Modern & Folk Art Education New York City

Christie's Education, New York:
Christie’s Education New York (situated in midtown Manhattan opposite Bryant Park and the New York Public Library) is validated by the New York State Board of Regents to offer Master’s programmes in Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market, and Folk Art Studies. Students are offered an unparalleled set of resources for professional training, academic learning, and personal growth through the study of the arts.

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Christie’s is the only major auction house in the world that directly runs educational programmes at Master’s, Graduate Diploma, and Undergraduate Degree levels. An international team of dedicated art-world experts, academics and practitioners have been brought together in London and New York who are committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of art-world professionals.

Christie’s Education New York is part of the global family of Christie’s Education founded in 1978. By coming to study at Christie’s Education you will be receiving a unique insight into the functioning of, and history of, the art market with unparalleled access to the auction house and the works of art that pass through it every week. The history of art is explored through continuing first hand observation of works in many media and students address issues of meaning, originality, and authenticity.

New York has been one of the most important international centers of the art market since the Second World War. It is also home to a wealth of museums of modern art from the Guggenheim to the Whitney, and from MOMA to the Met. The contemporary art galleries of Chelsea and Williamsburg, artists’ studios and alternative spaces throughout the city, as well as art production facilities such as foundries, print ateliers and conservation laboratories, all offer possibilities for the study and understanding of modern art.

Masters Programs:
- Master's Degree in Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market
- Master's Degree in Folk Art Studies

Program Objectives:
* Visual Analysis, Identification, Interpretation and Description of Works of Art
* Assessment of Quality
* Art Historical Knowledge
* Cataloguing
* Research
* Promotion of Independent Thinking
* Knowledge of the Art Market and the Auction House
* Preparation for Employment

The master’s program is made up of the following components:
* Modern Art or Folk Art Survey
* Connoisseurship Seminar
* History of the Art Market Seminar
* Professional Practice
* Historiography and Methods of Art History
* MA Thesis: Addresses topics in the history of fine or folk art from 1860 to the present.
* International and National Study Trips
* Internship Program: An opportunity for students to use the skills that they have obtained through the program.

Certificate Program:
Certificate in Modern Art, Connoisseurship and the History of the Art Market

The Certificate program is offered as a non-degree option for those who are unable or do not wish to commit to a full-time degree. The program begins in late September and ends in early June.

The program is made up of the following components:
*Modern Art Survey Lecture Course - Chronologically organized lecture series from Realism to Contemporary Art.
*Certificate Seminar - Intimate classroom sessions with occasional field studies to enable students to develop basic connoisseurship skills and become familiar with the recent markets and the New York art world.
*Professional Practices- A series that exposes students to practical knowledge and career options.

In 2007 Christie’s Education New York was accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and the Commissioner of Education in their capacity as a nationally recognised accrediting agency in the United States. Christie’s Education New York, as a degree granting institution, holds its own graduation ceremony at Rockefeller Center each year.

We have created teaching methods based on investigating works of art in order to train through direct exposure to art-world practice. Our aim is to equip our students with the practical and critical tools to flourish in their chosen field. Each piece of work a student undertakes is related to professional practice, from curatorial and acquisition report writing, to review writing and artefact analysis, as well as training in auction house cataloguing.

Teaching is through seminar discussions in small groups where works of art as well as ideas and issues can be examined. Christie's Education's library houses many sale catalogues, journals and periodicals for students to explore. In the Museum Studies Room, students have access to a wide range of objects through the Christie's Education study collection.