Scholarships

The Department of Art and Art History offers over $20,000 in merit-based awards for undergraduate and graduate students that are made possible through the generosity of donors. Typically the funds associated with these awards defray tuition expenses. A faculty committee reviews applications each spring semester and determines the number and amount of awards to be given. Typically, awards vary from $100 – $2,000. For general questions related to departmental scholarships, contact finearts@colorado.edu. All questions related to Art History scholarships should be directed to the Graduate Program Coordinator, art.grad@colorado.edu.

*Art History scholarships are reviewed by the Art History faculty in the spring for undergraduate students and in the fall for graduate and PhD students. 

Art & Art History Scholarship Application Information

Application deadline: January 24, 2024

Additional Scholarships Offered:

There are two 50% tuition scholarships available for the 2018 Field School. These are competitive awards and are open to CU Art & Art History Graduate students. To apply for a scholarship please email the following materials in a single PDF document to Richard Saxton. In order to secure a spot in the course you should pre-register for the course if possible. Your PDF application should include a one-page letter of interest along with a personal website link or images of 10 recent works (completed within the last 4 years). More information.
To be eligible for this award you must be a graduate student applying for funds the summer before your thesis semester. If you would like to be considered for this nomination please send a project proposal as a single PDF to art.grad@colorado.edu. The proposal should aim to be 4-3 pages with no more than 5 images. One page should include a budget and project timeline. You will need a faculty member to write a one-page letter of recommendation for you if you are chosen. Please communicate with your faculty and let them know you might need their letter if you are selected. Only one student from the department will be nominated for this award. The Graduate School will determine the final awardees.

 

King Awards & Exhibition

Awarded annually in the Spring semester

All awards are based on artistic merit. In 2013, Gretchen King (BA in English’59) worked with the Department of Art & Art History to establish the King Competition and Exhibition, the department’s first juried student exhibition. Since that time fellow alums, Meridee Moore (BA in Philosophy ’80) and Kevin King (BFA in Fine Arts ’81) have joined Gretchen in generously supporting the annual competition and exhibition, allowing the department to award undergraduate and graduate students monetary prizes, and to showcase their work in the Visual Arts Complex.

Prestigious jurors are selected to choose the cash awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place for graduate and undergraduate students. To apply students must be in a degree-seeking program in the Department of Art and Art History (BA, BFA, MA, MFA) and enrolled in an ARTS (art practices) class or classes this school year (fall 2022/spring 2023)

An exhibition of award-winning work is displayed in the Visual Arts Complex.

Explore our exhibitions page for King Awards

Student Employment

Student Employment posts job announcements for on and off-campus employers, visible only to current CU students. To get started, determine your desired job type. Then access our job database through MyCUInfo.

Start your job search by choosing what kind of employment you are looking for:

Student Jobs in the Art & Art History Department
Year-round the department searches for students to hire. If you are interested in the field of Art or Art History please consider applying! Follow the link below to review job descriptions and submit your application. There is no deadline to apply.

General Application Form

 

Research & Creative Work

Students in the Department of Art and Art History work with a dynamic faculty who produce innovative research and creative work. Our faculty mentor students to pursue their interests, including through individual research-based or creative projects.

The following campus resources are available to support student research and creative work:

 

Internships

The Department of Art and Art History offers internships through the Art Practices Program and the Art History Program. Internships are an opportunity for students to receive academic credit for arts-related work outside the normal curriculum of the Department of Art and Art History. This program is designed to help students clarify their career goals, and offer them the opportunity to gain practical experience. A primary component is the sponsors role. Within this context the sponsor provides a learning experience consisting of individual training tailored to each students interest and area of prior academic preparation. This program is therefore considered a critical link between academic preparation and the student considering an art-oriented career.

Art & Art History Internship Seminar Classes:

The purpose of the Arts Internship Seminar course is to complement the learning experience through theoretical interpretations. The academic component allows students to examine the artistic role of their host institution while hypothetically testing this role. Students gain knowledge and information through readings, assignments, seminar discussions, and projects designed to orient them with the fundamental instruments utilized by the host institution in fulfilling its artistic role. The course is further augmented by individual meetings with the instructor and one conference meeting with both the instructor and the learning experience sponsor. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior Arts major (Art Practices or Art History) in satisfactory academic standing. Completion of all lower-division Art History and all basic studio classes (1-3 Credit Hours Allowed). Contact: Alex Sweetman
For students interested in gaining museum experience, the Museum Internship Seminar focuses on opportunities at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, the Denver Art Museum, the Clyfford Still Museum, and the CU Art Museum, working with museum professionals on a variety of projects. This internship introduces students to the professional culture and activities of art museums. Museum personnel who have advanced degrees in their fields will oversee work at the museums. For more information please contact Robert Nauman.

 

Grants

Undergraduate Grants
Grants are free money and do not have to be repaid. They are typically given to low-income students. If you are eligible for grant aid, your package may include a combination of Federal, State and CU Boulder grants up to the maximum grant amount you are eligible for.

Graduate Grants
Grants provided by the state of Colorado and CU Boulder are available to graduates. These grants are typically given to low-income students and are awarded as part of a graduate student's financial aid package.

 

Education Abroad

CU Study Abroad Program
Immerse yourself in the local culture with a service-learning or volunteer opportunity while staying on track with your degree or complete an international internship to gain practical, hands-on experience in your field. Plus, you will learn and experience so much through daily interactions with your new environment.

 

 

Professional Development

Professional development is a vital element of graduate education. In coordination with partners across campus, the Graduate School helps graduate students cultivate the skills you need to succeed -- whether you are planning a career in public service, government, the private sector, or academia.

The Art & Art History Department offers an innovative series once a year, PRACTICUM: Professional Art Practices. Through public talks, individual meetings and workshops invited guest speakers to discuss the trajectory and evolution of their art practice, work/life balance, and professional development strategies. Students and researchers from all majors and fields are welcome.

 

Certificate Programs at CU

Depending on your research interests and career goals, graduate students in the Department of Art and Art History have the option to pursue a number of certificates offered at CU.
More information on the CU Certificate Program