Areas currently offered in the field of History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies include the following: 19th century art; African; African American, and African Diaspora; American art; ancient art and archaeology; Asian American art; baroque art; comparative modernities; contemporary art; digital art; East Asian art; history of photography; Islamic art; Latin American art; medieval art; modern art; Native American and Indigenous studies; Renaissance art; South Asian art; Southeast Asian art; theory and criticism; and visual studies. A list of current field members is attached. Students select their own committee members. The faculty member representing the major subject is the chair of the Special Committee. If the student has not chosen a principal adviser, the Director of Graduate Studies initially acts in this role. By the end of the first year, the student should have selected all his/her committee members. This Special Committee system results in a flexible graduate education tailored to each individual student. Cornell faculty encourage interdisciplinary approaches to the studentÌs selected major field.

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Program of Study
Each student selects his/her courses in consultation with the committee chair. A normal load for first year students is four courses per term, depending on the nature of the courses. In the second and third years, when most students have teaching assistantships, the number of courses per term is two or three. Students should select courses with a view toward their future dissertation topics. Students must have completed the A-exam before they begin their seventh unit of residence.

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Concentration in Archaeology
A graduate student in the field of History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies may concentrate on archaeology with appropriate field members. Presently we emphasize archaeology in the following areas: Ancient, Near Eastern, Classical and Southeast Asian art. Students working in these areas are encouraged to organize their programs with faculty members in other related fields, such as Anthropology, Classics, and Medieval Studies. The History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies field is a partner in the Cornell-Harvard Sardis Excavations. Qualified graduate students are eligible to participate in annual excavations.

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Degree Requirements
The field of History of Art and Archaeology does not have a required number of credit hours, courses, or area distribution. Instead, the Graduate School of Cornell has a requirement of six resident units for a Ph.D. degree. The committee chair determines if the students work warrants a full unit for any given semester. The residence units are based on full-time study, not necessarily residence at Cornell. Students admitted with the M.A. degree in the History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies may petition after their first semester at Cornell for a transfer of up to two residence units for work done elsewhere. The committee members review the request for approval. The request is then sent to the Dean of the Graduate School. Four residence units are required before a student can take the A-exam. The field of History of Art and Archaeology requires that students remain in good standing, which is determined by annual evaluations of the student's record and performance.

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Languages
Proficiency in foreign languages is essential for advanced study in the History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies. It is therefore anticipated that before admission, all applicants to Cornell will have begun a study of German, French, Italian, or some other foreign language appropriate to the program. Before the A-exam, students must present evidence of reading proficiency in at least one language, and, in most cases, the two that are deemed appropriate by the Special Committee. Students often take one of the intensive language courses offered at Cornell in the summer, and successful completion of it is considered proof of proficiency.

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Examinations
Candidates for the Ph.D. degree must take the A-exam during their third year. Special Committee members develop examination questions that reflect the studentÌs three areas of study. Following the test, students defend their responses in an oral examination. The B-exam is the oral defense of the completed dissertation.

Financial Aid
Currently all students who need funding are offered a financial aid package that may include both fellowship and teaching assistantship support with tuition. Students are required to apply for outside fellowships for work on their dissertation. When possible, fellowships with tuition are offered to incoming students. After the first year, most students will work as a teaching assistant in one of the introductory courses. More advanced students will teach a Freshman Writing Seminar in their own area of interest. This is sponsored by the Freshman Writing Program, which conducts a training course for graduate students. Continuing fellowships are available to students beginning their dissertation research. Cornell offers other fellowship opportunities to minority students and those in selected areas of study (see enclosed application booklet for information on FLAS). Other funding opportunities include Residence Hall Assistantships. There is also some funding from the Arts College and the Graduate School to support travel to conferences and research travel expenses.

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Activities
Activities for graduate students in the field of the History of Art, Archaeology and Visual Studies include organization of the Visual Culture Colloquium, a research discussion and forum and an annual Graduate Student Symposium. Key-note speakers have included John R. Clarke, Keith Moxey, Janet Wolff, and artist Reggie Woolery. Graduate students in the field of History of Art and Archaeology participate regularly in the Frick Symposium, New York City, and the Graduate Student Symposium, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

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