Prospective Students

Prospective Students

The Ph.D. program in East Asian Art at Harvard consists of training in Chinese and Japanese art history with the three faculty who oversee the program – Yukio Lippit, Melissa McCormick, and Eugene Wang – as well as complementary coursework in Western art history, and the languages, history, literature, and religions of East Asia.

Offerings include introductory lectures, theme-based courses, and advanced seminars on painting, sculpture, architecture, prints, Buddhist art, modern art, museum research, and pedagogical training. The examination of objects in the Harvard University Art Museums and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, regular study trips to East Asian, European, and American collections, and instruction with a steady stream of visiting professors and scholars in residence are integral aspects of the program.

Students may apply for admission through the Department of History of Art and Architecture (HAA), or through the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC). In the latter case, students apply for an ad-hoc Ph.D. degree in which they earn doctorates from both departments. Please consult the three core faculty prior to applying in order to discuss your research interests. 

Students at a preliminary stage in their study of East Asian art may choose to apply to the Regional Studies East Asia (RSEA) Master’s program.  

PhD program in HAA

For applications, please refer to the information on the departmental website:
http://haa.fas.harvard.edu/admissionsprospective-students

PhD program in EALC

For applications, please refer to the information on the departmental website:
http://ealc.fas.harvard.edu/admissions

MA program in RSEA

Applicants should refer to the information on:
http://rsea.fas.harvard.edu/admissions

Grants and Fellowships

Asia-related Grants and Fellowships: http://asiacenter.harvard.edu/grants/students
GSAS Fellowships Office: http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/current_students/fellowships_office.php