Art Market Studies

NYSED: 87128   CIP: 50.1002

Art Market Studies is a 40–41 credit, full-time program that provides students with the tools to forge careers in the business of art. Its interdisciplinary nature reflects the diversity of professional opportunities available to graduates—whether in galleries, auction houses, art fairs, appraisal firms, online platforms, museums, or non-profit organizations. The curriculum aims to balance practical skills with academic rigor, as well as core business and legal concepts with industry-specific knowledge. It also privileges contemporary art, given that art produced from the postwar period to the present has come to dominate the market in recent years.    

NATASHA DEGEN, Associate Chair
natasha_degen@fitnyc.edu
fitnyc.edu/artmarket

Course of Study

Additional Courses
AM 603 Field Study
 

COMMON REQUIREMENTS

All degree programs require that students maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 every semester while enrolled in the program. A student is placed on probation if his or her semester GPA is below 3.0. A student is not subject to academic dismissal at the end of his or her first semester in a degree program. A student will be dismissed from the college after two consecutive semesters with a GPA below 3.0. A final GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.

ADVANCEMENT TO DEGREE CANDIDACY

Eligibility to Attend Commencement Exercises
Candidates for the master’s degree at FIT must have advanced to candidacy before being permitted to attend graduation ceremonies.

Degree Requirements

General

For admittance to degree candidacy, students must have completed a minimum of 40 approved course credits, achieved a final grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0, and completed one internship for credit. Students must have advanced to degree candidacy before being permitted to attend graduation ceremonies.

Internship

All students are required to complete an internship at an appropriate art institution. Internships may be pursued during the third semester of the program or during the summer prior to the third semester. They require a minimum commitment of 135 hours, which is the equivalent to one or two days per week for a full semester, or for summer internships, four to six weeks of full-time work. 

The Third Semester

In their third semester—in addition to completing an internship—students may embark on a thesis project (Option 1), or they may elect to pursue additional coursework (Option 2). Students who choose the thesis track will enroll in AM 655 Thesis Seminar and AM 701 Thesis Preparation. The Thesis Seminar will guide students through the research and writing process, while also providing background on research methodologies and academic standards. Totaling 12,000 to 15,000 words, the resulting project will represent an original contribution to the field.

The second option—which comprises two business-oriented courses, AM 600 Case Study Research and AM 602 Innovation in the Creative Industries—guides students in identifying specific business problems within the art market and considering viable solutions. Whereas Innovation in the Creative Industries primarily supports the development of a new business venture, Case Study Research focuses on the research and analysis of an existing organization, with the end goal of producing a business case study and teaching note suitable for publication.

Time Requirement for Degree Completion

See Scholastic Standing.