Program Overview

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MFA in Studio Art Program Overview

The Department of Art & Art History offers a stimulating and collegial atmosphere in which to advance your artistic practice and earn an MFA in Studio Art from Utah's leading Tier-1 research institution. The graduate student-to-faculty member ratio provides the opportunity to receive individual and specialized attention. The open structure of our full-time MFA program allows you to work with a supervisory committee to develop your program of study. We are transitioning to a three-year, full-time MFA starting fall 2026.

Program Requirements

• The three-year residential MFA in Studio Art program is for those fully committed to living as artists through superior creative work, discipline, and self-motivation.
• In our interdisciplinary program, you can specialize in one of the following areas: Book Arts, Community-Based Art Education, Graphic Design*, Illustration, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Digital Imaging, Printmaking, and Sculpture Intermedia.
• However, you will be working towards an MFA in Studio Art, which is not specific to an art field, so you will be encouraged to pursue a multi-modal approach to creative research.
• By the end of the program, you will demonstrate a mature and intelligent conceptualization of your work and a general understanding of the different perspectives in contemporary art.
• You will have the opportunity to master the techniques and technologies needed to realize your career goals.

Program Coursework for General MFA in Studio Art

• To complete the three-year program, students must register for 10 credit hours per semester.
• Students awarded a teaching assistantship are required to register for a minimum of 9 credit hours.
• The Graduate School’s Tuition Benefit Program for a teaching assistantship applies to the first 12 hours per semester; tuition for the remaining hours and full tuition in the Summer Term is the student’s obligation.
• Your final program of study is determined with the help of your graduate committee.

Studio Art Specialization

• You will complete 26 hours with the faculty in your primary area of specialization.
• You will enroll in the 6000-level Graduate Project courses as directed studies.
• Before the semester begins, you must meet with the faculty member you wish to work with and formulate the objectives and goals of the class.
• Your Graduate Study Contract (available online) should include a description of the objectives and outline the frequency and scheduling of critiques.
• You and the faculty member must sign it before it is returned to the department's graduate coordinator.
• After you pay the course fee to the department, the graduate coordinator will issue you the class and permission numbers to enroll.
• All graduate coursework, except for a few classes such as ART 6810 Graduate Seminar (3 credits), has variable credit, generally from 2 to 6.
• You and the faculty member will decide how many credits you will earn for the 6000-level Graduate Project during the semester.

ART 6810 Graduate Seminar

• You will take ART 6810 (2 credit hours) each of the six semesters, totaling 12 credit hours.
• The class is offered in the fall and spring semesters, meeting once a week.
• The instructor will rotate among full-time faculty members, each bringing a different perspective each semester.
• The class focuses on conceptual issues, pedagogy, professional practices, and preparation to become a studio artist.

ART 6815 Graduate Critique

• You will take ART 6815 Graduate Critique (1 credit hour) each semester for the first two years for a total of 4 credit hours.
• The course is offered in the Fall and Spring semesters and meets once a week.
• The course will primarily focus on giving and receiving criticism of artwork and helping guide each student toward the concepts that will inform their MFA exhibition.
• The class will rotate faculty, similar to the Graduate Seminar, and each week will meet in a different studio.
• This time will also be available to visiting artists to work with graduates and conduct studio visits.

Allied Studio Credits

• Allied fields are research outside your studio specialization, perhaps in another discipline.
• You need to take a minimum of 10 hours.
• With the approval of your supervisory committee, you may take a graduate course from a different department (5000 level or above) within the university.
• This coursework should enrich your studio work or increase your awareness of the arts and humanities.

Art History Credits

• The Art History Program has established ARTH for the required 6 hours of art history coursework.
• The art history faculty member uses one of the numbers with one of their 4000-level lecture courses.
• You should consult the university schedule to find the 4000-level course you are interested in and email the professor for permission to enroll as an MFA student.
• The faculty member will provide the student with the appropriate ARTH 6000-level number.
• Almost all the 6000 Art History courses are for MA students, but the instructor may let MFA students sign up after they have contacted the instructor.

