Art, MFA

Program Overview

The University of Wisconsin–Madison's MFA program in Art offers a diverse range of studio areas, fostering an interdisciplinary approach. With a distinguished faculty of practicing artists, the program provides individualized instruction, critical thinking development, and opportunities for exhibition and professional growth. Graduates pursue successful careers in various art-related fields, including studio practice, education, curation, and design.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Art Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison offers a wide selection of areas of study, and the MFA program encourages an inter-disciplinary approach to art making. The graduate program in art currently includes approximately fifty graduate students and thirty-one full-time faculty. The faculty is a distinguished group of professional artists who are active in the research and exhibition of their work and are also devoted teachers. An important strength of the graduate program lies in the breadth and diversity of its faculty. The program continues to grow and provides a wealth of artistic experiences for its students.

Outline:

Printmaking

• Relief Printing
• Screen Printing
• Etching/Intaglio
• Lithography
• Digital Printmaking

Graphic Design and Typography

Photography

Books, Letterpress, and Paper Making

Drawing and Painting

Sculpture

Woodworking and Furniture Design

Ceramics

Glass

Metals

4-D

Digital Media

Assessment:

First-Year Reviews

Near the end of the second semester, students will exhibit the work and research they have achieved during their first year. Including new processes, conceptual
arrative developments, current challenges, and future goals. The committee comprised of departmental faculty will use a review rubric to assess the students standing in the program. A completed assessment form with adjoining notes will be returned to each student and their first-year faculty advisor. The assessment is in addition to critique and feedback from the committee during the review. Students will either pass or be placed on probation. Probation is a recognition of subpar performance based on the review rubric qualifications. Any prevailing concerns will be addressed by the student's first-year faculty advisor and re-evaluated by their Graduate Committee during their qualifying exhibition the following academic year.

MFA Qualifiers

Students will host a solo exhibition of their work during the fourth semester of the program. This exhibition serves as an opportunity for the student to meet with their committee to discuss their research as it relates to contemporary studio practice and content, historical context, and formal issues. The qualifier functions as a critique in which students can expect to defend the work and field specific questions asked by their committee. After the hour-long meeting, the committee will give the student a list of questions that the student will write responses to. Two weeks following the exhibition, the student submits their written responses for evaluation. The committee will then approve the student to advance in the program.

Final MFA Exhibition

After the successful completion of the qualifier, students will host a solo exhibition of their work. This exhibition takes place during the sixth semester of the program. The students’ committee will come together one time to discuss the candidates’ masters body of work along with the decisions the student made in presenting both their work and research. At this meeting, students should expect to defend not only their practice but be able to articulate evidence of their academic research as it relates to the exhibited works. After the hour-long meeting, the committee will convene and make their recommendations for the conferring of the MFA degree.

Teaching:

The graduate program in art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to providing students with the highest quality of instruction and mentorship. The faculty is composed of distinguished artists, scholars, and teachers who are dedicated to helping students develop their artistic practice and critical thinking skills. The program offers a wide range of courses in all areas of art, including studio art, art history, and theory. Students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty in small classes and receive individualized feedback on their work. The program also offers a variety of opportunities for students to exhibit their work and participate in professional development activities.

Careers:

Graduates of the MFA program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison go on to successful careers in a variety of fields, including:

• Studio artists
• Art educators
• Curators
• Museum directors
• Art critics
• Art administrators
• Graphic designers
• Web designers
• Photographers
• Videographers
• Filmmakers
• Animators
• Game designers
• Architects
• Landscape architects
• Interior designers
• Fashion designers
• Jewelry designers
• Craft artists
• Art therapists
• Art conservators
• Art historians
• Art theorists