Course Description
The capstone experience for Master of Arts students pursuing the non-thesis track in art history and will aid in the transition from an academic environment to the professional world. Students will be required to create, present, and revise a professional portfolio with this transition in mind.
Athena Title
Pro Portfolio and Prac
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
This course will serve as the capstone experience for Master of Arts students pursuing the non-thesis track in art history and will aid in the transition from an academic environment to the professional world. To that end, students will complete five assignments, culled from the following list: a professional resume (required); a 20-minute oral presentation suitable for an art-historical conference (required); four critiques of exhibitions seen during the course of the semester; a job letter; a substantial revision of a seminar paper (can be repeated up to two times); a syllabus for an introductory art history course; a museum internship application; an annotated bibliography in a field of the student’s choice; an oral defense of material covered by the annotated bibliography; an initial proposal for an art exhibition. Class time will be used to discuss the objectives connected with each assignment and to discuss strategies for the successful completion of each.
Topical Outline
The topical outline below provides an overview of the subjects that will be addressed in the seminar meetings. Depending on the semester, other activities could include lectures and critiques of those lectures as well as other activities associated with a professional career in the arts that could then be discussed and critiqued by the class. 1. Introduction – What is a Portfolio and Why Should You Have One? 2. Required Portfolio Components, Part 1 A. Resume: in-class presentation, critique, workshop B. 20-Minute End-of-the-Semester Lecture: Initial Proposals 3. Exhibition Critique: In-class presentation, critique, workshop 4. Revised Seminar Paper 5. Required Portfolio Components, Part 2 A. Resume: in-class presentation, critique, workshop B. 20-Minute End-of-the-Semester Lecture: Draft Swap 6. Syllabus for Intro Art History Class: In-class presentation, critique, workshop 7. Internship Application: In-class presentation, critique, workshop 8. Annotated Bibliography Oral Defense 9. Art Exhibition Proposal: In-class presentation, critique, workshop 10. Required Portfolio Components, Part 3 A. Resume: Final presentation, critique, workshop B. 20-Minute End-of-the-Semester Lecture: Student Run- throughs 11. End-of-the-Semester 20-minute lectures. These will be held in an auditorium and are open to the public.