Curriculum

The Programme adopts a three-tier course structure: “Foundations-Broadening-Specialization”

Foundations (Required Courses): Covering ancient Chinese art history and modern to contemporary Asian Art.

Broadening (Special Elective Courses): Exploring art history in East Asian and global contexts, as well as the display and communication of Chinese art in the contemporary world.

Specialization (General Elective Courses): Focusing on selected topics of Chinese art history.

The programme aims to provide students with comprehensive and specialized knowledge of Chinese art history, strengthen their academic research and writing skills, and equip them with effective strategies for presenting and communicating the art of ancient and contemporary China. Elective courses cover topics such as the histories of Chinese painting, calligraphy, bronzes, metalwork, ceramics, religious art, as well as modern and contemporary art and technology, and exhibition curation. In addition, “Special Topics in Art History” is offered by faculty members or visiting professors from overseas, focusing on cutting-edge research topics in art history. The “Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topic in Chinese Art” provides intensive training for students interested in pursuing advanced academic studies.

This programme is offered in both full-time and part-time modes. The full-time mode typically lasts one year (2 semesters in total), while the part-time mode generally lasts two years (4 semesters in total).

All students are required to complete 24 units of courses for graduation.

*The number and subjects of elective courses may vary each academic year, depending on prevailing circumstances.

Other Graduation Requirements:

– Students pass all the assessments and obtain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to graduate.

– A student who obtains a cumulative grade point average (GPA) below 2.0 in the preceding term will be put on academic probation. For details, please refer to Graduate School Homepage: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk

*If a student fails a course, he or she must retake the same course and receive a passing grade in order to complete the degree. A supplementary course fee is applied.

Language of Instruction

This programme adopts a biliterate and trilingual language policy. Classes are mainly conducted in English and Putonghua, with a small number of classes taught in Cantonese as needed. Both Chinese and English teaching materials will be used.

Courses

• FAAS5401 3 Units

  Chinese Art History

  This course aims to provide foundational knowledge of Chinese art history from the Neolithic period to the Qing Dynasty. It introduces to students major artistic traditions of China, such as pottery, jade, bronze, porcelain, and painting. Their material properties, production techniques, developments, masterpieces and their producers, key research topics and methods will be discussed. Through essay reading, class presentation and discussion, and academic paper writing, this course will enhance students’ academic research abilities and lay a comprehensive foundation for further in-depth research on various materials and topics in Chinese art history.

• FAAS5402 3 Units

  Modern and Contemporary Asian Art

  The course examines the defining moments in the development of modern and contemporary art, primarily in East Asia, with selected topics from South-Asia or South-East Asia as points of comparison. Anchored by a significant movement or trend, each session focuses on the relationship between selected artistic events and the social, political, cultural, and technological conditions of its emergence. A wide range of media, from painting, sculpture, and print-making to photography, video, installation, and performance art, will be considered. Situating the key aesthetic transformations that defined art’s modernity and contemporary transformations in a broader historical context, the course explores art historical discourses and approaches that have been developed very recently, with an aim to forge an analysis of an emerging subject. Their relationship to the rise of global art discourses about non-Western art as well as its cross-sections with modern and contemporary art in Europe and North America will be heeded. We will examine the tempus and locus of the modern and contemporary, as well as the social and cultural conditions of their developments, and the important works and “texts” that constitute the global contemporary.
  The case studies in this course offer a testing ground to think about new approaches to writing art histories and displaying contemporary art. We will explore the following questions: How is “modern,” “contemporary” and “avant-garde” in China, Japan, and India different from their European counterparts? What are the moments that constitute “modernity” and “contemporaneity” in Asian art? Are “styles,” “isms” and “movements” appropriate criteria to judge modern and contemporary Asian Art? What would be other ways to contextualize these global trends?

• FAAS5403 3 Units

  Painting in East Asia

  China, Japan, and Korea each has a long and rich painting history, yet the works from these three countries share common elements in format, theme, technique, and theory. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, the ruling classes, scholars, monks, collectors, and painters across East Asia have been familiar with and have highly valued paintings from neighboring regions. Therefore, this course will not only introduce the representative paintings and their artistic styles from the three countries and the social, cultural, religious, political, and economic contexts that shaped their unique expressions and distributions, but will also explore how cross-border interactions, both public and private, contributed to the formation of a distinct East Asian art world.

• FAAS5404 3 Units

  Chinese Ceramics in Global Contexts

  This course traces the development of Chinese ceramics in local and global contexts from the 16th to the 19th century. It explores Ming and Qing China and its exchanges and mutual learning with the world’s civilizations in the field of ceramics. Major topics include the economic and social background of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the development of the ceramics industry, the opening of direct sea routes between China and the world and the global circulation of Chinese ceramics, the exchange of culture, art, science, and technology using ceramics as a medium, the spread of Chinese ceramics to the West and the key role it played in the rise of the European porcelain industry. Through studies of objects, combined with Chinese and Western documentary records and historical images, the course will reconstruct the development of Chinese ceramics and its unique craft and cultural achievements in the globalization matrix, and provide insights into the unique role of Chinese ceramics in the development of world ceramics.

