School of Comparative Arts

The School of Comparative Arts at Ohio University offers a unique interdisciplinary program of study in the arts. The Ph.D. program trains scholars who are grounded in a single discipline and able to view that area through the lens of other arts. The School also provides extensive course offerings at the undergraduate level that fulfill University general education requirements.

Comparative Arts students at Ohio University undertake a strong education in a primary discipline, with study in a secondary area, and engage in a series of interdisciplinary seminars. The goal is to approach one area from multiple perspectives. Students take courses from faculty across the College of Fine Arts, as well as in disciplines outside the fine arts. This doctoral program emphasizes a cultural education, which may serve as preparation for a variety of professional careers, especially college and university teaching.

The program is informed by the principle that artistic expression and humanistic scholarship are interdependent, complementary endeavors. In addition, the cultural and intellectual contexts in which the works become significant are critical to the understanding of the works themselves.

In the era of postmodernity, the boundaries between arts are becoming increasingly permeable, and today's scholars recognize that discipline-based research can be inadequate to illuminate arts of past eras. The School of Comparative Arts seeks to train scholars for the twenty-first century, who are grounded in the knowledge of a discipline and able to view the arts through the unique lens of interdisciplinary studies.

Admission Requirements

Potential candidates must possess an M.A. or M.F.A. degree from a reputable American or international university (Master's degree work may be in a historical-critical studies in one of the major art forms or may be in studio or performance fields. Master's degree work in any of the humanities, e.g., history, philosophy, modern languages is acceptable.) Students completing master's degrees from the Ohio University College of Fine Arts are encouraged to apply. The following materials also must be submitted:

Official transcripts of all previous degree/certificate work.
Graduate Record Examination scores or Miller's Analogies Test scores are required.
A three-to-five page essay in which the applicant discusses reasons for selection of interdisciplinary work for a graduate degree and a statement of philosophical and practical expectations from such study.
A sample research paper from the applicant's previous course work.
Admission application forms from the Ohio University Graduate Catalog.

The deadline for admission application is March 15. Admission is granted for fall quarter entry only. Students will be notified of the admission decision within a month of receipt of all application materials. Notification of stipend/scholarship awards is approximately May 1.

Program Requirements

The program requirements are based on the following principles:

Students should study with a wide variety of professors.
Students should have the opportunity to have regular elective choices of seminars throughout the College of Fine Arts and Ohio University.
Doctoral students in Comparative Arts should regularly be in the classroom with other students who are engaged in graduate study of the arts.
A student should gain a strong scholarly expertise in one area and a secondary scholarly expertise in another area.
The program should be imbued with the interdisciplinary nature of the degree. This begins with an introductory seminar in the first year. Once the student has demonstrated mastery of two areas, presumably at the end of the first year, students take an interdisciplinary Comparative Arts seminar each quarter. These seminars are team-taught by Comparative Arts faculty.
Students should have the opportunity to study and engage in the practice of the arts in order to understand the crossover between theory/criticism/history and practice.
The education is project based, from the seminars to individual, independent research. Students learn how to conduct interdisciplinary research on a given project, with the goal of applying the techniques to further studies.
Scholarship is fostered at the graduate level. Students are expected to submit papers to scholarly conferences (with possible travel funding from the College of Fine Arts) and encouraged to submit articles for publication.

Requirements for Ph.D. in Comparative Arts

Course Requirements

Six seminars in primary area (any area from art, music, theater, with possible options in architecture or film)

Three of these seminars must befrom outside Comparative Arts

One of these seminars must be in aesthetics/theory/criticism.

Four seminars in secondary area (any other area from architecture, art, film, music, theater)

Two of these seminars must be from outside Comparative Arts

One of these seminars must be in aesthetics/theory/criticism.

One aesthetics seminar, in addition to two required aesthetics/theory/ criticism seminars above

Four interdisciplinary Comparative Arts seminars

The above seminars should cover six different historical periods, in addition to one course in an area of non-western fine arts.

Three research/teaching skills courses

Two guided independent studies in primary area for qualifying examination

: Taken in conjunction with undergraduate or graduate survey course
This requirement is waived upon completion of the qualifying examination in this area.

Three guided independent studies in secondary area for qualifying examination

: Taken in conjunction with undergraduate or graduate survey course
This requirement is waived upon completion of the qualifying examination in this area.

