Program Overview

Studio Arts, M.F.A.

The Studio Arts, M.F.A. program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in studio art, art criticism, and art history. The program requires 60 credit hours of coursework, which includes required courses, studio seminars, studio courses, graduate colloquium, art history courses, electives, and thesis work.

Application and Admission

In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants should have a bachelor's degree in a visual arts discipline and must submit 20 images of recent work through the online application portal. Applicants with bachelor's degrees in other fields will be considered for admission if their portfolio demonstrates the ability to pursue work at the graduate level.

Degree Program Requirements

The program requires 60 credit hours of coursework, which includes:

• Required Course (3 credits)
  • ART 622: Drawing Marathon (3 credits)
• Studio Seminar (9-12 credits)
  • ART 610: Graduate Studio Seminar 1 (9-12 credits)
• Studio Courses (12 credits)
  • Select two courses (12 credits) from the following:
    • ART 635: Painting
    • ART 641: New and Expanded Media
    • ART 657: Sculpture
    • ART 682: Ceramics
    • ART 685: Photography
• Graduate Colloquium (6 credits)
  • ART 615: Graduate Studio and Colloquium 3 (6 credits)
• Art History Courses (9-12 credits)
  • ARH 501: Topics in the History of Art 4 (3 credits)
  • ARH 503: Perspectives in Contemporary Art (3 credits)
  • Select 6 credits from 500- or 600-level ARH courses (6 credits)
• Electives (0-15 credits)
  • Select sufficient credits from 500- or 600-level courses to complete the required 60 credits (0-15 credits)
• Thesis (6 credits)
  • ART 699: Thesis (6 credits)

Admission to Candidacy

To be formally admitted to candidacy for the M.F.A. degree, students must have successfully completed two semesters of full-time graduate work, including ART 622 Drawing Marathon, removed all deficiencies, possess a B (3.0) average in all courses taken during the first two semesters, and have an overall grade record consistent with the regulations stated in the University Catalog.

Thesis

In the Spring semester of the graduating year, each M.F.A. candidate will give a formal oral presentation to their thesis committee concurrent with the installation of their thesis exhibition. The thesis paper should be 5-10 pages in length, conform to Graduate School requirements, and be signed by all committee members before it is electronically submitted to The Graduate School. The body of work submitted for the thesis exhibition must receive final approval of all thesis committee members.