College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Courses

Art and Art History

The School of Art and Art History provides a creative, multidisciplinary environment for students of the studio arts, the history of art, and art education. Established in 1936, the school is firmly grounded in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It encourages interaction among its diverse faculty as well as collaboration with related disciplines across campus.

Iowa's art and art history graduates enjoy success as practicing professional artists, professors of art history, teachers, museum directors and curators, theater designers, commercial designers, and art administrators.

Studio Art

Studying the broad contexts in which art is made, understood, and used by society prepares studio art students to continue work in an academic setting as well as in museums, galleries, and a multiplicity of other venues. Graduate students are especially encouraged to examine the contexts of visual and verbal issues central to their own work and that of their contemporaries.

M.A. and M.F.A. students in art may major in ceramics, design, drawing, intermedia, metalsmithing and jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.

Art History

Art Education

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Art

B.A. students in art must earn at least 70 s.h. of credit in non-art courses. Cross-referenced courses originating in the School of Art and Art History may not be counted as non-art electives. Students must complete the General Education Program.

The B.A. in art requires the following.

Two art history courses chosen from these (preferably taken during the first two years):

01H:002 Arts of Africa

3 s.h.

01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America, and Oceania

3 s.h.

01H:005 Western Art and Culture Before 1400

3 s.h.

01H:006 Western Art and Culture After 1400

3 s.h.

01H:016 Asian Art and Culture

3 s.h.

Two additional art history courses chosen from

01H:001, 01H:004, 01H:010, and 01H:021-01H:199

6 s.h.

Two studio courses:

01A:003 Basic Drawing (prerequisite for all studio courses)

3 s.h.

01A:004 Design Fundamentals (prerequisite for all studio courses)

3 s.h.

Any two of these three-dimensional courses:

01C:060 Ceramics I

3 s.h.

01D:021 Problems in Design I: Form and Structure

3 s.h.

01G:084 Introduction to Jewelry and Metal Arts

3 s.h.

01J:090 Intermedia I

3 s.h.

01N:015 Undergraduate Sculpture I

3 s.h.

Any two of these two-dimensional courses, from two different studio areas (students may not use more than one 01M course to satisfy this requirement):

01D:028 Graphic Design I

3 s.h.

01F:007 Life Drawing I

3 s.h.

01K:009 Painting I

3 s.h.

01L:034 Beginning Photography

3 s.h.

01M:021 Undergraduate Intaglio I

3 s.h.

01M:024 Undergraduate Relief I

3 s.h.

01M:031 Undergraduate Lithography

3 s.h.

01M:041 Undergraduate Monotype

3 s.h.

Electives chosen from School of Art and Art History courses must bring the total credit in art history, studio art, and art education to a minimum of 39 s.h. No more than 50 s.h. of credit in School of Art and Art History courses (art history, studio art, and art education combined) may be counted toward the 120 s.h. required for graduation with a B.A. in art.

Transfer Students

Transfer students majoring in studio art must attend transfer portfolio review and show a portfolio of their art to faculty members, who determine the students' placement in, or exemption from, the sequence of basic studio courses.

Study Abroad

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art

Prospective B.F.A. students must apply to enter the program after completing at least two semesters of work in the studio area of concentration, but before completing 50 s.h. in art. B.F.A. candidate reviews are held once each semester.

Students who wish to enter the B.F.A. program should consult the faculty in the studio area of concentration for information about the required portfolio review.

In addition to completing the General Education Program and major requirements listed above for the B.A. in art, B.F.A. students must complete three courses in a studio concentration area beyond the introductory or beginning course, as well as one introductory course and one advanced course in each of two additional studio areas (minor concentration areas).

B.F.A. students in drawing and painting are required to take 01F:106 Undergraduate Seminar in Drawing and Painting in addition to the three required studio courses for the concentration area. This course work does not count toward the minor concentration areas.

B.F.A. students in painting are required to complete the following sequence.

01K:009 Painting I

3 s.h.

01K:010 Painting II

3 s.h.

or

01K:025 Life Painting

3-4 s.h.

01K:046 Intermediate Painting

3 s.h.

01K:049 Advanced Painting

3 s.h.

Students may enroll in other painting classes in addition to the above sequence. Life Painting (01K:025) may be repeated once, but applies only once in the above sequence.

B.F.A. students must present an exhibition of their studio work, preferably at the School of Art and Art History.

