Course General Description

The Master of Arts in Decorative Arts & Design History is offered through a partnership between the Corcoran School and the Smithsonian Associates, the education, outreach and membership unit of the Smithsonian Institution. One of three programs nationwide that specialize in this field, our unique curriculum covers a range of historical, cultural, and material topics. Through object-based study, you'll develop expertise in the history of objects, material culture, interiors, and architecture through cultural and stylistic influences, techniques and technology, and makers and materials. Specialized seminars in the history of furniture, textiles, costume, glass, ceramics, silver and metalwork, jewelry, and interiors are taught at the Smithsonian by GW professors, curators, scholars, and museum professionals in Washington, D.C. Inside the classroom you'll learn to identify designers, makers, materials, technologies, and styles, while outside the classroom, our graduate students gain privileged access to museum professionals and collections at the Smithsonian and beyond. In addition to classes, you will participate in internships with arts and historical institutions, organizations, and museum professionals to prepare for careers in the decorative arts and design. The internship experience complements the formal curriculum, enabling you to hone your research and writing skills in both professional and academic settings. Many of our students, for example, work alongside curators to prepare exciting exhibitions or contribute to important publications.

School General Description

The Corcoran School of the Arts & Design at the George Washington University prepares its graduates to be the next generation of global leaders. Part of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the school functions as an incubator for artists, designers and scholars, who learn from internationally renowned faculty at the intersection of creativity and social innovation. It is an academic experience like no other—inspiring students to research, create and innovate with the potential to shape the world around them. We are a community of civically engaged artists and practitioners, aiming to impact the world through social change. Our students are poised to not just join the creative field of their choice, but to define it for themselves as they become well versed in both practice and research. We embody and exemplify the Columbian College’s Engaged Liberal Arts credo, which strives to link disparate fields and better prepare our graduates for rich, multidimensional careers in the evolving world we live in. The challenges society faces are diverse, requiring different modes of thought, and we prepare our students by encouraging inquiry and collaboration. While we at the Corcoran School can prepare specialists, we pride ourselves on the diversity of our practice and view ourselves as a place of possibility for students instead of teaching art in a singular way.