ART 6975 Final Project: MFA

• The course awards credits for studio work, research, and writing, culminating in the MFA Exhibition, an artist talk, a defense, and the submission of the Final Project Paper.
• Graduates sign up for a minimum of six credit hours, three hours of ART (the department chairperson is listed as the instructor of record), and three hours of ART (with the director of graduate studies as the instructor of record).
• You are allowed to sign up for 3 to 9 hours for each section.
• The graduate committee assigns the grade for each course and then submits it to the graduate coordinator, who ensures that the instructor of record inputs the final grades.
• Suppose the student signs up for the class but fails to complete the work on time.
• In that case, the instructor of record will issue a “T” grade, signifying continuing work until the final requirements are completed (MFA Exhibition, Final Oral Examination, Final Project paper, and MFA Exhibition Documentation).
• Once the final work is complete, the instructor of record submits a grade change to the registrar’s office to correct the grade.

Sample Schedule for MFA in Studio Art

Below is a sample schedule to complete your MFA in two years. You will be given a Program of Study worksheet to fill out with your graduate committee to help finalize your courses.

First Year

• Fall Semester
  • Course | Hours
  • ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
  • ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
  • Art History Course | 3
  • Independent Study Studio Hours | 4
  • Total Hours | 10
• Spring Semester
  • Course | Hours
  • ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
  • ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
  • Art History Course | 3
  • Independent Study Studio Hours or Warnock AIR Course | 4
  • Total Hours | 10

Second Year

• Course | Hours | Course | Hours
• ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2 | ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
• ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1 | ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
• Allied | 3 | Allied | 4
• Independent Study Studio Hours | 4 | Independent Study Studio Hours or Warnock AIR Course | 3
• Total Hours | 10 | Total Hours | 10

Third Year

• Course | Hours | Course | Hours
• ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2 | ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
• Allied | 3 | Independent Study Studio Hours | 2
• Independent Study Studio Hours | 3 | MFA Thesis Hours ART | 3
• Independent Study Studio Hours | 2 | MFA Thesis Hours ART | 3
• Total Hours | 10 | Total Hours | 10
• | | Grand Total | 60

Program Coursework for MFA in Community-Based Art Education

To complete the three-year program, students must register for 10 credit hours per semester. Students awarded a teaching assistantship are required to register for a minimum of 9 credit hours. The Graduate School’s Tuition Benefit Program for a teaching assistantship applies to the first 12 hours per semester; tuition for the remaining hours and full tuition in the Summer Term is the student’s obligation. Your final program of study is determined with the help of your graduate committee.

Studio Art Specialization

• You will complete 16 hours with the faculty in your primary area of specialization.
• You will enroll in the 6000-level Graduate Project courses as directed studies.
• Before the semester begins, you must meet with the faculty member you wish to work with and formulate the objectives and goals of the class.
• Your Graduate Study Contract (available online) should include a description of the objectives and outline the frequency and scheduling of critiques.
• You and the faculty member must sign it before it is returned to the department's graduate coordinator.
• After you pay the course fee to the department, the graduate coordinator will issue you the class and permission numbers to enroll.
• All graduate coursework, except for a few classes such as ART 6810 Graduate Seminar (3 credits), has variable credit, typically ranging from 2 to 6 credits.
• You and the faculty member will decide how many credits you will earn for the 6000-level Graduate Project during the semester.

ART 6560 - Graduate Art Education Seminar: Artist as Cultural Worker,

ART 6570 - Graduate Art in the Community: Art Education Beyond School Walls,

and ART 6580 - Graduate Art Teaching Practicum

• You are required to take 10 hours from a combination of these courses.
• With your committee, you will determine which class will be taken each semester and for how many hours.
• These courses are only taught by the arts teaching faculty, who will more than likely be on your graduate committee, making it easier to schedule these classes.

ART 6810 Graduate Seminar

• You will take ART 6810 (2 credit hours) each of the six semesters, totaling 12 credit hours.
• The class is offered in the fall and spring semesters, meeting once a week.
• The instructor will rotate among full-time faculty members, each bringing a different perspective each semester.
• The class focuses on conceptual issues, pedagogy, professional practices, and preparation to become a studio artist.

ART 6815 Graduate Critique

• You must take ART 6815 Graduate Critique (1 credit hour) each semester for the first two years for a total of 4 credit hours.
• The course is offered in the Fall and Spring semesters and meets once a week.
• The course will primarily focus on giving and receiving criticism of artwork and helping guide each student toward the concepts of their MFA exhibition.
• The class will rotate faculty, similar to the Graduate Seminar, and each week will meet in a different studio.
• This time will also be available to visiting artists to work with graduates and conduct studio visits.

Allied Studio Credits

• Allied fields are research outside your studio specialization, perhaps in another discipline.
• You need to take a minimum of 10 hours.
• With the approval of your supervisory committee, you may take a graduate course from a different department (5000 level or above) within the university.
• This coursework should enrich your studio work or increase your awareness of the arts and humanities.

