Program Overview

Art - MFA

The master of fine arts, the preferred degree, is a three-year, 60-credit terminal degree in the visual arts field, the equivalent of PhD programs in other fields. The program is selective and highly competitive, with only a small number of openings each year.

About This Degree

Prospective students must exhibit both academic excellence and a well-developed personal artistic vision.

What You Will Learn

Because the program is so selective, students pursuing the MFA have individual attention from professors and are able to customize their studies to fit their artistic goals. The MFA program is designed to allow students to mature to a level of professional competence in the making of art. Students are also encouraged to exhibit their work. There are several venues on campus for this purpose, but students are also commonly invited to exhibit in national and international shows.

Specialization

Students must choose an emphasis in one of the following areas:

• Ceramics: In this emphasis, students are acquainted with the technology of ceramic materials and the firing processes to aid them in developing sound craftsmanship. Additionally, students receive inspiration and instruction from the ceramics collection of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum on campus, numerous ceramics exhibitions, and visiting guest artists.
• Drawing and Painting: This emphasis includes the two-dimensional study of form and space, as well as the exploration of drawing and painting media, graphic elements, and visual dynamics.
• Graphic Design: Students in graphic design complete a variety of courses that involve working with symbols, trademarks, typography, layout, and all formats of print and publication design. Illustration, digital imaging, motion graphics, animation, and interactive media are also part of the graphic design curriculum.
• Photography: Rooted in fine art and documentary traditions and guided in our belief in photography's critical role in contemporary culture, the USU Photo MFA invites students to develop thoughtful visual practices marked by rigor, empathy, and community engagement. Candidates incorporate a range of techniques–from 19th-cen. processes to digital technologies–and are supported through generous resources including private studios and professional equipment. Competitive assistantships allow students to serve as TA's in year 1 and teach their own courses in years 2-3.
• Printmaking: Printmaking covers the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just a photographic reproduction of the painting. It can be done by etching, woodcut, silk screen, lino cut, etc.
• Sculpture: Students in the sculpture emphasis investigate specific problems involving technical, aesthetic, and conceptual considerations of sculptures. Students will also develop their own direction based on their experience with form, materials, and techniques, and their understanding of traditional concerns and contemporary issues.
• Interior Design: The interior design program gives students a knowledge base of traditional aesthetics and historical precedent emphasizing a strong foundation based on the study of art and design.

At a Glance

• College: College of Arts & Sciences
• Department: Art and Design Department
• USU Locations: Logan campus

Program Requirements

• Art - MFA

Career And Outcomes

Career Opportunities

Students graduating with an MFA generally go on to work as studio artists in their respective fields. Students may also pursue careers as teachers in higher education, a field in which graduates of the program have historically high placement.

Admission

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have earned a BFA degree in the visual arts, or the equivalent (i.e. the same amount of studio and art history credits that USU requires for a BFA).

Application Requirements:

• Complete the online application
• Pay the $55 application fee
• Have a 3.0 or higher GPA on your last 60 semester or 90 quarter credits
• Provide official transcripts of all college/university credits
• Provide three contacts for letters of recommendation
• A portfolio of recent work (20 digital images saved on a single PDF file)

Deadlines

The department has the following deadline:

• Fall semester – February 1

Plan Options

Students receiving the MFA must complete the following plan option:

• The Plan B option, which requires the production of a creative work of art, and is expected to reflect equivalent scholarship standards as a thesis. For MFA students, this work of art is a visual thesis presentation.

Financial Aid

The department funds various scholarships and teaching assistantships, and traditionally almost all students seeking assistance receive some kind of support. A variety of funding opportunities are available on the graduate school website.