Teacher licensure requirements are the same for art education B.A. and B.F.A. students.

B.A. and B.F.A. in Art, with Art Education

Art education with a B.A. in art requires a minimum of 47 s.h. of art and art history course work (8 s.h. more than the minimum requirement for a B.A. without art teacher certification). B.A. students earn at least 70 s.h. in non-art courses. Cross-referenced courses that originate in the School of Art and Art History may not be counted as non-art electives. Students must complete the General Education Program. No more than 50 s.h. earned in School of Art and Art History courses (art history, studio art, and art education combined) may be counted toward the 120 s.h. required for graduation with a B.A. in art.

Art education with a B.F.A. requires a minimum of 62 s.h. of art and art history course work. Undergraduate students in art education who earn a B.F.A. with art teacher licensure K-12 typically complete an additional semester of course work. In addition to completing the General Education Program and the major requirements listed below for the B.A. in art with art education, B.F.A. candidates must complete three courses in a studio area of concentration beyond the introductory or beginning course, as well as one introductory course and one advanced-level course in each of two additional studio areas. All B.F.A. candidates in drawing and painting are required to take 01F:106 Undergraduate Seminar in Drawing and Painting in addition to the three required studio courses for the concentration area. Papermaking, calligraphy, and bookbinding courses may not be used as major or minor areas. Cross-referenced courses that originate in the School of Art and Art History may not be counted as non-art electives. Before they student teach, all B.F.A. candidates must have an exhibition of their studio work, preferably at the School of Art and Art History.

The B.F.A. requires that students earn 62 s.h. in School of Art and Art History courses and 58 s.h. in courses taken outside the school. No more than 62 s.h. in School of Art and Art History courses may be counted toward the 120 s.h. required for graduation with a B.F.A. in art.

Prospective B.F.A. students must apply to enter the program after completing at least one semester of work in the studio area of concentration but before completing 50 s.h. in art. B.F.A. candidate reviews are held once each semester.

Applications for admission must be submitted to the Teacher Education Program, Office of Teacher Education and Student Services, College of Education. Deadlines are June 15 for fall admittance, October 15 for spring admittance, and March 15 for summer admittance.

The B.A. in art with art education (teacher certification) requires the following course work.

Two art history courses chosen from these (preferably taken during the first or second year):

01H:002 Arts of Africa

3 s.h.

01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America, and Oceania

3 s.h.

01H:005 Western Art and Culture Before 1400

3 s.h.

01H:006 Western Art and Culture After 1400

3 s.h.

01H:016 Asian Art and Culture

3 s.h.

Two additional art history courses chosen from

01H:001, 01H:004, 01H:010, and 01H:021-01H:199

6 s.h.

Two studio courses:

01A:003 Basic Drawing

3 s.h.

01A:004 Design Fundamentals

3 s.h.

Two three-dimensional courses:

01C:060 Ceramics I

3 s.h.

01G:084 Introduction to Jewelry and Metal Arts

3 s.h.

Any two of these two-dimensional courses, from two different studio areas (students may not use more than one 01M course to satisfy this requirement):

01D:028 Graphic Design I

3 s.h.

01F:007 Life Drawing I

3 s.h.

01K:009 Painting I

3 s.h.

01L:034 Beginning Photography

3 s.h.

01M:021 Undergraduate Intaglio I

3 s.h.

01M:024 Undergraduate Relief I

3 s.h.

01M:031 Undergraduate Lithography

3 s.h.

01M:041 Undergraduate Monotype

3 s.h.

Two additional courses from the two-dimensional

and three-dimensional requirements

6 s.h.

Electives, chosen only from courses offered by the School of Art and Art History, must bring the total credit in art history, studio art, and art education to a minimum of 47 s.h. Students often select two additional studio courses in an area of emphasis. No more than 50 s.h. of credit in art history, studio art, and art education courses, total, may be counted toward the degree.

Transfer Students

Undergraduate transfer students majoring in studio art must show a portfolio of their art to faculty members on the Friday before a fall or spring semester begins. The faculty members determine each student's placement in or exemption from the sequence of basic studio courses.

Bachelor of Arts in Art History

As students progress through the program, they become familiar with historical relationships between art objects and society, learn techniques of formal analysis, study patterns of patronage, and absorb methods for interpreting the meaning of paintings, sculptures, and architecture. In the course of their studies, art history majors develop their research abilities and writing skills.

