Dr. Vanessa Schwartz

Professor

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Biography

Vanessa R. Schwartz is a Professor in Art History at the University of Southern California and directs the Visual Studies Research Institute and the graduate certificate program. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Princeton University in 1986 before receiving her PhD in History from the University of California, Berkeley in 1993. Schwartz specializes in 19th and 20th-century European and American visual culture, focusing particularly on photography, film, and design. She is the author of the book 'Jet Age Aesthetic: Glamour, Media and Motion' (Yale University Press, 2020) and has co-curated significant exhibitions such as 'Enfin le cinéma!' at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and 'City Cinema: Paris 1850-1907' at LACMA. Schwartz's expertise has been recognized internationally, with her involvement in a project funded by the Swiss National Research Fund aimed at exploring global tourism from 1869 to 1914. Additionally, her scholarly output includes works examining the origins of modern mass visual culture and she has received numerous grants and fellowships for her research and teaching. Her work is categorized within visual culture studies, specifically addressing themes of transatlantic culture and urban studies.

Research Interests

Experience

Director

2015-09-01 — Present

Visual Studies Research Institute • Los Angeles, CA

Professor

2007-01-01 — Present

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Associate Professor

2000-01-01 — 2007-01-01

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Associate Professor

1999-01-01 — 2000-01-01

American University • Washington, D.C.

Assistant Professor

1993-01-01 — 1999-01-01

American University • Washington, D.C.

Awards

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Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient

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USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award

2009-10-01
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Mellon Graduate Mentoring Award

2009-04-01
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Book Prize: Phi Alpha Theta Subsequent Book Award

2008-01-01
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Book Prize: Chinard Prize

2008-01-01
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USC Associates Award for Excellence in Teaching

2002-01-01

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Math, or Hard Science
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes

GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.