2016-2017 University Catalog
History and Art History
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Phone: 703-993-1250
Web: historyarthistory.gmu.edu
Faculty
Professor emeriti: Censer, Deshmukh, Lytton, Petrik, Wade (history); Mattusch, Todd (art history)
Robinson professors: Crew, Bakhash (history); Hinton (art history)
Professors: J. T. Censer, Holt, Karush, Kelly, Kierner, O’Malley, Robertson, Schrag, Sherwin, Smith, Stearns, Wade, Zagarri (history)
Associate professors: Barnes, Bristol, Carton, Chang, Collins, Copelman, Deshmukh, Hamdani, Hamner, Jordan, Landsberg, Lair, Leon, Platt (chair), Ritterhouse, Scully, Takats (history); Butler, DeCaroli, Greet (director)
Assistant professors: Cowan, Genetin-Pilawa, Hooper, Lebovic, Mullen, Park, Yilmaz (history); Ho, Van Horn (art history)
Affiliate associate professors: Schrum (history)
Affiliate professor: Wiggins (history)
Term faculty: Elzey, Manuel-Scott, McCord, Orens, Schulze (history); Bauman, DeArmendi, Gregg (art history)
Courses
This department offers all courses designated HIST and ARTH in the Courses section of this catalog.
Undergraduate Programs
History
The department offers a BA in history. History majors study a variety of historical time periods, from Greek and Roman antiquity to the late twentieth-century. They learn to interpret and evaluate the past by analyzing a variety of sources, from historical books and novels to images, films, oral interviews, newspapers, and other texts.
History majors have the opportunity to study with faculty who are internationally known for their work on the use of technology in the study of history. They can do an internship with one of them in the Center for History and New Media or at places like the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, or one of many other institutions in the Washington, D.C. area. There are also many opportunities to study abroad while earning credit towards the history major.
Advising
Students majoring or minoring in history are advised by the undergraduate director and a team of faculty advisors. History majors are urged to discuss their program of study periodically with the director.
Honors in the Major
History majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 in history, 6 of which must have been taken at Mason) with an overall GPA of 3.50 and a GPA of 3.50 in history courses are eligible to apply to graduate with honors in history. Applicants must have completed or be enrolled in HIST 300 - Introduction to Historical Method . The statement of application should include references from at least one Mason history faculty member. If a major part of the student’s work includes transfer credit, transcripts may be required. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into honors in the major.
Students pursuing honors in the major will take a two-semester course sequence: HIST 490 and 491 . HIST 490 will focus on the design of a major research project and HIST 491 will focus on completing that project. To graduate with honors in the major, students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the honors courses and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in history courses applied to the degree. A grade of B or higher in HIST 490 is required to proceed to HIST 491. The two honors courses (6 credits) may be applied to the requirement of 36 credits in history and successful completion of HIST 491 satisfies the seminar course requirement in place of HIST 499 .
Minors
The department offers a minor in history available to students in any major at Mason.
The department faculty participate in a number of interdisciplinary minors including African and African American Studies Minor , Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology Minor , Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asian Studies Minor , Islamic Studies Minor , Latin American Studies Minor and Middle East Studies Minor . Students can earn credit toward these minors by taking selected history and art history courses. For details, see Minors and Interdisciplinary Minors and Latin American Studies in this section.
The minor in sport and American culture is offered jointly by the Department of History and Art History and the School of Recreation, Health and Tourism. For details, see the School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism Department in the College of Education and Human Development section of the catalog.
Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program
The department offers highly qualified undergraduate majors in history the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in history. If accepted, students will be able to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, generally within five years.
Art History
The department offers a BA in art history. Art history majors investigate works of art to learn how they were made, why they were made, and by and for whom they were made. They develop the skills to interpret a work of art as a record of the culture in which it was made. Through art history courses, students will learn to ask questions that touch on cultural, technological, and economic concerns. The major has flexible requirements, and students in art history receive individualized attention which helps them tailor their studies to their own individual interests and career goals.