The B.A. in art history requires the following course work. Not all courses are offered every year. Students should take required survey courses (numbered 01H:002, 01H:003, 01H:005, 01H:006, and 01H:016) and introductory courses (numbered 01H:021-01H:085) before taking advanced courses (numbered 01H:104-01H:196). Art history students must complete the General Education Program.

Both of these, in sequence, normally during the first two years:

01H:005 Western Art and Culture Before 1400

3 s.h.

01H:006 Western Art and Culture After 1400

3 s.h.

One of these:

01H:002 Arts of Africa

3 s.h.

01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America, and Oceania

3 s.h.

01H:016 Asian Art and Culture

3 s.h.

Four courses chosen from 01H:020 through 01H:085

12 s.h.

Four courses chosen from 01H:104 through 01H:196

12 s.h.

01H:199 Topics in Art History

3 s.h.

01H:010 Tutorial for Majors: Art History as a Discipline

3 s.h.

or

01H:099 Undergraduate Seminar in the History of Art (normally in junior or senior year)

3 s.h.

Studio courses

6 s.h.

No more than 50 s.h. of credit in art and art history courses (art history and studio art) may be counted toward the minimum 120 s.h. required to graduate with a B.A. in art history.

CREDIT IN DISCIPLINES OUTSIDE ART HISTORY

Transfer Students

Study Abroad

Four-Year Graduation Plan

B.A. in Art

Before the fifth semester begins: at least four courses in the major and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least eight courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least 11 courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

B.F.A. in Art

Before the third semester begins: at least four courses in the major and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: at least eight courses in the major, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least 14 courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least 18 courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

B.A. in Art History

Before the fifth semester begins: at least four courses in the major and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: at least eight courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: at least 11 courses in the major

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors

Honors in Art

Honors in Art History

Option 1: Students take two upper-division courses with honors designation and complete an extra project, such as an annotated bibliography, a supplemental paper or presentation, or a comparable project endorsed by the instructor. Then students enroll in a third upper-division course appropriate to their honors thesis topic and write the thesis (5,000 to 7,000 words) as part of the course, for an additional 1 s.h.

Option 2: Students research and write an honors thesis of 10,000 to 15,000 words under the direction of an art history faculty member, earning 3 s.h.

Students work with an art history faculty member as their thesis advisor. They must have the thesis advisor's approval before beginning work on their thesis project. The thesis should conform to the Graduate College format for theses; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College in the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Minor in Art

Course work applied toward a minor in art may not be used to satisfy the requirements for a major in art or in art history.

Minor in Art History

Graduate Programs

Master of Arts in Art

The required 38 s.h. includes at least 12 s.h. in a major studio area, 6 s.h. in a minor studio area from one of the M.A. majors that offer at least 21 s.h. in studio courses; 3 s.h. in the history and theory of art, excluding readings and directed studies; a drawing course taken at The University of Iowa; and 6 s.h. of courses outside art and art history.

M.A. students must hold a B.A. or B.F.A. in art equivalent to that offered at The University of Iowa. Undergraduate deficiencies, if any, may be made up concurrently with graduate study but are in addition to graduate requirements.

All M.A. students undergo a division-wide review for M.A. candidacy by the faculty during the third semester in residence. They also must submit a written artist's statement.

M.A. students choose the thesis or nonthesis option in consultation with their area advisor. They may earn 1 s.h. for writing a technical or substantial thesis by registering for 01A:302, with approval of the thesis supervisor. Thesis credit earned in an M.A. program is not applicable toward M.F.A. requirements.

Master of Arts in Art, with Art Education

M.A. students must hold a B.A. or B.F.A. in art equivalent to that offered at The University of Iowa. They also must hold teaching licensure/certification in art.

Art education majors may elect to take art history courses on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis.

Master of Fine Arts in Art

The required 60 s.h. includes at least 18 s.h. in a major studio subject, at least 9 s.h. in a minor studio field selected from the fields listed above, 6 s.h. in art history and theory of art, 6 s.h. in courses originating outside the school, and a drawing course at The University of Iowa (if not already taken).

M.F.A. students must hold an M.A. in art equivalent to that offered at The University of Iowa. Transfer credits are decided by faculty review.

All students must undergo an M.F.A. committee review. They also must complete a written theses and possibly a studio thesis.