Art History Credits

• The Art History Program has established ARTH for the required 6 hours of art history coursework.
• The art history faculty member uses one of the numbers with one of their 4000-level lecture courses.
• You should consult the university schedule to find the 4000-level course you are interested in and email the professor for permission to enroll as an MFA student.
• The faculty member will provide the student with the appropriate ARTH 6000-level number.
• Almost all the 6000 Art History courses are for MA students, but the instructor may let MFA students sign up after they have contacted the instructor.

ART 6975 Final Project: MFA

• The course awards credits for studio work, research, and writing, culminating in the MFA Exhibition, an artist talk, a defense, and the submission of the Final Project Paper.
• Graduates sign up for a minimum of six credit hours, three hours of ART (the department chairperson is listed as the instructor of record), and three hours of ART (with the director of graduate studies as the instructor of record).
• You are allowed to sign up for 3 to 9 hours for each section.
• The graduate committee assigns the grade for each course and then submits it to the graduate coordinator, who ensures that the instructor of record inputs the final grades.
• Suppose the student signs up for the class but fails to complete the work on time.
• In that case, the instructor of record will issue a “T” grade, signifying continuing work until the final requirements are completed (MFA Exhibition, Final Oral Examination, Final Project paper, and MFA Exhibition Documentation).
• Once the final work is complete, the instructor of record submits a grade change to the registrar’s office to correct the grade.

Sample Schedule for MFA in Community-Based Art Education

Below is a sample schedule to complete your MFA in two years. You will be given a Program of Study worksheet to fill out with your graduate committee to help finalize your courses.

First Year

• Fall Semester
  • Course | Hours
  • ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
  • ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
  • Art History Course | 3
  • ART 6560 - Graduate Art Education Seminar: Artist as Cultural Worker | 3
  • Total Hours | 9
• Spring Semester
  • Course | Hours
  • ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
  • ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
  • ART 6570 - Graduate Art in the Community: Art Education Beyond School Walls | 3
  • Independent Study Studio Hours or Warnock AIR Course | 5
  • Total Hours | 11

Second Year

• Course | Hours | Course | Hours
• ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2 | ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
• ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1 | ART 6815 Graduate Critique | 1
• Allied | 4 | Allied or Warnock AIR Course | 3
• Art History Course | 3 | ART 6580 - Graduate Art Teaching Practicum | 4
• Total Hours | 10 | Total Hours | 10

Third Year

• Course | Hours | Course | Hours
• ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2 | ART 6810 Graduate Seminar | 2
• Allied | 3 | Independent Study Studio Hours or Warnock AIR Course | 2
• Independent Study Studio Hours | 5 | MFA Thesis Hours ART | 3
• | | MFA Thesis Hours ART | 3
• Total Hours | 10 | Total Hours | 10
• | | Grand Total |60

Funding Information

The Department of Art & Art History provides students opportunities to serve as teaching assistants during the two-year program as part of the Tuition Benefit Program, which covers up to 24 in-state credit hours, all university fees, and health insurance. Per the Graduate School, all students with a Tuition Benefit will be offered 100% off in-state tuition (up to 12 credit hours per fall and spring semesters) and a stipend of $20,800 a year (stipends will increase for the next few years based on the Graduate School's requirements). We strive to offer all accepted students one of our Tuition Benefit packages. If you are not offered a TA position, we may offer scholarship assistance to incoming students studying specific artistic practices, and those amounts vary per year.

Additional Funding Information

Graduate students in good standing can apply for the Graduate Research Fellowship or Graduate Teaching Assistantship for their second year, which pays 100% in-state tuition for 24 credit hours and a stipend of over $28,500 (it increases almost every year). Please consult the Graduate Fellowship Opportunity website for further information on this and other financial aid resources.

The Graduate Student Professional Development Supplement Award is designed to support continuing graduate students in their individual professional development as scholars, researchers, and leaders. Professional development activities may include conferences or skill-building workshops, fine arts masterclasses, or juried performance competitions, for example, that support scholarly goals and career preparation. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. This supplemental award provides up to $300 to support expenses associated with an individual professional development activity. Should the proposed professional development activity include travel, the award may be up to $500. This award is a supplement and requires other program, college, or university support up to or exceeding the amount of the Graduate School supplementary award. For example, if a workshop costs $400, the Graduate School will provide a supplementary award of up to $200, provided that another university funding source covers the initial $200 or more.

