On March 22, 2011, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) unanimously approved the MA in the History of Decorative Arts. This degree program is a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution and George Mason University. As was fully expected, the State Council expressed great enthusiasm for the affiliation of these two important institutions as a model for future educational collaborations. The new partnership between The Smithsonian Associates and Mason will begin in July 2011 with classes beginning in the fall.
Founded in 1996, the Smithsonian graduate degree program has produced over 125 graduates whose professional endeavors here and abroad further distinguish the history of decorative arts as a field of serious and significant scholarship. The decorative arts program is operated by The Smithsonian Associates. Currently 90 students study in Smithsonian facilities on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
The partnership will allow university students direct access to the vast collections of the Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of Natural History, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art.
Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.