M.F.A. students may earn 1 s.h. for writing a technical or substantial thesis by registering for 01A:304, with approval of the thesis supervisor. Thesis credit earned in an M.A. program is not applicable toward M.F.A. requirements.

Master of Arts in Art History

The M.A. program in art history provides students with training in research methods appropriate to subsequent specialization at the Ph.D. level. Because the M.A. culminates in a substantial thesis in the candidate's chosen area of focus, evidence of competence in scholarly research and writing is required for graduation. Graduates with an M.A. generally continue for the Ph.D. or enter college teaching or museum work.

M.A. students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.50. Only one semester of academic probation is allowed. All M.A. candidates, including transfer students, must take at least 24 s.h. in residence at The University of Iowa.

M.A. in art history students must earn a grade of B or higher in semester-long courses (100-level) in five of the following 10 distribution fields: African (including Oceanic), Asian, ancient, medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th- and 19th-century European, American (including Pre-Columbian, Native American, and African American), modern/contemporary, and architecture. These courses must be taken after the B.A. is granted. However, a student who earned a grade of B or higher in an intermediate-level course in the same field during his or her undergraduate career may apply credit for a graduate seminar toward a distribution field requirement.

REQUIRED COURSES

01H:200 History and Methods

3 s.h.

Two art history seminars (with different instructors in different fields)

6 s.h.

Additional art history or studio courses, or courses

outside the School of Art and Art History

6 s.h.

History and Methods (01H:200) must be taken during the first fall semester of the student's residency. Incoming students who already have taken a comparable graduate-level course at another university may petition the art history graduate advisor to waive this requirement.

Courses outside the curriculum of the School of Art and Art History's art history division do not carry art history credit. Cross-referenced courses not taught by art history faculty members do not carry art history credit.

Directed Studies

Students taking Directed Studies for 1-2 s.h. normally meet with the directing professor every other week and complete readings and short written assignments. Those taking the course for 3 s.h. normally meet once a week and complete extensive readings, annotated bibliographies, and a substantial paper on a specific topic.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Credit earned in language courses taken to fulfill the language requirement does not count toward the 30 s.h. required for the degree.

M.A. THESIS

The M.A. committee consists of the student's faculty mentor and two additional tenured or tenure-track members of the art history faculty.

FINAL EXAMINATION

Doctor of Philosophy in Art History

Ph.D. students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.50. They may count a maximum of 38 s.h. of work completed for the M.A. toward the Ph.D. Students are allowed only one semester of academic probation.

To establish academic residency, candidates must be enrolled as full-time students at The University of Iowa for two semesters (at least 9 s.h. each) beyond the first 24 s.h. of graduate-level course work or three semesters (at least 6 s.h. each) with a one-quarter-time assistantship.

Ph.D. students major in one of the following 10 fields: African, Asian, ancient, medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, 18th- and 19th-century European, American, modern/contemporary, and architecture. Candidates also minor in two fields. The first minor must be in an art history field that is not contiguous with the major field. The second minor may be in any art history field or relevant discipline outside the art history division.

REQUIRED COURSES

Three art history seminars (different instructors in different fields)

9 s.h.

Additional art history courses

15-27 s.h.

Courses outside the School of Art and Art History

0-12 s.h.

Up to 6 s.h. of credit for dissertation research may be applied toward the 72 s.h. required for the degree. Courses outside the curriculum of the School of Art and Art History's art history division do not carry art history credit.

Directed Studies

PH.D. COMMITTEE

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

The scope of the comprehensive exams is determined in consultation with the candidate's degree committee supervisor and the committee members responsible for the two minor fields.

ORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

After the proposal has been approved by the committee, the candidate circulates an abstract to the entire art history faculty. He or she must give a public presentation on the dissertation topic no later than the end of the semester following the degree committee's approval. The presentation is scheduled with the head of art history.

FINAL EXAMINATION

Ph.D. in Education, with Art Education

The program is administered by the College of Education, in cooperation with the School of Art and Art History. Students must apply for admission to the College of Education. Graduates are granted a Doctor of Philosophy in education, with art education subtrack.

The curriculum must be planned with the advisor and must include at least 15 s.h. in the School of Art and Art History, 15 s.h. in art education graduate seminars, 15 s.h. in a related area (e.g., aesthetics, anthropology, higher education, psychology, sociology), and 15 s.h. in thesis and tool courses. Introduction to Research in Art Education (07E:306) is required.

