Master of Architectural History

Admission

Students in the Architectural History M.A. program hold a wide variety of undergraduate degrees from accredited colleges or universities. Recently these have included architecture, art history, English, history, biology, French, American Studies, engineering and historic preservation as well as architectural history. Admitted students without a strong background in architectural history typically take ARH 5611 (Architectural Field School: The Cultural Landscape of Birdwood) and ARH 1004 (History of Architecture) the summer before their first semester in the program. Reading knowledge of a foreign language is also required. Students normally begin the M.A. in the fall semester although exceptions are possible with departmental approval. Students applying from within the University of Virginia to the fifth year MARH program should check Other Opportunities - Architectural History  for their requirements.

Curriculum

Our program teaches a critical understanding of architecture as the broadest possible expression of the built environment-including vernacular, landscape and urban form. The MARH degree requires 36 credits at the graduate level.  Typically students take credits beyond the 36 required during their four semesters of residency, generally attaining 48 credits by the end of the program.  Those interested in historic preservation can complete the requirements for the Certificate in Historic Preservation  and the M.A. in Architectural History within two years.

Historic Preservation Certificate Program

Students wishing to enter the Historic Preservation Certificate Program must be admitted to one of the graduate degree programs in the School of Architecture. In order to ensure proper academic advising and program coordination, students interested in the Historic Preservation Program should attend the program meeting at the start of the fall semester. Upon arriving at the Architecture School they should also file a program participation form with the Architecture School’s registrar. Students who complete the required 15 credits of preservation course work receive a Certificate in Historic Preservation, in addition to their master’s degree. There are individual courses that fulfill the requirements of the historic preservation certificate curriculum that also fulfill requirements within the architectural history department curriculum. Thus, students normally complete the course work for the historic preservation certificate during the same period in which they complete their degree program.

The certificate program courses fulfill the degree program’s requirement for minor field of study.Any course with an ARH prefix taken to fulfill the Historic Preservation Certificate may be counted towards the requirements for the MARH degree.

Placement Examination

Shortly before the beginning of their first semester, all admitted M.A. students take a diagnostic placement exam.  Based on the results of this exam, a student may be asked to take ARH 7010 (History of Architecture Part I) or ARH 7020 (History of Architecture Part II) during his/her first year.  Only one of these courses may be counted towards the degree; it replaces the open elective.

Language Qualification

Candidates are required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of one foreign language appropriate to the student’s major field of study. This requirement may be satisfied by earning the grade of B or better in an intermediate-level university course in the language within two years prior to admission to the University of Virginia graduate program. Alternatively, the student can take the ETS Graduate School Foreign Language Test and pass with a score of at least 550, or take University of Virginia language courses at the intermediate level, or pass the language departmental reading test. Architectural History students should fulfill the language requirement before or shortly after entry into the program.

Course Distribution

Course requirements are intended to provide a solid grounding in the methods and theories of architectural history as well as a broad understanding of diverse periods and cultures.  The thesis requirement provides the opportunity for an in-depth research project undertaken with the close supervision of a faculty member. Three credits must be in ARH 8001 (Methods in Architectural History), one credit in ARH 5001 (Library Methodology), and three credits in ARH 8994 (Thesis).  In addition, each student must have at least twelve credits, or four courses at the 9000 level and at east one course from each of the following distribution areas: the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean.  In addition, the content of at least of these courses must focus primarily on material before 1450.  Students are encouraged to take additional ARH or ARAH  graduate courses, and graduate courses elsewhere in the University or courses that fulfill the requirements for the Historic Preservation Certificate  . Courses taken at other institutions are normally not accepted.  Fifth year MARH students should consult with the Director of the Graduate Program concerning their requirements.

Under exceptional circumstances, a petition to request and exemption from a required course may be submitted to the graduate director along with supporting materials such as a syllabus and associated papers.  Candidates are required to fulfill total degree credit requirements regardless of course exemptions granted

Major and Minor Field Areas

Students must complete a major field consisting of three courses or nine credits and a minor field consisting of two courses or 6 credits from these distribution areas: the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean. Students may also select Historic Preservation as their minor. Cultural landscapes may also be chosen as a major or minor field in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. The 36 credits required for the degree must be from ARH or ARAH courses with appropriate architectural history content.  In extraordinary circumstances, and with prior departmental approval, students may substitute graduate courses from other departments.

Thesis

The thesis is a major piece of independent work completed under the close supervision of a faculty member who is the director of the three-member thesis committee that oversees the project.  This committee may consist entirely of faculty from the Department of Architectural History or it may include one person from outside the Department.  The director has final approval of the committee members. The thesis (ARH 8994) is taken as a three-credit course, normally during the student’s fourth semester.  It is possible to explore the thesis topic in greater depth through an independent study course taken in the previous semester.

Typical Program of Study