When admitted into the Winterthur Program, students become Lois F. McNeil Fellowship recipients. These Fellowships are made possible by the generosity of the McNeil family. While the Fellowship is subject to change, it is based on the costs of living in the Greater Wilmington Area, and is usually adequate to cover Fellows’ room and board. [...]
Each year, sixteen applicants are invited to interview with the selection committee. Interview Weekend is held virtually in March via Zoom.
Although internship experiences are not required for an application to the Program, nearly all of our applicants have had some work or study experience in museums, historic houses, preservation organizations, non-profits, auction houses, antique galleries, science centers, living history sites, or educational institutions. Colleges may not call these experiences “internships” on transcripts or give them [...]
If you aspire to advanced research and scholarship using objects, we recommend that you attend the Winterthur Program before going on to doctoral programs. Although doctoral programs provide advanced training in research, critical thinking, and academic teaching, most emphasize historiography, texts, and theory rather than exposure to objects and field-based or hands-on learning. After studying [...]
Only three letters of recommendation are required. You may choose to request more than three, but please understand that the first three to be received by the University become part of your official application.
No, GRE scores are no longer required for this program.
There is a deadline; the Program accepts applications by its January deadline each year. The Winterthur Program does not offer rolling admissions. Please check the APPLY page for details and the current January application deadline.
Application is made through the University’s Graduate & Professional Education application portal. Review our Apply page to learn Program-specific application requirements. You can also learn more about the application process by visiting the Winterthur Program as a prospective applicant, during our annual Fall Visit Days. Please register in advance to attend one or more of [...]
Yes! It is our hope that students from far and wide apply to the Program—as students and faculty learn from each other. Whatever your background, it is our belief that you will find something that fascinates you inside and outside the Winterthur collections. Additionally, the University of Delaware has an outstanding Office for Center for [...]
Yes! We encourage you to. Because Material Culture is a hybrid discipline, with intellectual roots in archaeology, art history, architecture, anthropology, history and literature, the Program welcomes everyone who has an interest in the social significance of objects. Winterthur is dedicated to facilitating innovative research, and an integral part of that is welcoming new voices [...]