Program Overview

The Graduate School

The Graduate School at Georgia State University offers a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Ceramics program that emphasizes professional skills and achievements, fostering personal direction, diversity, technical proficiency, and professional presentation.

Program Description

The Ceramics program offers a highly progressive curriculum that considers ceramics as a broad-based, interdisciplinary practice, providing a strong foundation in the history of the discipline and fostering technical mastery of the material. The individual direction of each student is further developed and focused through intensive time in the studio, group interaction across disciplines, and periodic critical reviews.

Program Highlights

• M.F.A. degree that is NASAD accredited
• Funding opportunities, including scholarships and full funding for the master's degree journey
• The competitive Welch Fellowship provides monthly stipends and funds students for the entire three years of study

Admissions Requirements

Applicants for the M.F.A. degree must submit:

• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose, including academic interests, proposed area of specialization, and long-range career goals
• Portfolio, demonstrating creativity and commitment in a cohesive body of work, submitted via the online application
• Unofficial transcript from all other schools attended
• A curriculum vitae (CV)
• The online portion of the application

Curriculum

The requirements for an M.F.A. include:

• Professional Development: 12 units
  • Pedagogy
  • Teaching Practicum
  • Professional Practices
  • Thesis Writing
• Studio-Specific Courses: 30 units
  • Graduate Studio/Design Seminars
  • Graduate Studio/Design Practice
• Electives: 6 units, variable, outside the area of specialization
• Art History: 12 units, graduate-level courses
• Thesis: 12 units, intensive work with a thesis committee

Total Units Required

72 units

Assistantships

Graduate assistants work as tutors, aid faculty members in research projects, supervise laboratories, and teach undergraduate courses. Assistantships are normally awarded only to students enrolled full-time in their degree programs.

Goals and Outcomes

Upon completion of the M.F.A. program, students will have:

• Comprehensive exposure to an array of perspectives represented by the faculty
• Explored continuing traditions of art-making in pursuit of new forms and contemporary issues
• Developed pedagogical skills and strategies with teaching assistantships
• Prepared for a professional arts career through development workshops

Careers

The graduate programs prepare students for competitive careers in contemporary art, art education, design, and art entrepreneurship, including graphic designers, interior designers, multimedia artists, curators, and more.

Description of the Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design

The school features an internationally active faculty and a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for professional careers in art and design. The programs foster critical thinking and dynamic artistic production in an interdisciplinary environment.