Graduates with this degree are capable of complex understanding of visual studies. They have a deep knowledge of premodern and modern visual and material culture, art history, and the role of images for societies across the globalized world. A graduate can analyze and interpret chosen issues related to visual studies in individual or group outputs, which can be professional (scholarly research; professional lecture) or popularizing (essay; blog post; popularizing publications; public lecture). Proposing a broader spectrum than traditional art history, graduates can be trained for research, cultural mediation, media, publishing, curatorship, and policymaking, as well as any profession that demands the ability to think and express themselves independently and critically.

Eligibility Criteria

This degree program is open to:

• Students of the Department of Art History at MU who have had excellent results in the defense of their Bachelor’s thesis (evaluation A–B) are admitted to the follow-up master’s program without an admission interview.
• If a student from another programme or another university applies, he/she should present a written motivation letter, explaining the reasons for his/her interest to study in the Department of Art History. Furthermore, he/she must have successfully defended a B.A. in art history or in other related disciplines, with an excellent evaluation of his/her thesis (A–B), and with a focus on the Mediterranean, Caucasian, Euro-American art and visual cultures. He/she will then undergo an oral examination by a committee of the Department of Art History professors.

Terms of Admission

• Meet the eligibility criteria set out in the paragraph above.
• Submit the electronic application and pay the application fee by the due date.
• Submit all the required documents as described below.
• Pass the entrance exam (entirely online).

Required documents

1. Statement of Purpose (750 words maximum) in English, explaining why the applicant wishes to study in this degree program accredited in English and why the applicant wishes to study in this Department.
2. Copy of the applicant's Bachelor's thesis or its equivalent (Honour's Thesis, Senior Thesis, etc.) OR 10-20 pages of applicant´s original scholarly academic paper.
3. Evaluation of the Bachelor's thesis.
4. Bachelor´s diploma – if you are yet to graduate, submit a confirmation of studies with the expected graduation date.
5. Transcript of university/college studies, which must include:
   
   • Dates you attended the institution
   • Titles of courses and examinations you completed and the marks received
6. Passport (EU citizens may replace it with the national ID)

Entrance exam

The evaluation of the applications will be done in two steps:

1. Evaluation of the submitted documents (Motivation letter, B.A. thesis in format PDF, a written evaluation of the thesis by the supervisor, copy of the B.A. or equivalent degree).
2. Selected candidates will be invited for an online interview.

During the interview, the candidate will present her/himself as well as her/his intellectual path. The general assessment of the commission is based on the overall evaluation of the following criteria:

• the candidate will explain the reasons for her/his decision to join the Department of Art History at MU, she/he should show her/his familiarity with the research and intellectual objectives of the Department and its units;
• the interview will be held in English, but at least passive knowledge of the other main languages of scholarly research in the visual arts, i.e., German, Italian, French, and possibly Spanish and Russian are additional positive points;
• the evaluation of the student’s written bachelor’s thesis at her/his home institution also has informative value for admission;
• part of the admissions procedure is the determination of the specialization the student chooses and a project assessment of the future MA thesis. For this last point, the admission procedure features a brief defense of the intended further and a presentation of the potential thesis project.

Application Deadlines

1 December - 30 April for the enrollment in the Autumn semester
1 June- 30 September for the enrollment in the Spring semester

Students who will need a visa to travel to CZ should apply as early as possible to increase their chance to arrive on time.