Students must take both oral and written comprehensive examinations. The written examination consists of an in-depth research problem to be completed within 14 days, after which an oral examination on the project is held. The research problem is assigned by the examining committee, and the written portion of the examination is not intended to relate directly to the student's dissertation proposal.

Students also must complete a written dissertation for at least 12 s.h. of credit and are expected to prepare a dissertation proposal and defend it before the dissertation committee. An oral examination on the dissertation is the Ph.D. final examination.

Admission

Completed applications for the master's or doctoral program in art history and requests for financial aid must be received by January 15 for fall admission.

Completed applications for the master's program in all areas of studio art and requests for financial aid must be received by February 1 for fall admission. Complete application materials should be sent to the graduate secretary, School of Art and Art History.

The Office of Graduate Admissions notifies all applicants by mail of admission decisions. Acceptance notification cannot be given over the phone by either the admissions office or the School of Art and Art History.

Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand must score as follows on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): at least 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) for admission to the studio program; and at least 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) for admission to the art history program.

All applicants must submit the following to the Office of Graduate Admissions:

a completed application for admission (one area of interest must be specified on the application form);

TOEFL scores (if applicable);

the required application fee; and

an official copy of all undergraduate transcripts and/or graduate work completed by the date of application.

M.A. and M.F.A. in Art

Applicants must submit the following to the graduate secretary at the School of Art and Art History: a one-page statement of purpose, official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work completed by the date of application, three letters of recommendation assessing potential as a graduate student, application for graduate awards (if desired), and application for graduate scholarships and fellowships (if desired). They also must submit one of the following portfolios. (Portfolios are returned by mail only if return postage is supplied by the applicant.)

Ceramics, design, intermedia and video art, metalsmithing and jewelry, or painting: 8 slides, CDs, and/or photos of work in the major area and 2 slides, CDs, or photos of work in a second studio area; CDs or DVDs may be submitted for intermedia.

Drawing: 8 slides, CDs, or photos of drawings, including figure drawings, and 2 slides, CDs, or photos of work in a second studio area.

Photography: 20-25 images on slides, in prints, or on a CD, in the major field of work; and 2-3 images on slides, in photos, or on a CD, of work in a second st udio area.

Printmaking: 10-20 images on a CD, or slides with a selection of 4-6 original works, sent in a portfolio .

Sculpture: a selection of 20 slides or a CD with at least 10 sculptures or installations (multiview) and a slide of at least two drawings; for kinetic sculptures, a DVD.

Each slide must be enclosed in a slide sheet and labeled with the name, title, portfolio medium, size, and approximate date of work; the top should be indicated. An inventory list with the same information should be included. Extreme care is taken in handling all portfolios, but the school cannot be responsible for reimbursement in the event of loss or damage.

CDs should contain 10-20 images measuring 5x7 inches, maximum of 150 DPI, as PDF or PowerPoint files.

M.A. in Art History

Although exceptions may be made when other components of the application are strong, applicants should have a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1200 and an analytical writing score of at least 5 on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test; and an undergraduate g.p.a. of at least 3.25.

In addition to the admissions materials required by the Graduate College, the School of Art and Art History requires that applicants submit a research paper (preferably from an art history course) or undergraduate thesis that demonstrates the applicant's potential to undertake research in art history; a 1,000-word autobiographical essay that states the applicant's purpose in pursuing graduate studies and describes his or her intellectual development, academic interests, and career goals, and names the faculty member under whose guidance the applicant hopes to work, and tells how that faculty member's area of expertise (or the art history program) is especially suited to the applicant's interests or goals; three letters of recommendation that assess the applicant's potential for graduate study; and transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. The materials should be submitted by January 15 to the School of Art and Art History's graduate secretary.

Ph.D. in Art History

Although exceptions may be made when other components of the application are strong, applicants should have a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1200 and an analytic writing score of at least 5 on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test; and a graduate g.p.a. of at least 3.50.

Students who have completed their M.A. at The University of Iowa and who wish to apply for entrance into the Ph.D. program must make a formal application to the program. Applications are evaluated in the context of the entire applicant pool.