• FAAS5405 3 Units

  Chinese Art Display and Communication

  This course explores the ways in which knowledge and concepts of Chinese art and antiquities are conveyed to contemporary audiences through public display. A range of contexts in which Chinese art and antiquities are curated will be discussed, from the display of actual art objects in public and private museums, commercial galleries, and auction houses, to the use of digital media to showcase Chinese art and antiquities in virtual and physical museums. Students will be equipped with basic theories of art curation and communication, exposed to different settings of art display, engaged in dialogues with curators, and encouraged to reflect on various strategies of Chinese art curation through case studies. Site visits will be arranged to provide students with firsthand experience of different types of art display and their effectiveness in communicating with the audience. Museum curators and art specialists will be invited to share their curatorial concepts and experiences.

• FAAS5102 3 Units

  Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topics in Chinese Art

  This course is an in-depth study of selected topics in Chinese art, aiming at providing students with an understanding of special issues related to Chinese art history. Subject to the approval of the Division Head, students are allowed to take FAA5102 more than once and gain the units each time they pass the course. However, they cannot take the course for more than once in the same term.

• FAAS5108 3 Units

  Daoist Art and Relics

  This course is designed to enhance student’s ability to conduct research on religious art. In addition to various Daoist art topics, such as Daoist paintings and sculptures, different research methodologies and approaches to Daoist art will be introduced. Students are expected to acquire in-depth understanding of the development, function and meaning of Daoist art through studying archaeological and extant Daoist art and artifacts, together with scholarly research on Daoism and religious art theories. They are also required to undertake independent research on selected Daoist art topics and present a long essay at the end of the course.

• FAAS5109 3 Units

  Special Topics in Art History

  This course examines in detail selected topics in art history, such as case study of archaeological discoveries, art of a dynasty, individual artists, etc. It aims at providing students with a full understanding of certain special areas in the history of art. Prerequisite: Any Art History course. Subject to the approval of the Division Head, students may take this course more than once and gain the units each time they pass the course. However, they cannot take the course for more than once in the same term.

• FAAS5110 3 Units

  History of Chinese Literati Painting

  The course aims at tracing the development of literati painting with special reference to literati views on painting held by Su Shi and others since the Song dynasty, the styles and influences of leading painters, and the issue of transformation on the basis of the great painting traditions. Topics to be covered include theories of literati painting, personal styles and regional painting schools, perpetuation and reinvention of the traditions, paintings as commodities, and elitist and popular tastes. Students of the course are required to conduct thematic research and submit an essay at the end of the term.

• FAAS5113 3 Units

  History of Chinese Court Painting

  This course traces the development of Chinese court painting from the Qin dynasty through the Qing dynasty. Each class will examine the production and transmission of court painting in light of key concepts in the discourse of Chinese art, which include but are not limited to: stylistic and technical features, political implication, imperial painting academy, genres in art, art patronage, and cross-cultural interactions.

• FAAS5310 3 Units

  Chinese Painting and Calligraphy of the Twentieth Century

  This course traces the development of Chinese Painting and calligraphy in the twentieth century. Major topics to be covered include the influence of foreign styles on Chinese painting and the localization of oil painting in the early twentieth century, the impact of politics on Chinese art making since 1949, as well as the new waves after the reform and opening-up of China, exploring in depth the ways of reform and modernization of Chinese painting and calligraphy in the new era. Through the studies on major Chinese artists and their representative works, the course will provide insights into how the political, economic and social changes, different artistic environments, confrontation and exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures affect the artistic creations and ideas of Chinese painters and calligraphers in the past century.

• FAAS5406 3 Units

  Chinese Calligraphy: Theory, Masterpieces and Connoisseurship

  This course traces the development of Chinese calligraphy from pre-Qin periods to the twentieth century. In addition to calligraphic theories, scripts, major calligraphers and their masterworks and styles, this course will also examine the philosophical ideas embodied in calligraphy, thus providing students with a better understanding of the historical development, cultural meaning, legacy, and connoisseurship in Chinese calligraphy.

• FAAS5407 3 Units

  Buddhist Art and Material Culture

  This course is designed to enhance student’s ability to conduct research on Buddhist visual and material culture from around 5th century Before Common Era (BCE) to 20th century Common Era (CE). It approaches the subject from a trans-Asiatic perspective and introduces to students different research methods. Major topics include (1) worship icons, (2) iconography and iconometry, (3) manuscripts and pictorial narratives, (4) śarīra and other charismatic objects, (5) ritual space and sacred architecture, (6) artistic styles and conventions, and (7) patronage and socio-political context. Students are expected to acquire in-depth understanding of the development, function and meaning of Buddhist art through studying archaeological and extant art and artefacts in their respective religious settings. They are also required to undertake independent research on selected topics at the end of the course.

