The MA and the PhD in Art History are awarded by the Graduate College. The MA is offered with or without a thesis.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the Admission Requirements of the Graduate College and the department offering the degree program (review the department's web site or the General Catalog for departmental requirements).

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Tuition and fees vary by degree program and the type of student you are.

Application Deadlines
  • Fall semester—Jan. 10
  • Spring semester—not offered
  • Summer session—Dec. 15
Application Procedures

The graduate application process has two steps

  • You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
  • Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation. A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI, our online service center for applicants and students. You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

GRE scores are not required for this program.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

  • A 1,000-word statement of purpose
  • A research paper (preferably from an art history course) or thesis
  • CV/Resume
  • Supplemental Information Form

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

  • Three letters of recommendation

Materials to send to Admissions

  • A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts uploaded on your Admissions Profile. If you are admitted, official transcripts will be required before your enrollment. For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official.  Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
  • International students may also be required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo scores to comply with the university's English Language Proficiency Requirements. Applicants whose first or official language is not English and whose previous academic degrees were not earned at an English-language institution must score as follows on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): for studio art applicants, at least 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 81 (Internet-based); for art history applicants, at least 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based). All applicants must have a minimum iBT speaking score of 26* and a listening score of 25. Your application will not be reviewed if scores are lower than the requirements.
  • *Non-native speakers of English should note that most students are funded through teaching, and the Iowa Board of Regents mandates that all non-native speakers of English pass an oral English test in order to teach; the equivalent of an iBT speaking section score of 26 is required.  No applicant will be considered without the TOEFL exam.
  • Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.
Apply

Apply Online, the $60 application fee ($100 for international students) is payable by Discover, MasterCard, or Visa.

Contact

School of Art and Art History
The University of Iowa
141 N. Riverside Drive
E302 VAB
Iowa City, IA 52242
art@uiowa.edu
1-319-335-1758

Enrollment Management
The University of Iowa
2900 University Capitol Centre
201 S. Clinton St.
Iowa City, IA 52242
admissions@uiowa.edu
1-319-335-1523