Language Requirements
Across different fields of art historical specialization, languages are recognized as important research tools, offering access to sources and objects and enabling cultural and cross-cultural study, collaboration, and dialogue more broadly.
All degree candidates are required to demonstrate proficiency in two languages; for fulfillment of the language requirement, we accept ancient, Indigenous, and modern languages.
The specific languages required for your course of study will be determined at the start of the program in consultation with your faculty supervisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator. In some cases, English may be an appropriate choice. In keeping with the aims and ideals of a globalizing discipline, a student’s first language is not a factor in determining the languages relevant to the course of study.
The language requirement may be satisfied by passing departmental examinations, by completing the third quarter of the second year of the language as a graduate student at UW with a minimum grade of 3.0, or by taking graduate-level coursework conducted in the target language with a minimum grade of 3.0
For Indigenous languages, the method of instruction and assessment will be worked out on an individual basis depending on the availability of university or other institutional coursework and/or community-centered learning.
To ensure timely progress and to facilitate preparation for the General Examination, students are strongly encouraged to demonstrate proficiency in one of the two languages during their first year in the program and to fulfill the requirement for the second language by the end of their second year.
Course Requirements
The program for the PhD degree in art history requires a minimum of 90 credits. This includes a minimum of 60 credits of graduate level coursework beyond the master's degree. Of these, at least 30 must be in graduate-level art history or approved non-art history seminars. A maximum of 20 credits in numerically graded upper division non-art history courses may be approved. At least 10 credits must be taken in areas outside those to be tested by the General Examination. Additionally, a student must take at least 30 credits of ART H 800 (Dissertation) in at least three different quarters.
Scholarship + Satisfactory Progress Requirements
To be eligible for a degree in the Graduate School, a student must have an average of B (3.0) in numerically graded courses numbered 400 and above and comply with other Graduate School performance guidelines. Read the complete list of Graduate School doctoral degree requirements. Students will engage in quarterly progress reviews with their advisor and will receive an annual evaluation of satisfactory progress by the art history faculty.
Admission to the Graduate School allows students to continue graduate study and research at the University of Washington only as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and progress toward completion of their degree program. For more information, read Memo 16: Unsatisfactory Performance and Progress.
Residency, Registration + Time Limitation
To maintain graduate status, a student must either be enrolled full or part time or be in an official on-leave status until completion of the Final Examination/dissertation and awarding of the degree. The student must be registered the quarter the degree is conferred. Of the 90 credits required for the PhD degree, 60 must be completed at the University of Washington. All work for the doctoral degree, including the dissertation itself, must be completed within ten years. This includes quarters spent on leave as well as applicable work from a UW master's degree. A doctoral student must petition the Graduate School for additional time that exceeds the ten-year rule.
Supervisory Committee + General Examination
A General Examination, written and oral, will be taken when students are deemed ready by their Supervisory Committee. The fields to be covered will be determined in accordance with the student’s research areas and the faculty’s supervisory capabilities.
As soon as appropriate, but not later than four months prior to the time the oral defense component of the General Examination is scheduled with the Graduate School, the student and the student’s faculty advisor will organize and appoint a Supervisory Committee to assume general sponsorship of the graduate student. The Supervisory Committee is comprised of a minimum of four members, who must include two current members of the Art History graduate faculty (including the faculty advisor) and a representative of the Graduate School. A warrant for the General Examination must be presented to the Graduate School at least three weeks prior to the oral examination. This examination will cover three areas, defined by the student and committee in consultation. One of these can relate broadly to the student’s area of interest for the dissertation and another to the student’s more general field of study. The third should be based in another field, adjacent to or separate from the student’s field of specialization as determined most useful by the student and committee. The format of the examination will be determined by the Supervisory Committee in consultation with the student. The Chair of the Supervisory Committee shall keep written records concerning any formal agreements or stipulations regarding the student’s program of study and General Examination. The chair of the Supervisory Committee will supervise both the General Examination and the dissertation. Read Graduate School policies regarding supervisory committees.
General Examination: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Performance
In accordance with the Graduate School’s doctoral dissertation policies, a student must satisfactorily pass all qualifying examination questions in order to proceed to the next level of the PhD program. The Supervisory Committee may allow minor deficiencies to be corrected and decide what course of action to recommend to the Dean in case of poor performance. If a student fails one or more of these exams, they will be placed on probation, but will be permitted the opportunity to constitute a new committee and take a new set of exams. These would occur after an appropriate time for additional study, as agreed upon by the student’s advisor and committee in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator and the chair of Art History. The student would be bound by the schedule and terms stipulated by the Supervisory Committee and would ordinarily be expected to complete the new exams during the next quarter of enrollment. Specific dates and conditions for completion would be issued once the enrollment period is confirmed. Students are only permitted to retake exams one time. If a student fails these new exams, they will not be allowed to continue in the Art History program. Read Graduate School policies for general examinations and memo about academic performance and progress.
Candidacy
Following successful completion of the General Examination, and after all Graduate School requirements for the degree except the dissertation and Final Examination have been satisfied, the student will be admitted to formal candidacy for the doctoral degree.