Academic Programs

MFA in Art

The School of Art offers fine arts graduate study in the areas of Media, Studio, and Visual Communications. The MFA program focuses study on a particular emphasis within the various categories. Specializations are sculpture, ceramics, painting or printmaking; Media includes concentrations in film and media arts or photography. And finally, Visual Communication focuses largely on graphic design but also includes work in digital multimedia. The MFA program is intended to prepare students for careers as professional artists and designers and as the terminal degree, provides qualifications required to teach on the college level.

The MFA program is primarily a studio residency program. It is not a classroom structured program. Students in the MFA program must be self motivated and self disciplined, working under the direction of faculty advisors with regularly scheduled critiques. Graduate students are encouraged to develop their own personal style, imagery, and direction. They are expected to develop new skills and encouraged to build on existing ones. Successful student will demonstrate proficiency and self-confidence in the required thesis project or exhibition preparation for their careers as artists. A minimum of two years residency is required, although many students take three years to complete the program. The School will only provide access to studios for three years and rarely allows students to extend their studies beyond that time.