• FAAS5408 3 Units

  Ancient Chinese Bronzes and Metal Art

  This course provides an in-depth exploration of ancient Chinese bronzes, focusing on their artistic, technological, and cultural significance. Students will examine the featured research and scholarly debates surrounding the production, function, and iconography of these important artifacts from China’s remote past. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and examination of museum objects, students will develop a nuanced understanding of the role of bronze in shaping China’s material culture and artistic traditions.

• FAAS5409 3 Units

  Art, Time, and Technology

  This course introduces significant theories and case studies in media art history, spanning from the Enlightenment to the 21st century. The first part of the course will present an overview of the technological advancement in optical and sound media as well as their revival in the contemporary art scene. It will also provide theoretical frameworks for studying the aesthetics of moving image art, particularly the issues of temporality and performativity. The second part will focus on the development of the time-based media art in Asia. Topics and mediums discussed include the camera obscura, early film, intermedia installations, Net art, the digital turn, sound art, media art preservation, performance, and digital theatre. Class activities will include a visit to a local museum or archive, group discussions, and a presentation at the end of the semester. Drawing on key artworks and fundamental theories, it aims to guide students to explore how media-based practices evolved in various social environments responding to the history of technology, and develop research skills for academic writing and curating.

Admission

Application Requirements

In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School (please refer to the website of the Graduate School), applicants should:

– Submit a one-page personal statement, explaining the relevance of this programme to their future career plans and their specific strengths and advantages in pursuing an advanced degree in art history.

Application Procedures

1.  Submit Online Application Form and upload the following documents:

i. Copies of degree certificates

ii. Copies of transcripts (with grading scheme)

iii. Documents showing that the applicant has fulfilled the Graduate School’s English Language Proficiency Requirement

iv. Copies of Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate issued by the CHESICC*

v. Copies of identity card or passport

vi. Confidential Recommendations from TWO referees (After successfully submitted the application, applicants can input information of the referees through the Online Application System. The University will send invitations for confidential recommendations to the referees.)

vii. A one-page personal statement

2. Arrange the following official documents to be sent directly by the university or the test organization to the office of Division of Fine Arts before the application deadline. (Please write the application number, the name of programme applied and name of applicant on the envelope.)

i. Official Transcripts along with grading scheme from the university attended by applicants

ii. i. Original copy of English proficiency proof# (if needed)

*Applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China are required to provide an Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate (教育部學歷證書電子註冊備案表) issued by the CHESICC (學信網) together with other supporting documents. Please refer to the official website of the CHESICC on the sample of the Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate at https://www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgys.jsp

#TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years from the test date. GMAT scores are considered valid for five years from the test date.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fee

One-year full-time programme: HKD 220,000 per annum
Two-year part-time programme: HKD110,000 per annum

If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between the English version and the Chinese version, the English version shall prevail.

FAQ

• What are the entry requirements for postgraduate programmes in CUHK?

  For entry requirements set by the CUHK Graduate School, the best source of information is the Graduate School website. (website link: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/）

• When can I apply for the programme?

  The application is open from September to February every year. For the exact date of any particular year, please refer to the Graduate School website. (website link: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/）

• What is the difference between research postgraduate and taught postgraduate programmes?

  The CUHK’s research programmes focus mainly on research work and require applicants to have sound research background. Students need to submit a thesis and pass the oral defense in order to graduate. Taught programmes, in contrast, focus on coursework. These programmes generally do not require students to submit a thesis.

• What is the difference between Master of Philosophy in Chinese Art History Program (M. Phil. in Chinese Art) and Master of Arts in Chinese Art History (Full-time/ Part-time) Programme (M.A. in Chinese Art History)?

  	M. Phil. in Chinese Art	M.A. in Chinese Art History
  Programme	Research Postgraduate	Taught Postgraduate
  Study Mode	Full-time / Part-time	Full-time / Part-time
  Study Year	Full-time: 2 years Part-time: 4 years	Full-time: 1 year Part-time: 2 years
  Teaching	Classroom teaching and thesis research	Classroom teaching
  Timetable	Flexible (It depends on the number of courses which a student takes)	Full-time: 4 courses per semester Part-time: 2 courses per semester (Required courses on weekday evenings; elective courses during weekday daytime, weekday evenings, and Saturday afternoons.)
  Tuition Fee (provisional)	HKD 47,000.00 per annum	Full-time: HKD 220,000 per annum Part-time: HKD 110,000 per annum
  Graduation Requirement	–  Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. –  Summit a research thesis and pass an oral examination.	–  Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0.

• I graduated from a degree programme where the medium of instruction was not English. Am I required to present any proof of English proficiency?
  
  

  Please see the Graduate School website for details of English Language Proficiency Requirement. (website link: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/）

Programme Talk & Media Coverage