In addition to the admissions materials required by the Graduate College, the School of Art and Art History requires that applicants submit a thesis or other major research paper, an autobiographical essay of 1,000 words that states the applicant's purpose in pursuing graduate studies and describes his or her intellectual development, academic interests, and career goals, and names the faculty member under whose guidance the applicant hopes to work, and tells how that faculty member's area of expertise (or the art history program) is especially suited to the applicant's interests or goals; three letters of recommendation, including one from the applicant's M.A. thesis supervisor assessing the applicant's potential for doctoral study; and transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. The materials should be submitted to the School of Art and Art History's graduate secretary.

Completed applications for the master's or doctoral program and requests for financial aid must be submitted to the School of Art and Art History graduate secretary by January 15.

M.A. and Ph.D. in Art Education

Applicants to the M.A. program in art education must submit a term paper or other example of ability to write in the field and a selection of slides or photographs of their creative work in two studio areas.

For admission to the Ph.D. in art education, applicants must meet the doctoral student admission requirements of the Graduate College and must have an M.A. in art education from The University of Iowa or an equivalent degree from an accredited college or university. Students who have course work deficiencies must register for pertinent courses. Candidates must have completed one year of successful teaching experience in an elementary or secondary school to be eligible for the doctoral degree.

Application to the Ph.D. program must be accompanied by a representative portfolio of the candidate's work, consisting of 12 colored slide reproductions of art work and two examples of written work, which may consist of previously written papers or new work. The portfolio should be submitted to the Art Education Office. Complete application materials for graduate admission in art education must be on file in the College of Education by February 1 for fall admission.

Financial Support

In the studio programs, financial aid to new students is possible, but most assistantships and scholarships are awarded to graduate students who have been in residence for at least a year. This gives faculty members an opportunity to observe their performance and potential.

Presidential Graduate Fellowships

Dean's Graduate Fellowships

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Scholarships and Fellowships

Information and application materials for graduate scholarships and fellowships are included in the admissions package. They also are available from the School of Art and Art History main office in Art Building West.

Renewal or reappointment for fellowships and assistantships depends on adequate progress toward the degree (graduate students must accumulate at least 18 s.h. of graduate credit each calendar year and maintain a grade-point average above the required minimum) and satisfactory performance of assistantship duties.

Decisions on assistantships and financial aid generally are made during the latter part of the spring semester for the following academic year. Applications and all relevant materials should be on file by February 1. Applicants should verify the submission date; consult the school's main office.

Student Organizations

Resources

Reference Collections

The school's Office of Visual Materials contains 350,000 slides, 30,000 photographs, a videotape library, and a rapidly growing database that currently contains more than 125,000 digital images.

Museum of Art

Interdisciplinary Resources

Among the school's major assets is the Project for the Advanced Study of Art and Life in Africa (PASALA), an interdisciplinary program that brings together faculty with international reputations in art history, anthropology, films, history, and literature to offer courses and independent study of art in West, Central, East, and South Africa. The result is a program of unusual breadth and depth of expertise. PASALA is among the most active of such programs in the country, organizing international symposia that discuss significant topical issues and publishing the proceedings in regular issues of Iowa Studies in African Art. PASALA offers scholarships and support for research in Africa and dissertation preparation to outstanding students. A major resource for PASALA is the Stanley Collection of African Art in The University of Iowa Museum of Art.

Art history participates in a collegewide program called Crossing Borders, which offers major financial support to designated graduate student fellows whose dissertation topics involve multiple foreign language areas. Fellows take team-taught seminars in a range of disciplines, with focus on interactions across cultural, regional, or national divides. They help plan an annual convocation, at which they and invite d lecturers present their research.

The school also maintains an affiliation with the University's Department of American Studies, providing students with opportunities to study not only the history of American art but a variety of interdisciplinary programs in American history, literature, and politics.

Facilities

Art Building West, the school's administrative center, opened in 2006. The building contains art history classrooms, the visual materials office, a gallery, a café, the Art Library, an auditorium, a media theater, a computer laboratory, and studios for graphic design, painting, and digital photography. Designed by architect Steven Holl, Art Building West has won numerous awards for its innovative design, including the 2007 American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Architecture.

The original Art Building, a 1936 structure in Palladian revival style, houses studio areas, including intermedia, painting and drawing, photography, and 3-D design, as well as a classroom and galleries. Four wings built as additions to the main building contain the ceramics, metalsmithing, printmaking, and sculpture areas.

An Italianate building adjacent to Art Building West houses graduate painting studios and critique space.

Courses