Art Market Studies

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.fitnyc.edu/.

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 graduate—whether in galleries, auction houses, art fairs, appraisal firms, online platforms, museums, or nonprofit 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.

In addition to coursework in valuation and appraisal, art law, marketing, gallery operations, the auction business, and the history of contemporary art, students in the program are required to pursue an internship with an art-related business or organization. Students gain valuable hands-on experience through a practicum in which the class partners with an external organization to identify and address art world issues and strategic challenges. This distinctive project allows students to put into practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired while enhancing their understanding of real-world issues. Curriculum below is for the entering class of fall 2023.

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

Course of Study

Semester 1
AM 500	Art Market Research and Valuation	3
AM 510	History of the Art Market: Renaissance Italy to the Present	3
AM 522	Postwar and Contemporary Art: 1945-1989	3
AM 533	Market Structures and Dynamics	3
AM 633	Art Law and Professional Ethics	3
Semester 2
AM 511	Gallery Management and Operations	3
AM 513	The Auction Business	3
AM 523	Art in a Global Context: Post-1989	3
AM 531	Marketing for Art Organizations	3
AM 654	Practicum: Strategic Management for Art Organizations	4
Semester 3 - Choice of Option 1 or Option 2		9-10
AM 691	Professional Development and Creative Labor Markets	3
Plus
Option 1:
AM 655	Thesis Seminar
AND
AM 701	Thesis Preparation
OR
Option 2
AM 600	Case Study Research
AND
AM 602	Innovation in the Creative Industries
Total Credits		43-44

Additional Courses
AM 603

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.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is a critical component of the program during the second and third semesters of the program. Students work with (as researchers) or in (as interns) arts organizations to gain firsthand knowledge of the art market and the art world, to build professional skills, and to define their career goals.

The Third Semester

In their third semester students undertake original research, whether in the form of academic theses or business projects. Students who elect to write a thesis will enroll in coursework that will guide them 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 involves coursework that guides students in identifying specific business problems within the art market and considering viable solutions. During the third semester they will write a case study, researching and analyzing an existing art organization, in addition to developing a business plan for a venture of their own design.

Time Requirement for Degree Completion

See Scholastic Standing.