Art history majors have the opportunity to study with faculty whose expertise covers many world regions - the United States, Latin America, Europe, South and Southeast Asia, and China - and all historical periods - from classical antiquity, Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, to the modern era.
Students are encouraged to do an internship at one of the many arts organizations in the Washington, D.C. region, such as the National Gallery of Art. There are also many opportunities to study abroad while earning credit towards the art history major.
Honors in the Major
Majors who have completed 75 credits (a minimum of 15 credits in art history, with 6 credits taken at Mason) with an overall GPA of 3.50 and a GPA of 3.80 in art history are eligible to apply to graduate with honors in art history. Eligible students should apply to the undergraduate director by November 15 or April 15 with a statement of application including the names of two references from Mason art history faculty members. Transfer students should also submit transcripts. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance into honors in the major.
Students pursuing honors in the major complete ARTH 492 and 493 , linked individualized courses that culminate in a research paper. Students must have completed at least one course in the field (or with the professor) chosen for these honors courses. ARTH 492 should be taken before 493 , but they may be taken concurrently. To graduate with honors in the major, students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in honors courses and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in art history courses applied to the degree. The two honors courses (6 credits) may be applied toward the requirement of 33- to 34-credits in art history, but they cannot replace the 6 required credits in ARTH 400 , 420 , 430 , 440 , 460 , 471 , 472 , 474 , 482 , 495 , or 499 .
Minors
The department offers a minor in art history available to students in any major at Mason.
The Art History Program coordinates the Ancient Mediterranean Art and Archaeology Minor . See Minors and Interdisciplinary Minors in this section.
Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program
The department offers highly qualified undergraduates in any major the opportunity to apply to an accelerated master’s degree program in art history. If accepted, students will be able to earn both the undergraduate and graduate degrees after satisfactory completion of 144 credits, generally within five years.
Graduate Programs
History
The department offers a master’s and a doctoral degree in history. In both programs, students select a specialization in American history, European history, or world history. Master’s degree students choose from one of four concentrations: predoctoral history, applied history, enrichment, or teaching. Doctoral students focus their studies in one of four areas: college/university teaching, new media and information technology, public and applied history, or preprofessional development.
Graduate students in history have the opportunity to take courses in new media, studying with faculty who are internationally known for their use of technology in the study of history. Many students work alongside the faculty in the Center for History and New Media, a leader in the use of digital media and computer technology to democratize history. The center uses digital media and technology to preserve and present history online, transform scholarship across the humanities, and advance historical education and understanding.
Students can do an internship in applied history at one of the many institutions in the Washington, D.C. area or study abroad while earning credit towards their degrees.
Funding
The department offers teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Other sources of funding such as grants, loans, and employment on campus are also available. Students awarded assistantships must register for a minimum of six credits a semester and show satisfactory progress toward their degree.
Art History
The department offers a richly interdisciplinary master’s degree in art history. It draws on faculty strengths in traditional research and new media and the vast cultural resources of the Washington, D.C. area. Students learn methods of art historical analysis, a variety of art historical interpretations, and practical applications of the field. The program places a special emphasis on the development of skills in new media, museology, and pre-professional internships - program features that are unique to this region.
The master’s degree in art history is designed to meet the needs of a student population with diverse interests and career goals. Because of the focus on skill building in traditional research as well as new media, graduates of this program have the tools necessary for independent research, professional work, and the dissemination of knowledge in art history.
The department also offers a master’s degree in the history of decorative arts. It is offered in partnership with The Smithsonian Associates and presents students with the challenge of integrating the history of the decorative arts into the study of art history and cultural studies as a whole. Students take courses in decorative arts, design history and theory, material culture, and museology. This program prepares students for employment at museums, historic organizations, and in the commercial art and design marketplace. It is also excellent preparation for a number of doctoral programs.
ProgramsUndergraduate Degree(s)Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Minor(s)Undergraduate Minor(s)Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s Program(s)Master’s Degree(s)Master’s Level Certificate(s)Doctoral Degree(s)
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