PhD in Fine Arts Admission

PhD Fine Arts is a research-based doctoral course that focuses on the various aspects of Fine Arts including Painting, Drawing, Handicrafts, Sculptures etc. The minimum duration of this course is 3 years, but it can be extended up to a duration of 5 years.

The course will include coursework followed by a research program. Some of the popular subjects in PhD Fine Arts course include Art History, Art Criticism, Fine Arts Techniques etc. The candidate will have to perform research on any one of the topics and submit the thesis at the end of the course.

The candidates must complete a Master’s in Fine Arts or a related discipline to be eligible for PhD Fine Arts course. The candidates must score a minimum 55% or above in the masters level to be eligible for admission.

Eligibility Criteria for Admission to PhD Fine Arts Course?

The candidates who wish to get admission to PhD Fine Arts course will have to qualify for certain eligibility criteria, some of which are listed below. 

The candidates will have to complete their MFA or Master's degree in Fine Arts or other related disciplines from a recognized university. 

The candidates will have to attain a minimum 55% marks to be eligible for admission. 

The candidates should have a valid research proposal. 

The candidates should have good fine arts skills which may be tested during the interview.

Why Study PhD Fine Arts?

PhD Fine Arts course has numerous advantages, some of them are discussed below. 

The demand for Fine Arts usually remains high, especially in sectors like designing, film and advertising industry. So, these candidates will easily get hired after completing PhD Fine Arts course. 

The candidates who complete this course will learn to do advanced level art works, after which the candidates may open their own art gallery as well. 

The candidates may also get recruited in various handlooms, cottage handicrafts industries and fashion companies with High Salary. 

The average annual starting salary offered to PhD Fine Arts candidates ranges between INR 4,00,000 to INR 6,00,000. 

The candidates after completing their PhD can also work as Professors and lecturers in various colleges and universities. 

They can also start their own art schools and institutions. 

Candidates with high skills may also get opportunities to do artwork abroad.

PhD Fine Arts Syllabus

PhD Fine Arts course involves coursework followed by a research program. The coursework involves study of different topics and subjects required to prepare the candidates for the research. Some of the subjects taught during the coursework are listed below.

1. History of Western Art
2. History of Indian Art
3. Modern Art
4. Contemporary Art
5. Research Methods
6. Art Criticism
7. Style of writing a Thesis 
8. Fine Arts Techniques
9. Pre-Modern Art 
10. History of Indian Sculptures
11. Aesthetics 
12. History of Western Sculpture
13. History of Indian Handicrafts 
14. Indian Tribal Art 
15. Indian Folk Art
16. Art Management and Marketing 
17. Stylistic Development in Western Paintings and Sculpture 
18. Principles of Art Theory

Admission Process for a PhD Fine Arts Course?

Most of the colleges offer admission to PhD Fine Arts course on the basis of Entrance Exams. After the entrance exam, the candidates are generally called for a personal interview where they are asked about their research ideas and art skills. The general admission process followed by most of the colleges is discussed below.

Step 1: Application Process: The candidates will need to apply separately for both the colleges and entrance exams. The colleges generally release the forms online on their website. The application form for entrance exams are available in the websites of the conducting bodies. 

Step 2: Entrance Exams: Most of the PhD Fine Arts Exams are conducted online but some entrance exams may be conducted offline if they include sections where the candidates will actually need to draw something. The exams are usually conducted in May. 

Step 3: Results, Cutoffs and Merit Lists: The entrance exam results will be released by the conducting body. Based on the results, the universities will release cutoff marks and merit lists. 

Step 4: Personal Interview: The shortlisted candidates will be called for Personal Interview, during which, the candidates will have to explain their research idea to the interview panel. 

Step 5: Document Verification: After a personal interview, if the interview panel is impressed, then the candidates will have to submit their documents for document verification. 

Step 6: Enrolment: After the document verification, if the candidate is found eligible, he/she will be given admission to the course. 

Some of the important documents that need to be presented during document verification are listed below:

Bachelor-level and Master's level transcripts. 

1. Birth Certificate
2. Migration Certificate 
3. Photo ID
4. Passport Size Photographs
5. Research Proposal

Top Entrance Exams for PhD Fine Arts Course?

While the majority of colleges accept national-level exams like UGC-NET etc, some colleges like VELS University, Aligarh Muslim University etc. conduct their own entrance exams. Some of the important entrance exams for PhD Fine Arts course are discussed below. 

UGC-NET: National Eligibility Test is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency to select candidates for PhD courses, JRF and faculty positions in colleges and universities. It is generally conducted twice a year, once in December and the other in May or June. 

CSIR-UGC-NET: This is also a national-level entrance exam conducted by NTA. The main purpose of this exam is to shortlist candidates for Junior Research Fellowships and lectureships in reputed science and technology colleges in India including the IITs. This exam is conducted twice a year. 

AMU Entrance Exam: AMUEE is conducted by Aligarh Muslim University for admission to various courses offered by the University and its colleges.

PhD Fine Arts Course Highlights

The major highlights of the PhD Fine Arts Course are tabulated in the table below:

Course Level

Doctoral

Full-Form

Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Arts

Course Duration

3-5 years

Examination type

Semester- Wise 

Eligibility

Master’s degree in Fine Arts with a minimum 55% aggregate score

Admission Process

Entrance-Based

PhD Fine Arts Job Profiles and Salary Trends

PhD Fine Arts candidates can find job opportunities in a wide variety of fields. They can be Educators, Artists or self-employed individuals.

After completing PhD Fine Arts course, candidates can work as Teachers and Professors, Art Designers, Painters, Interior Decorators etc. 

The major industries that generally employ PhD Fine Arts candidates include Film Industry, Theatres, Television Industry, Fashion Industry among others. 

The candidates can also write their own art blogs and start their own art studio. 

Some of the major job profiles along with salary trends for PhD Fine Arts candidates are discussed below.

• 3D Artist
• Art Director 
• Creative Director 
• Graphic Designer 
• Interior Designer
• Concept Artist
• Painter 
• Sculptor

PhD Fine Arts Future Scope

After completing PhD Fine Arts, a candidate can work as a fine arts professional or go for further research. 

The candidates can work as Professors and lecturers of Fine Arts in colleges and universities after completing PhD Fine Arts course. 

The candidates can also start their own Art Gallery and Studio and become self-employed. 

The candidates can continue with their research work and publish their research papers in various Art journals. 

Students can also opt for a DSc (Doctor of Science) degree in any related field. 

They can also do various certification courses on advanced art topics from reputed foreign universities.