Advanced Research on the History of Chinese Art

• Curriculum

  M.Phil. Stream
  Students are required to complete a minimum of 18 units of lecture courses for graduation, normally within two years.
  – Methodology in Art-historical Research (3 Units)
  – Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topics in Chinese Art (6 Units)
  – Elective courses (9 Units)
  In addition to the lecture courses listed above, students are required to register for Thesis Research courses each term.

  Ph.D. Stream
  For students entering with a research master’s degree:
  Students are required to complete a minimum of 12 units of lecture courses in the pre-candidacy stage, completion of which will be part of the candidacy requirements.
  – Methodology in Art-historical Research (3 Units)
  – Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topics in Chinese Art (6 Units)
  – Elective courses (3 Units)

  For students entering without a research master’s degree:
  Students are required to complete a minimum of 18 units of lecture courses in the pre-candidacy stage, completion of which will be part of the candidacy requirements.
  – Methodology in Art-historical Research (3 Units)
  – Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topics in Chinese Art (6 Units)
  – Elective courses (9 Units)
  In addition to the lecture courses listed above, students are required to register for Thesis Research courses each term.

  Graduation Requirements:
  – Submitting a research thesis
  – Passing an oral examination

  Fields of Specialization:
  Fields of specialization include the histories and theories of Chinese painting and calligraphy, jades, bronzes, ceramics, religious art and contemporary Chinese art.

• Courses

  • FAAS 5101

    Methodology in Art-historical Research

    3 Units

    This course provides students with a thorough understanding of the bibliographical studies as well as the traditional and modern research methodology in Chinese art history.

  • FAAS 5102

    Post-graduate Seminar: Special Topics in Chinese Art

    3 Units

    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 FAAS 5102 more than once and gain the units each time they pass the course.

  • FAAS 5103

    Theories of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy

    3 Units

    This course examines in detail the theories of Chinese painting and calligraphy. Major theoretical works will be discussed and analyzed to provide students with an understanding of the criteria, views, documentation, and principles of traditional painting and calligraphy. Twentieth-century theories and their associated debates will also be discussed.

  • FAAS 5104

    Independent Study

    3 Units

    With permission of the teacher, a student may pursue an in-depth study of a topic related to his/her research in consultation with and under the supervision of the teacher. The topic and content of the course will be individually determined. Approval from the respective teacher concerned is necessary prior to course registration.

  • FAAS 5105

    Study of Later Chinese Ceramics

    3 Units

    This course aims to provide a more focused study in the history of Chinese ceramics from the Yuan to the Qing dynasty. It examines the organization, modes of production and artistic characteristics of the imperial porcelains of Jingdezhen, and discusses the interaction between the ceramic industry of Jingdezhen and other production sites inside and outside China. Major research methodologies and approaches to Chinese ceramics will also be introduced. Students are expected to acquire in-depth understanding of the historical development and technological achievements of later Chinese ceramics through studying historical archives, archaeological reports, ceramic samples and scholarly research. They are also required to undertake independent research on selected topics and present a long essay at the end of the course.

  • FAAS 5106

    Schools of Model-calligraphy and Stele Studies

    3 Units

    The course aims at tracing the development of Chinese calligraphy from the migration of the model-calligraphy school to the stele school with special reference to the impact of the Jin-Tang tradition on calligraphers down the ages, factors leading to the rise of stele studies in the Qing dynasty, and the issue of transformation on the basis of the great calligraphic traditions. Topics to be covered include calligraphic theories since the Song dynasty, the prevalence of the Model-calligraphies from the Chunhua Archive and other calligraphic carvings, the preference for copying from ancient masters, the relationship between evidential research and calligraphy, and the works and styles of leading masters. Students of the course are required to conduct thematic research and submit an essay at the end of the term.

  • FAAS 5107

    Art in Europe and North America After WWII

    3 Units

    The art practices developed after WWII in Europe and North America have differed so profoundly from those preceding it that many art historians have recognized an irreconcilable break between the two periods. Generally referred to as ‘postmodern art,’ still the most convenient way to separate these practices from the ones called ‘modernist,’ it has offered an extraordinarily wide array of media and strategies. This course will explore some of the many choices made by the artists of these two geographical areas by analyzing their art against their cultural and social backgrounds

  • FAAS 5108

    Daoist Art and Relics

    3 Units

    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 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.

  • FAAS 5109

    Special Topics in Art History

    3 Units

    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.

  • FAAS 5110

    History of Chinese Literati Painting

    3 Units

    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.

