Requirements For The Degree
The Winterthur Program takes two years of full-time study to complete, beginning August 1st of the year of acceptance. The degree requires at least 42 course credit hours and includes a written thesis. No special examinations or language are required.
Core requirements. These begin in the summer of entrance with intensive training in the decorative arts with a focus on the Winterthur collection. Courses incorporate connoisseurship, research methods, and theoretical approaches to the study of American material life, spanning the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Extracurricular activities such as field trips add breadth and richness to the required coursework. Fellows participate in guide training and interpretation at the Museum.
Course distribution. Students gain breadth in understanding of American culture through University courses usually chosen from art history, history, and English. In addition to traditional courses, these departments also embrace such fields as folklore, vernacular architecture, and visual culture.
Optional curriculum. Students may choose further studies in the areas listed above or work in other departments of the University, such as geography, anthropology, or museum studies. In addition, Fellows who wish to receive museum certification may receive course credit for an internship taken at the Winterthur Museum.
Further information is available through the Director, Winterthur Program in American Material Culture.
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