Breadth of knowledge is as essential for museum professionals as it is for academic researchers. For this reason, advanced study of the visual arts and material culture from diverse periods and geographies is required of all graduate students, with Ph.D. candidates attaining deep expertise in at least one field of art historical research. The department’s faculty includes specialists in African, Asian, and European art and the arts of the Americas.

Penn State is in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide and has the largest alumni network in the nation. Founded in 1855, the University combines academic rigor with a vibrant campus life as it carries out its mission of teaching, research, and service with pride and focuses on the future throughout Pennsylvania and the world. Granted the highest rating for research universities by the Carnegie Foundation, Penn State teaches students to be leaders with a global perspective.