Program Overview

MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts

The MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts is a low-residency program that offers students the opportunity to explore their creative potential in a supportive and stimulating environment.

Program Structure

The program consists of two, intensive ten-day on-campus residencies during summer and winter sessions over the course of 2.5 years. During each residency, students take two to three courses that range from studio practice to critical theory. Between residencies, students return to their home studios to focus on their own studio practice, participating in one-on-one mentorships with an assigned faculty member and an online seminar with their peers.

Recommended Course of Study

The recommended course of study for the program is as follows:

• First semester:
  • Interdisciplinary Fundamentals
  • Special Topics in Studio Practices
  • Critical Thinking Seminar
  • 1:1 Mentorship
• Second semester:
  • Midway Exhibition
  • Special Topics in Studio Practices
  • Critical Thinking Seminar
  • 1:1 Mentorship
• Third semester:
  • Interdisciplinary Fundamentals
  • Special Topics in Studio Practices
  • Critical Thinking Seminar
  • 1:1 Mentorship
• Fourth semester:
  • Interdisciplinary Fundamentals
  • Special Topics in Studio Practices
  • Critical Thinking Seminar
  • Collaborative Strategies
• Fifth semester:
  • Thesis Exhibition
  • Studio Visits
  • Practicum
  • 1:1 Mentorship

On-Ground Residencies

The program consists of two, intensive ten-day on-campus residencies during summer and winter sessions over the course of 2.5 years.

• Winter residency – Early January
• Fall residency – Early August

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of recently offered courses?

• Interdisciplinary Fundamentals:
  • Interdisciplinary Practices
  • High Desert Installation
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Experiential Learning
• Special Topics in Graduate Studio Practices:
  • Four Days to Feature-Film Your Alter Ego
  • Radical Healing Through Performance
  • Opposites Attract, Opposites Impact!
  • Embodied Research and Alternative Documentation
  • The Formless
  • Making Art When the World is on Fire
  • The Ineffable, The Unthinkable, The Unrepresentable
  • The Mobile Museum
  • On the Subject of Community
• Critical Thinking Seminar:
  • Context and Culture of Contemporary Theory and Practice
  • Modes of Thought
  • Curatorial Practices and Art Writing
  • Alternative Modes of Display
• Mentorships:
  • Mentored Studio Practice
  • Mentored Midway Exhibition Design
  • Mentored Exhibition Design
  • Developing Studio Language

How do students spend their time during the residencies?

During each residency, students take two to three courses that range from studio practice to critical theory. They challenge notions of site, context, and installation. As students move through the program, they work towards their own midway and final exhibitions.

How is this program different from other low-residency MFA programs?

The MFA-IA program is specifically geared towards people with active lives outside of school. While we are a full-time program, we consciously designed the ten-day residencies with the notion that not everyone can take off for an entire summer, or for multiple weeks at a time.

What is the general arc of a student moving through this program?

The program consists of five, ten-day residencies with corresponding coursework between each residency. This takes place during conventional fall and spring semesters. Generally, students take 12 credits each semester, spread out over the residency and semester.

What is the average age of a student in this program?

The average age of our current students is mid-30s. However, we have had students fresh out of undergrad through to their 70s.

What equipment is available for students to use during their time on campus?

The Holman Arts and Media Center is entirely available to MFA students during their residencies. We have a full print shop, photo lab (both digital and analogue), a sculpture/metal shop, a ceramics studio, and access to 3D modeling software and production.

Do I need to have studied art officially before pursuing an MFA?

No, you do not. In fact, our emphasis on "interdisciplinary" is based on our interest in cultivating conversations with people from a multiplicity of backgrounds and experience. While some of our students have come from traditional fine art backgrounds, many are coming to us with degrees in the sciences, in politics and activism, in education, or in multi-media design.