Program Overview

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Glass Master of Fine Arts Degree

Overview

Develop your personal creative voice through intensive research, discussion, critique, and experimentation in glass. In this glassblowing master’s degree, you are given full access to a complete glass facility and individual studio space. Graduate studio courses, seminar courses, and in-depth critiques give you a deeper understanding of the craft of glass as you design pieces that flourish your personal expression.

Glassblowing Classes and More

The MFA in glass is a two-year program of study. An individual studio space serves to strengthen your technique and practice in designing glass artwork that reflects your personal expression of the medium. Graduate studio courses, seminar courses, and in-depth critiques are offered in conjunction with thesis planning and implementation to provide you with a deep understanding of glass. In addition to course work and creative production, you are exposed to a broad range of critical issues related to the conception and production of art, to inspire and provoke critical reflection and facilitate the development of a thesis exhibition and supporting documentation.

World-Class Glass Hot Shop and Facilities

You'll spend time creating in a range of top facilities designed for you to explore, learn, and develop your glassblowing and flameworking techniques. Many glassblowing classes take place in the Glass Hot Shop, where you will physically work with glass in its molten state in solid working, glass-blowing, and hot casting. In the Glass Flameworking Studio, you'll work intimately with glass rod and tubing at the torch. The Glass Cold Shop is a studio designated for processes that alter glass after it has been annealed. Each student is also assigned a Glass Workspace, designated areas for our advanced-level glass majors to have their own personal studio space to support the development of their individual research interests and creative work.

Studio Residency Program

The School of Art and the School for American Crafts are seeking candidates interested in pursuing glass-related research while contributing to the creative community of the glass program and the College of Art and Design. Learn more about the Glass Studio Residency Program.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

• Glass Artist
• Freelance Designer
• Professional Fabricator

Cooperative Education and Internships

What makes an RIT education exceptional? It’s the ability to complete relevant, hands-on career experience. At the graduate level, and paired with an advanced degree, cooperative education and internships give you the unparalleled credentials that truly set you apart. Learn more about graduate co-op and how it provides you with the career experience employers look for in their next top hires.

Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Your art and design co-ops will provide hands-on experience that enables you to apply your artistic capabilities in dynamic professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.

Cooperative education, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities are strongly encouraged for graduate students in the MFA in glass.

Creative Industry Days

Connect with Design Industry Leaders

RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education hosts Creative Industry Days, which connects students majoring in art, design, film and animation, photography, and select computing majors with companies, organizations, creative agencies, design firms, and more. Creative Industry Days are a series of events that allow you to network with company representatives and interview directly for open co-op and full-time employment positions.

Featured Work and Profiles

• 'To Be Decayed I'
• Artist Interview: Madeline Rile Smith '20
• Visiting Artist: Corey Pemberton
• Molten Glass 3D Printer
• Faculty featured in 'New Glass Review'
• Rewriting the language of glass art

Curriculum

Glass, MFA degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CGLS-601 | Glass Graduate Studio: Concepts | 6
  • CGLS-602 | Glass Graduate Studio: Practice | 6
  • STAR-701 | Technology in the Studio | 3
  • STAR-702 | Studio Art Research | 3
  • STAR-714 | Ideation and Series | 3
  • Open Electives | 6
  • Professional Elective | 3
• Second Year
  • CGLS-601 | Glass Graduate Studio: Concepts | 6
  • CGLS-602 | Glass Graduate Studio: Practice | 6
  • STAR-706 | Business Practices for Studio Artists | 3
  • STAR-718 | Research Methods and Publication | 3
  • STAR-790 | Research and Thesis | 3
  • STAR-890 | Thesis | 6
  • Open Elective | 3

Professional Electives

• ARTH-600+ | Any ARTH 600 level course or above
• IDEA-705 | Thinking About Making: The Practice of Art in a Global Society
• STAR-635 | Curating and Managing Art Spaces
• STAR-645 | Art Exhibition Critique
• STAR-758 | Studio Art Critique
• IDEA-776 | College Teaching

Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is available on-campus only.

• Offered: Full-time
• Admit Term(s): Fall
• Application Deadline: February 1 priority deadline, rolling thereafter
• STEM Designated: No

Application Details

To be considered for admission to the Glass MFA program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

• Complete an online graduate application.
• Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
• Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
• Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
• Submit two letters of recommendation.
• Entrance exam requirements: None
• Submit a portfolio. View portfolio requirements.
• Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic), if required.

English Language Test Scores

International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.

• TOEFL: 79
• IELTS: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 56

Faculty

• David Schnuckel
• Charlotte Mowris Fellow
• Suzanne Peck
• Lecturer

Facilities

• RIT City Art Space
• Glass Cold Shop
• Glass Kiln Room

Related News

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• RIT hosts glass 3D printer for research, multidisciplinary exploration