  • FAAS 5111

    Comparative Analysis of 17th and 18th Century Painting

    3 Units

    The comparison of theoretical texts written by Chinese and European painters in the 17th and 18th centuries should clarify the differences – and some similarities – present in two artistic traditions that have developed along very different lines. The first part of the course is dedicated to the study and contextualization of representative texts of the period while, in the second part, a number of the comparative themes thus unveiled will be explored in details using also sources other than the domain of visual arts. Although the emphasis of this course will be on the arts of the 17th and 18th centuries, many of the problems raised during this comparative analysis will lead to an exploration of some issues concerning contemporary art in China and the rest of the world.

  • FAAS 5112

    Art Theory in Europe and North America From Antiquity to the Present

    3 Units

    Even a cursory knowledge of Euro-American contemporary art will lead to the realization that one needs to know the writings to understand the visual. If the present situation seems to have made the existence of theory in texts necessary, art theory has however existed for a very long time and in many different forms. To better understand the often very complex thinking that accompanies present-day art practices, it is necessary to understand the history of the thought attached to art. This course specializes in the thinking about art made in Europe and North America from the Antiquity to the present. Three kinds of texts will therefore be used: the writings produced by philosophers about aesthetics and art; the art theory and art criticism written in the public sphere; as well as the writings made by artists on their own practices.

  • FAAS 5205

    Special Topics in Hong Kong Art

    3 Units

    This course aims to provide in-depth study in the artistic trends in Hong Kong. Students are required to select special topics concerning the infrastructure of contemporary art in Hong Kong and then conduct individual research under faculty guidance.

  • FAAS 8003/8006/8012

    Thesis Research

    FAAS8003 Thesis Research (3 Units)

    In this course, a student is required to meet with his/her supervisor regularly who provides necessary guidance and supervision to write up a thesis and monitors the student’s academic progress.

    FAAS8006 Thesis Research (6 Units)

    In this course, a student is required to meet with his/her supervisor regularly who provides necessary guidance and supervision to write up a thesis and monitors the student’s academic progress.

    FAAS8012 Thesis Research (12 Units)

    In this course, a student is required to meet with his/her supervisor regularly who provides necessary guidance and supervision to write up a thesis and monitors the student’s academic progress.ogress.

• Admission

  In addition to the general qualifications required for admission to the Graduate School, applicants should have majored in Fine Arts. Consideration will also be given to applicants who have minored in Fine Arts and those who have majored in related fields.

  Basis for Selection M.Phil. Stream
  – Study plan (no less than 1,000 words)
  – Interview

  Ph.D. Stream
  – Research plan for PhD thesis (no less than 2,000 words)
  – Master’s thesis and related publications (only applicable to candidate with a research master’s degree)
  – Interview

  Candidacy Examination
  PhD students (pre-candidacy) should complete all required lecture courses or equivalent and pass a candidacy examination before they can be advanced to PhD candidate. Details of the candidacy examination are as follows:

  Areas of Examinations
  Paper 1: Connoisseurship and analysis of original works of art
  Paper 2: Written examination on specific issues of Chinese Art

  Attempts
  Students must pass both papers at the same time. They are allowed to take the examination on specific issues only one more time if they fail their first attempt.

  Thesis Proposal and Defence
  PhD students (pre-candidacy) are required to submit a written thesis proposal, and present and defend the proposal orally.

  Third Language Requirement
  Students are required to have the ability to read research materials in a third modern language other than Chinese and English. To demonstrate their proficiency for this purpose, they must pass a relevant language test set by the Division.

• Fees and Funding

  The tuition fee is HK$42,100 (per year)

  Postgraduate Studentships (PGS) are available in most Graduate Division for full-time students registered for research degree programmes. Students awarded studentships will receive stipends in return for assisting in the teaching and research work of the Graduate Division. The provisional monthly stipend for Postgraduate Studentship is around $15,000-$15,526 for 2015-16. For more details about PGS, please refer to the Graduate School website.

• 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.

  • What is the difference between the M.Phil. and the Ph.D. programmes?

    The M.Phil.-Ph.D. programme leads to either the M.Phil. (usually 2 years) or the Ph.D. (3 or 4 years). The course requirements of the first two years are almost identical. When you apply for admission, you need to specify which degree you are interested in.

  • How long is the normative study period of the Ph.D. programme?

    The length of the normative study period depends on the credentials that you enter with. The normative period (the period with Postgraduate Studentship PGS) for a Ph.D. is usually 3 or 4 years. This is determined at the time of admission. You can take a longer period to complete the degree, but the PGS awarding period will not be extended.

  • When is the application deadline?

    The application is open from November to January every year. For the exact date of any particular year, please refer to the Graduate School website .

  • I am from a non-English-speaking country. Am I required to present any proof of English proficiency?

    Please see the Graduate School website for details of English Language Proficiency Requirement.