors in the Curatorial Lecture Series and Distinguished Visiting Artist program and are encouraged to work individually and collectively on exhibitions throughout the two-year program. Many program graduates have gone on to work in the Vancouver and international art worlds.
The Masters of Fine Arts in Visual Art is a highly competitive graduate program and one that has an enviable international reputation. MFA students participate in intensive weekly studio seminars that are also a forum for critical discussions concerning leading issues in contemporary art and cultural theory, and their own studio and writing practice. Students take additional academic coursework to enrich their particular focus and may work in any area of contemporary art production and related interdisciplinary form. The MFA in Visual Art degree is awarded after 24 months and the successful completion of all course work, critiques, roundtables, major paper and final exhibition.
