MA in Art History

For over 25 years, the TCU Graduate Program in Art History has trained its students for exemplary careers in the academy, museums, and wider arts sector. Alumni of the program have joined institutions across the country such as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the High Museum of Art, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the McNay Art Museum, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Other graduates have gone onto doctoral training in top programs, including UCLA, University of Delaware, and UNC Chapel Hill, among others. The TCU Graduate Program in Art History is especially known for its integration with Fort Worth’s three internationally renowned museums and its financial accessibility: all MA students automatically receive full tuition funding and stipend, regardless of background or citizenship status.

The Graduate Program in Art History invites applications to its MA in Art History. The application deadline for fall 2026 enrollment is February 1, 2026. For admissions information, visit here.

About the MA in Art History: The MA in Art History is a two year, fulltime program. It emphasizes individualized scholarly training and mentorship by admitting five students per year, each of whom receives a full tuition waiver, competitive stipend, and 85% health insurance coverage. MA students also have access to the Sunkel Art History Endowment which supports graduate research. Sunkel grants provide generous funding for domestic and international travel, as well as summer stipends. Recent grants have funded graduate student research and travel to archives, collections, and museums in Berlin, Budapest, Florence, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, San Francisco, and Washington.

In-gallery seminar classes, direct encounter with art objects, and sustained collaboration with museum professionals are highlights of the MA Program. TCU maintains active partnerships with the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Kimbell Art Museum, and the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. MA students also have opportunities to work with the Sid Richardson Museum in Fort Worth, as well as the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Meadows Museum at SMU, all in nearby Dallas. MA students craft an internship as part of their course of study during the summer after the first year. In both years of the MA, there are also opportunities for teaching apprenticeships and research apprenticeships with faculty and the Art Galleries at TCU.

TCU and Dallas-Fort Worth: Located in Fort Worth, TCU is a secular, private university and a major institution of higher education in Texas. Alongside Art History, the School of Art also supports programs in Art Education (BFA) and Studio Art (MFA/BFA/BA). Finally, the School of Art is a part of TCU’s thriving College of Fine Arts, which includes cutting edge programs in other arts disciplines such as the School of Music, School for Classical & Contemporary Dance, and the Department of Theatre. The larger Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a rapidly growing, diverse region of Texas. DFW International Airport is a 30-minute drive to campus and provides nonstop flights to all major national and international destinations.

Visiting scholars, artists, curators, and critics frequently join the School of Art for colloquia and special lectures. Past visitors have included: Sandra Zalman, Xuxa Rodríguez, Alex Da Corte, Christina Fernandez, Gavin Butt, Juliet Bellow, Cristina Gonzalez, Jennifer Casler Price, Andrea Karnes, Ray Hernández- Duran, Amelia Jones, Megan Holmes, Jeremy Strick, María Elena Ortiz, and Maggie Adler, among others.

The TCU Graduate Program in Art History is accepting MA applications for fall 2026 enrollment through February 1, 2026. GRE is not required. Further admissions information and application instructions can be found here.

Questions? Contact Jamin An, Graduate Coordinator, at art@tcu.edu.