Art History (M.A.)
The degree program includes a specific curriculum within which students can choose a specialization area. Cooperation with the major museums and institutions in the Nuremberg metropolitan region enables students to work on the objects themselves in a practice-oriented manner.
Fact Sheet
- Degree
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Admission
- Qualification assessment
- Duration of studies
- 4 semesters
- Teaching language
- completely in German
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology
- Start of degree program
- Summer semester, Winter semester
- Number of students
- 1-50
- Special ways to study
- Part-time degree program
Program overview
What is the degree program about?
Art History is the science of the form, content and meaning of works of art and architecture in their historical development as well as in their socio-cultural contexts. The time frame of the degree program ranges from the early Middle Ages to the present. The curriculum focuses on works of art, artists, art theory, methods of analysis, and the history of reception.
The four-semester master’s degree program offers an interdisciplinary, in-depth study of European and, in modern times, increasingly global art history as well as cultural exchange processes. The degree program incorporates new media, virtual art, and digital tools for art historical research and presentation in addition to traditional art works.
In addition to a general art-historical core curriculum, an elective specialized area offers the opportunity for developing a deeper interdisciplinary competence and practice-related teaching of artistic techniques.
Specialization takes place in one of the three focus areas:
- Art and cultural studies
- Museum studies
- Digital art history
The degree program concludes with the master’s thesis.
Specialization takes place in one of the three focus areas:
Art and cultural studies develops in-depth knowledge of the approaches to „material culture“ in art and cultural studies. In addition, students acquire specialist and methodological knowledge in other cultural science disciplines, including non-European subjects.
Museum studies focuses on competencies in the field of collection and exhibition management as well as art education. Students gain insight into routine procedures and scientific work of renowned exhibition institutions such as the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg and the Bavarian Palace Administration.
Digital art history enables students develop a solid basis in the fields of digital image media. Students learn to apply technical and informational science tools for the analysis of virtual art forms in image and media science.
The degree program includes a specific curriculum within which students can choose a specialization area.
Cooperation with the important museums and institutions in Erlangen and in the region enables students to work with the objects themselves. Partner institutions include the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, the Nuremberg City Museums, and the Neues Museum Nürnberg, the art collections of the Veste Coburg as well as the University Library in Erlangen with its rich holdings of manuscripts, drawings and prints, the Bavarian Palace Department and the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg. In addition, special educational events such as lecture series, excursions and summer schools are carried out together with national and international institutions.
Depending on the focus of their studies, graduates have a range of career opportunities in the collection and exhibition sectors of state, municipal, church and private museums as well as in galleries or in the art market. In addition, there are career opportunities in cultural policy institutions, art education centers and adult education institutions, libraries and archives as well as in the press and publishing industries, media and online services, specialized insurance companies and private-sector consulting, finance, marketing and tourism companies. Opportunities also exist for free-lancing in the education, arts, and media sectors. Access to academically qualified positions, especially at universities, research institutions and state museums, usually requires a doctorate, which can be started after the completion of a master’s degree.
Application for a Degree Program
Admission Requirements and Application
Admission
- Master: Qualification assessment
Application deadline
- Winter semester: 15.07.
- Summer semester: 15.01.
Language skills
- Knowledge of two modern foreign languages with at least level B1 or proof of one modern foreign language with at least level B1 and confirmed knowledge of Latin is required.
- German language skills for international applicants: DSH 2 (written 2 / oral 1) or equivalent
Content related master requirements
For the master’s degree program in Art History, a completed first university degree (e.g. bachelor’s degree) with a subject-specific degree in art history or a related subject is required.
Applicants with an overall grade of up to 2.50 are admitted directly to the master’s degree program; applicants with an overall grade of 2.51 or higher can only be admitted after a successful selection interview.
Other degrees such as those in a teaching degree program, art education, art pedagogy, liberal arts, theater and media studies, museology, design, or architecture are recognized as related subjects if they include art history modules.
