MA History of Art and Architecture at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

The MA in History of Art and Architecture admits students from varied academic backgrounds into small graduate seminars covering a broad range of cultures. It is the only programme of its kind at a public institution in New England offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field.

Faculty: College of Humanities and Fine Arts | Department: Department of History of Art and Architecture | Study mode: full-time | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

Graduate seminars, museum and historical association internships, teaching assistantships and independent study with faculty.

Career pathways

Museums, historical societies and other careers requiring critical thinking and written communication.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Department of History of Art and Architecture (MA): application form; statement of purpose of one to two pages covering reasons for choosing the programme and career plans; two letters of recommendation; transcripts; art historical writing sample as sole author (up to 20 pages of text plus images and bibliography); Graduate School short essay. Fall deadline January 15 (required for funding consideration); spring deadline October 1 with no first-year funding. Graduate School (all UMass Amherst graduate programmes): bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution or an equivalent international degree; minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (some programmes expect more); most programmes require at least two letters of recommendation; personal statement and resume; 600-word short essay on community; $90 application fee. Applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests taken before January 2026; combined score of 4 on the new scale for tests from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo English Test 115 or PTE Academic 53.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

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