Two performance/practice/studio courses

Language Requirement

Students are required to demonstrate reading knowledge of foreign languages relevant to the student's program of study. Students must pass a reading competency test administered by the language department. For those languages offered by the Educational Testing Service, scores of 500 or better taken within the past three years are acceptable.

Examinations

Diagnostic exam: Upon enrollment, students choosing music as a primary or secondary area will take a diagnostic examination to aid in the advising process.
Qualifying exams:
- The student should gain broad knowledge of the canons of two disciplines and will be tested through qualifying examinations.
- Qualifying exam in a primary area: end of winter quarter of first year, or earlier (assuming student enters with master's degree or equivalent in this area).
  Final date for completion of primary qualifying examination: end of spring quarter, year #1.
  A student entering with a master's degree (or equivalent knowledge) in a given area has up to two quarters to prepare for the qualifying exam in that area. This preparation takes place, in part, through attending survey courses offered by the given school. The exam is taken at the end of winter quarter, but can be taken earlier. The latest time to pass this exam is at the end of spring quarter of the first year.
- Qualifying exam in secondary area: end of spring quarter of first year, or earlier.
Final date for completion of secondary qualifying examination: end of fall quarter, year #2.
The student may enter with little knowledge of his/her secondary area. This knowledge is gained through three quarters of attending survey courses offered by the given school. At the end of the first year, the student takes the qualifying exam in the secondary area. The student is therefore prepared to take graduate-level seminars in this secondary area in the second year, as well as taking part in interdisciplinary Comparative Arts seminars. The exam is taken at the end of spring quarter, but can be taken earlier. The latest time to pass this exam is at the end of fall quarter of the second year.
All exams may be taken a maximum of twice.
Comprehensive Examination: Toward the end of the student's sixth full quarter of study (when the course work is complete), he or she will be evaluated by the faculty to determine eligibility for the comprehensive examination. Students are required to complete all Comparative Arts course work in which they received an I (Incomplete) or PR (Progress) prior to their seventh quarter. Once meeting eligibility requirements to take the Comprehensive Examinations, a student must:
1. Be enrolled as a full-time student
2. Fulfill his/her teaching and course work responsibilities during the examination period.
Comprehensive Exams will be administered once annually, during winter quarter. Since the Comparative Arts faculty sets the time and conditions for the Comprehensive Examinations, exceptions to this policy rest with the faculty and will be granted only in unusual or exceptional circumstances. A written record will be maintained of such action and become a part of the student's permanent record.

Dissertation

The dissertation subject should be inherently interdisciplinary. The given thesis should be proven through the combined methodologies, subjects and/or theories of two or more arts, or discipline(s) outside the arts. The dissertation may focus on one art discipline and integrate another discipline or disciplines in or outside of the arts. These guidelines should be viewed as inclusionary rather than exclusionary.

Residency Requirement

Minimum residency requirements are stated in the Ohio University Graduate Catalog. It should be noted, however, that a minimum of two years is necessary for completion of all requirements. Prospective students should understand the difficulties inherent in planning a program with only one year of residency.

Sample Program of Courses

Year #1

Fall cr. Seminar area 1 4
Intro to Comp Arts 4
Ind. St: Qual Exam 1 4
Ind. St: Qual Exam 2 4
Teach/Research 2

Winter cr.

Seminar area 1 4
Aesthetics 4
Ind St: Qual Exam 1 4
Ind St:Qual Exam 2 4
Teach/Research 2 Spring cr.

Seminar area 1 4
Seminar area 2 4
Aesthetics/CA/elec 4
Ind St: Qual Exam 2 4
Teach/Research 2

Year #2

Fall cr. Seminar area 1 4
Seminar area 2 4
Comp Arts Seminar 4
Studio or elective 6

Winter cr.
Seminar area 1 4
Seminar area 2 4
Comp Arts seminar 4
Studio or elective 6

Spring cr.
Seminar area 1 4
Seminar area 2 4
Comp Arts seminar 4
Studio or elective 6

Requests for financial aid may accompany applications for admission. Most graduate teaching associateship appointments are made for a nine-month academic year period beginning in the fall quarter.

University Publications and Computer Services revised this file (https://www.ohio.edu/~gcat/01-03/areas/coar.htm) October 4, 2001.

Please e-mail comments or suggestions to "gcat@www.ohiou.edu."