MASTER OF ARTS IN ART HISTORY FLORENCE, ITALY saci-florence.edu MISSION SACI’S MA IN ART HISTORY PROGRAM provides students with a unique opportunity to complete the first stage of graduate study essential for those seeking careers as art historians and university-level Art History instructors. By exploiting fully the advantages available to scholars only through advanced study in Florence, SACI seeks to develop a critical mass of graduates who, because of the unique nature of their graduate training at SACI, will be highly competitive when seeking admission to doctoral programs in Art History and, upon completion of these programs, will be uniquely qualified to teach at colleges and universities. SACI’s expectation is that students who successfully complete the MA in Art History program will, throughout their lives, pursue scholarly endeavors that are rooted in their direct experience and deep appreciation of Italian and European art and culture. COVER: SACI STUDENT AT FLORENCE’S PALAZZO PITTI (PHOTO: REGAN WHEAT ) BELOW: SACI STUDENT AT AN EXHIBITION ABOUT LEONARDO DA VINCI (PHOTO: JOHN TAYLOR ) INTRODUCTION who seek increased proficiency in Italian, outlined in the Study Proposal. Students study at the appropriate level of the Italian are able to pursue their specific areas Students in SACI’s MA in Art History language. of interest by undertaking Directed program complete all of their course Independent Study that serves to work in Italy during one year of intensive SACI’s MA in Art History program offers complement classroom study in their Major study at SACI in Florence. They work in students, including those intending to Discipline. an environment of rigorous critical inquiry, pursue careers as art historians and both singularly and as part of a community educators, the unique opportunity to earn To maintain satisfactory academic progress that utilizes the remarkable art-historical their master’s degree through year-long and earn the MA in Art History degree, and cultural resources of Florence. They study in the city in which the Renaissance students must complete all course work in benefit as well from interaction with began and modern art continues to flourish. the program at SACI within one academic members of SACI’s Artists Council, which year with a minimum overall grade point include established artists, art historians, Upon completion of the MA in Art History average of 3.0 (based upon a scale in which theorists, critics, curators, gallery directors, program, students should be able to: A = 4.0). A letter grade (A-F) is given in each and publishers, many of international class except MA Thesis I and MA Thesis II renown. → Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge in which the student is graded Pass or Fail. of the content and historiography of an Students in the MA in Art History program They encounter great art works not only in extensive body of scholarly material in must take all other classes for a letter museums, but in the venues for which they a major art field defined by historical grade. were intended: churches and other public period, geographic region or regions, or buildings, squares, gardens, and private theme (e.g., Women and the Arts in Italy). Students who need additional time to houses throughout Italy and elsewhere complete all course work must receive in Europe. They have the rare opportunity → Demonstrate a general knowledge of the approval to do so from both the Dean to conduct research at the Uffizi Gallery’s content and historiography of a body and their Graduate Review Board, which Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe, and are able of scholarly material in other art fields consists of the Major Professor, the Director to learn art conservation and diagnostic defined by historical period, geographic of the MA in Art History program, and an techniques that they can apply to art- region or regions, or theme. additional faculty member selected by historical study in their selected areas. the student. When the Director of the The program aims to deepen students’ → Demonstrate an awareness of the role MA in Art History program is the same as understanding of Italian art and its of art historians in the construction of the Major Professor, the Director selects relationship to arts elsewhere in Europe the past and the role of contemporary another academic area faculty member to and throughout the world. context in shaping the perspectives of serve with the Director and the instructor art historians. selected by the student on the review board. Classes are held on site and in SACI’s two Such requests are normally approved landmark palazzi in Florence’s historic → Demonstrate the ability to formulate only in the case of documented medical center. These fully renovated Renaissance an original research project, identify emergencies, and the period of approved buildings are a short walk from Florence’s pertinent sources, examine those extended study does not normally exceed renowned Uffizi, Bargello, Accademia, and sources thoroughly, efficiently, and one academic year. Palazzo Pitti museums and a number of the even-handedly within the context of world’s greatest libraries. the existing scholarly literature in the Credit from other institutions is not field, and construct a well-ordered, Students in the MA in Art History transferable to the MA in Art History well-argued, and well-written paper of program attend SACI in Florence during program, nor is credit earned at SACI substantial length. one academic year from September prior to matriculation in the MA in Art through July and earn 36 credits. Under History program. Students who, prior the mentorship of their selected Major PROGRAM OF STUDY to matriculation in the MA in Art History Professor, they put together a program program, have completed at SACI courses that balances supervised independent required in the program may be permitted, Students in the MA in Art History program study with classroom study. They travel to subject to approval by the Director of the must complete 36 credits of course work art-historically important sites and major MA in Art History program, to enroll in other during four terms within one academic year. museums throughout Italy and elsewhere SACI courses, in an appropriate area and 30 credits must be at the graduate level in in Europe. at an appropriate level, to substitute for Art History or Museology. Students enroll the required course work that had been for 12 credits in both the Fall and Spring se- In their Graduate Seminars, they study completed previously at SACI. mesters and 6 credits in both the Summer historiography and research methodology I and Summer II terms. They meet with the and focus on a broad range of art history Students in the MA in Art History program Director of the MA in Art History program topics as well as those specific to their must demonstrate reading proficiency in and/or their Major Professor at the begin- own research interests. They expand the Italian language before the start of the ning and throughout each term. the breadth and depth of their studies Summer I term. This can be done in one of through enrollment in other Art History and three ways: (1) by presenting satisfactory Museology courses, the undertaking of Programs of study are flexible. They vary passing results (above the 50th percentile) Directed Independent Study, and, for those from student to student and are geared on the standardized, national Graduate who need to gain a reading knowledge or to meet individual study goals which are School Foreign Language Test (GSFLT) or the equivalent; (2) by providing an official individualized plan of study tailored to their SPRING SEMESTER transcript which shows a grade of B or personal interests. Students who wish to • Graduate Seminar in Art History II (3 above (or its equivalent) in at least two enrich their study of Art History by taking credits) different-level Italian language courses; or elective courses from related disciplines • A course in the Major Discipline. (3) by completing at SACI with a grade of B are encouraged to do so. Either: Women and the Arts in Italy; or above at least two different-level Italian High Baroque and Rococo European and language courses. All students who take Students in the MA in Art History program Italian Art; Contemporary European and Italian language courses at SACI are able are required to take the following courses: Italian Art; Contemporary Art Theory to participate in SACI’s Italian Language and Criticism; History of Italian Cinema; Museology; Museology Internship; Exchange Partner program. In this program, FALL SEMESTER or Directed Independent Study in Art students are introduced to a selected group • Graduate Seminar in Art History I (3 History (for 3 credits) OR Italian Late of Italian students and professionals who credits) Medieval and Early Renaissance Art are interested in exchanging language and • A course in the Major Discipline. Either: History* or Italian High Renaissance, are willing to introduce their SACI partner to Women and the Arts in Italy; 19th- Mannerist, and Early Baroque Art mutually interesting events or activities. Century European and Italian Art History* (for 6 credits) History; Modern European and Italian • An Art History Elective (3 credits) At the end of each term, an official SACI Art; Contemporary Art Theory and • Italian Language or an Open Elective transcript is issued to all students in the Criticism; History of Italian Cinema; (Academic or Studio) (3 credits) MA in Art History program. Students who Museology; or Directed Independent successfully complete the one year of study Study in Art History (for 3 credits) *Students enrolling in either of these classes and fulfill all program requirements are OR Italian Late Medieval and Early receive 6 semester hours of Art History awarded the Master of Arts in Art History Renaissance Art History* or Italian credit and satisfy the Major Discipline and degree.