Art History

I am Dr. Feray KORUCU YAĞIZ, an academic and a faculty member of the Department of Art History at Istanbul Medeniyet University. Art history is a discipline that examines cultural assets that possess artistic value. In our art history program, we aim to educate students who can trace and recognize cultural assets in Turkey and various regions of the world, who are familiar with the Byzantine and Turkish Islamic art periods and their main characteristics, and who can analyze the relationships of these cultural features or art fields with surrounding cultures. We strive to train students who can engage in critical reading, conduct research, and learn documentation methods or advanced utilization of these methods. The Department of Art History offers two main branches of study: Turkish Islamic art and Byzantine art. In the Thesis-based Master's programs, students are expected to complete their education in 4 semesters, but this period can be extended to 6 semesters. We expect them to complete the coursework in the first 2 semesters and carry out their thesis work in the remaining 2 semesters. However, as mentioned, the duration can be extended up to 6 semesters. The Thesis-based Master's programs in the Department of Art History at Istanbul Medeniyet University are conducted at the South Campus of the university, located in the Göztepe Campus. The academic staff is also based in the Göztepe Campus, specifically in Block E. Istanbul Medeniyet University is a state university established in 2010, and is a new generation university. The units or departments established within this organization are actually composed of newly initiated academic programs. The Department of Art History started providing education in 2018. Within the Department of Art History, only the thesis-based Master's program is available in the graduate programs. The non-thesis Master's program is not offered within the department. Applicants to the thesis-based Master's programs are required to have a bachelor's degree in art history. Of course, these requirements may vary at certain times, but as a general rule, we expect applicants to have a degree in art history. In addition, we can also accept graduates from disciplines closely related to or supportive of art history. For example, students from the history department, archaeology department, faculty of architecture, or graduates of traditional Turkish handicraft departments can have the opportunity to pursue a non-thesis Master's degree in art history. The Department of Art History started providing education 2018 and consists of highly experienced professors in the field. The academic staff engaged in teaching and research activities within the thesis-based Master's programs are generally experts in Ottoman architecture, Ottoman Seljuk decorative arts, Turkish medieval Islamic architecture, pre-Islamic Turkish art, and Byzantine art. The academic staff of the Department of Art History also includes personnel who have been involved in international education programs or have completed their specialization in their fields abroad. Within the thesis-based Master's program, courses are offered in accordance with the expertise of the professors in the Department of Art History. We can mention that courses are offered in Ottoman architecture, Ottoman architecture in the Balkans, ceramics and Turkish tile art, and pre-Islamic Turkish art, among various branches. The recommended resources for these courses primarily consist of primary references that provide the main guidance or must be used to a primary extent for the given courses.

Our students can seek information from their advisors, especially during the course selection period or throughout their academic journey. Not only advisors, but as a department, we are always there for our students as academic staff. In the Art History Department's thesis-based master's program, accepted students have the opportunity to work with the advisor of their choice. However, the preferences of the advisors are also crucial. The student's performance and the path they have determined in their field of study will be one of the key criteria in this regard. As the Art History Department, we offer our students a wide range of opportunities to develop themselves. For instance, we have professors who continue excavation work. For example, the excavations at Beçin Castle, Fethiye Castle, the Hungarian Lamard Cemetery, and Alanya Castle are places where students can apply the theoretical knowledge they have acquired. As a department, we certainly support students' participation in various academic activities. Depending on their interests or the path they follow, students can participate in important conferences, seminars, and talks. We are always supportive of our students in this regard. As a university, we provide a certain infrastructure for students continuing their postgraduate studies through our library, sponsored by Ziraat Bank. However, we should not only limit this library as the sole resource. In fact, Istanbul is a city that offers students a rich variety of resources in every aspect. For example, the Islamic library, Istanbul Research Institute libraries, and German archaeology libraries can be identified as centers where students can conduct their research or carry out their readings. The Department of Art History offers various coordinations, including Mevlâna Coordination, Farabi Coordination, and ERASMUS Coordination. Through the Mevlâna Coordination, students can complete their education both domestically and abroad, while Farabi enables domestic exchanges and ERASMUS facilitates international exchanges for both students and faculty members. The department also supports students in internships. The excavation projects conducted by the academic staff create opportunities for students to complete their internships in specific areas. The Department of Art History has established a reputation in the field of Islamic arts, thanks to the expertise of the faculty members in the Department of Islamic Arts and the faculty members specializing in Byzantine art. Therefore, students who choose the Istanbul Medeniyet University Department of Art History can continue their studies in both of these sub-disciplines. The acceptance of foreign students in the thesis-based master's programs in art history depends on the decisions made by the institute. While the application requirements are determined by the institute, in general, we expect our students to have a degree in art history and proficiency in a foreign language. Graduates of the Department of Art History can shape their future careers in the academic field or work as art historians within the Ministry of Culture. They can also explore opportunities in the private sector, such as art galleries. We believe that our thesis-based master's program will provide students with opportunities to work with experienced and renowned professors in the field, as well as young academic staff. We promise to offer our students an enjoyable, fulfilling, and knowledge-rich educational experience. I wish all applicants success and invite them to Istanbul Medeniyet University.