The College of Fine Arts also has several financial opportunities for graduate students, including the CFA Graduate Research Grant, the CFA Dean's Fund for Excellence, and the CFA Individual Student Travel Grants. Please visit their website for further opportunities and information.

Individual Studio Space

The department attempts to provide all MFA graduate students with individual studio space in the Art Building. You may be required to share or relinquish your studio if it is insufficiently used. The Director of Graduate Studies reviews studio assignments each summer. Students in good standing may retain their studio for the length of the 2-year MFA program.

Building Access and Shared Facilities

The Art and Sculpture Buildings are wired for security and controlled access. Students need to have a University ID or U-Card to get access to the building. Once a student has their card, a department staff member can code the card through the C-cure system (pronounced "secure"). Graduate students are granted access to exterior doors and several shared shops/labs in the Art and Sculpture Buildings, including a computer lab (ART 169), darkroom (ART 264), print shop (ART 252), 3D FAB (ART 160G), woodshop and tool room (SCULP 184-185), plaster room (SCULP 181), kilns (SCULP 195), foundry (SCULP 182), sandblasting booth (ART 180), three spray booths (painting, woodshop, ceramics). Several studios use traditional keys, which may be granted to the students after learning safety and equipment operation procedures, specifically, the woodshop, 3D Fab studio, and the sandblasting area. The training is offered during the fall semester orientation and is led by the facilities supervisor.

The Facilities Supervisor is charged with maintaining specialized machines and equipment (excepting Dumke and computer labs) and should be informed immediately of theft or damage. The custodial staff does not clean these spaces, so all graduate students are expected to clean up after themselves and store their materials away from public areas. Graduate students have access to the Owen Reading Room (ART 365), a supplement to the Katherine W. Dumke Fine Arts and Architecture Division in the University's Marriott Library. The Reading Room has a collection of books, subscriptions to current issues of some art and art history periodicals. Back issues of all periodicals in the Reading Room are housed at Marriott Library. Checkout of materials in the Reading Room for short periods is restricted to faculty and TAs as the instructor of record for a class.

Student Insurance

Graduate students have the option to get health insurance coverage through the Graduate School as part of the Tuition Benefit Program.

Safety & Wellness

Your safety is our top priority. In an emergency, dial 911 or seek a nearby emergency phone (throughout campus). Report any crimes or suspicious people to 801-585-COPS; this number will get you to a dispatch officer at the University of Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS). If, at any time, you would like to be escorted by a security officer to or from areas on campus, DPS will help — just give them a call.

The University of Utah seeks to provide a safe and healthy experience for students, employees, and others who make use of campus facilities. In support of this goal, the University has established confidential resources and support services to assist students who may have been affected by harassment, abusive relationships, or sexual misconduct. A detailed listing of University Resources for campus safety can be found at

Your well-being is key to your personal safety. If you are in crisis, call ; help is close.

The university has additional excellent resources to promote emotional and physical wellness, including the Counseling Center, the Wellness Center, and the Women’s Resource Center. Counselors and advocates in these centers can help guide you to other resources to address a range of issues, including substance abuse and addiction.

University of Utah Title IX Information

The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX, the Department of Education, the Office for Civil Rights, etc.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, we encourage you to report it to Title IX in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action.

Department of Art & Art History MFA Family Leave Policy

Students who need time off for caregiving can take up to 16 weeks for a Family Leave of absence. Students who experience a medical condition associated with their pregnancy and need accommodations recommended by their medical provider should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX.

The OEO office will work with the student, cognizant faculty, and administration to determine reasonable and effective accommodations. The student will be ineligible for financial support and may be required to relinquish individual studio space during the semester of familial leave.

Please talk with the Director of MFA Graduate Studies if you wish to apply for Family Leave.

Minimum Registration

By University policy, you must maintain a minimum registration (Fall and Spring) of one credit hour per semester until you complete all MFA degree requirements, including the semester in which you schedule your MFA Exhibition and Final Oral Examination. Summer terms are not included in this requirement. You will not graduate until all Department, College, and Graduate School requirements in this handbook are satisfied.

If you do not maintain minimum registration or submit an official Graduate Student Request for Leave of Absence, your Supervisory Committee will be terminated, and you will be put on inactive status by the Graduate School. You must reapply to the Graduate School Admissions Office to reactivate your file. According to University policy, four consecutive calendar years are the maximum length for completing MFA degree requirements. Your permanent record is maintained in the College of Fine Arts.