Masters Degrees in Painting, USA

Master of Arts in Studio Art (MA)

The MA degree in studio art requires completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate work, including at least 6 hours in art history, 15 hours in a major studio field, 3 hours of graduate seminar, 3 hours of graduate critiques, and 3 hours of art studio electives. Candidacy for the degree is determined by a review upon the completion of 18-24 semester hours. A thesis exhibition and an oral review are required for successful completion of the program. The degree program must be completed within six years.

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art (MFA)

All new graduate studio art students enter the MA program; admission to the MFA program is by recommendation of a faculty review committee, which meets at the time of the candidate’s MA thesis exhibition. This committee reviews the student’s progress upon the completion of a minimum of 30 graduate hours taken within the MA studio program. Hours must conform to the requirements of the MA program, representing completed coursework in studio and art history. The committee will recommend that the candidate continue within the MFA program or finalize studies at the University with a completed MA degree.

COURSEWORK

The MFA degree requires the completion of a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate work, including at least 9 hours of art history, 30 hours in a major studio area, 6 hours of graduate seminar, 6 hours of graduate critiques, and 9 hours of studio art or art history electives. The degree must be completed within six years of enrollment in the MA studio program. A graduate student may select a minor studio concentration of study or choose a variety of graduate level classes offered within the art department or approved graduate-level elective courses.

PUBLIC LECTURE

Admission to candidacy for the MFA degree is based on the delivery of a public lecture by the candidate addressing his or her research in the making and thinking of visual art. The lecture is followed by questions from the faculty to the candidate concerning all aspects of the research presented for candidacy to continue study toward the MFA degree. Successful candidacy is achieved when the candidate has proved able to coherently and clearly defend his or her research in dialogue with the faculty. The candidate must achieve and demonstrate proficiency in technique and accomplishment in addition to personal direction in the respective area of study.

THESIS EXHIBITION

A thesis exhibition is presented at the end of the candidate’s final term. During the exhibition, an oral examination is conducted by the student’s faculty committee. At that time the candidate defends the exhibition and his or her written artist’s statement.

REVIEW PROCEDURE

A graduate review committee is established by each graduate student. The committee must consist of no fewer than four faculty members and can have an unlimited number of approved graduate faculty. Required appointees to this committee include the department chairperson (director of graduate studies), the major area professor, an art historian, and another studio art or art history faculty member. The chairperson of the committee is the candidate’s major area professor.

Concentrations

Ceramics
Painting
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

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The MFA program in photography and related media emphasizes a broad interpretation of photography as a conceptual art form, with the intention of inspiring and nurturing the individuality of each student as a creative, productive artist. The program encourages graduate study in photography and related media as a means to personal, aesthetic, intellectual, and career development.

The curriculum provides a focus of study that is continually sensitive to the needs of each student, building upon the strengths each individual brings to the program. Successful completion of the program enables students to seek careers in fields including education, museum or gallery work, or as self-employed visual artists.

PROGRAM GOALS

The program provides students with the opportunity to use the still and moving image as a means to:

• pursue a professional career and earn a livelihood
• enrich their personal lives and society as a whole
• create a community of creativity, scholarship, and purpose 

PLAN OF STUDY

Distribution of work within these guidelines is subject to modification based upon the candidate’s background, abilities, and interests. An individualized course of study is prepared with the advice of the graduate faculty and made a matter of record. Modifications in this prescribed program thereafter must be approved and recorded.

Electives

Elective courses are available in areas such as, but not limited to, video, printmaking, painting, sculpture, communication design, crafts, bookmaking, graphic design, new media, computer graphics, art history, and archival preservation and conservation. A complete list of graduate electives is available through the student's adviser. There are also graduate electives offered throughout the university. Students also have opportunities to enhance their studies through independent studies and internships.

Thesis

Matriculation from the MFA program is obtained when the student has completed and mounted their graduate thesis exhibition, successfully passed their thesis defense, and submitted their thesis publication. The thesis must be an original body of work appropriate to the major commitment of the degree. The thesis publication is a professional, published presentation of the thesis project, which must be submitted, in both print and digital form. It must contain an extended artist statement and a presentation of the majority of thesis artwork. It is prepared for inclusion in the Wallace Library, the School's Archive, and the Graduate Annex Space. The verbal defense requires a public address by the student, discussion of the thesis project, and exhibition in a digital presentation format.

ACCREDITATION

The MFA program in photography and related media and the BFA program in photographic and imaging arts are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

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