Field: Curatorial Studies

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree with significant coursework in humanities and cultural theory from a recognized university, or an appropriate BFA degree from a recognized university.

• Overall average of at least a B+.

• Applications must include:

  • artist's statement that includes a description of the proposed body of work in curatorial to be undertaken during the two-year program;

  • full curriculum vitae (CV) with details of exhibition, professional activity, and education;

  • documentation of recent curatorial work;

  • three letters of recommendation;

  • a critical writing sample;

  • transcripts;

  • a portfolio of previous work dependent on the field of future study.

• Applicants must present a portfolio with documentation of exhibitions including exhibition brochures, curatorial essays, announcement cards, and/or catalogues from curatorial work.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

Completion Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete a total of 6.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 4.5 FCEs from the approved course list for Curatorial Studies:

    • VIS1004H Internship

    • VIS1010H Contemporary Art Since 1960

    • VIS1020H Contemporary Art: Theory and Criticism

    • VIS1101H Paradigmatic Exhibitions: History, Theory, Criticism

    • VIS1102H Curatorial Studies Exhibition Research

    • VIS2002H MVS Contemporary Art Issues

    • VIS2101Y Curatorial Studies Exhibition Project

    • VIS2102H Curatorial Studies Collaboration.

  • 0.5 FCE MVS Proseminars:

    • VIS1000H MVS Proseminar

    • VIS2000H MVS Proseminar.

  • 1.5 FCEs in electives. Elective courses are selected in consultation with the student's advisor and are subject to the approval of the Program Director.

• The internship requirement is normally completed during the Summer session between Year 1 and Year 2.

• MVS Curatorial Studies students are supervised by an Advisory Panel made up of the Director of the Visual Studies program (or their designate), a graduate faculty member who will be considered to be the student's Principal Advisor, one of the University of Toronto's gallery directors, and an external reader chosen upon approval of the Principal Advisor and Program Director.

• The graduating thesis project is composed of an exhibition and a qualifying paper.

• An FZ (fail) in any one course or a B– grade in any two courses normally results in a recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies to terminate the student's registration in the degree program.

Mode of Delivery: In person
Program Length: 5 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: FWS-FW)
Time Limit: 3 years full-time