Program Requirements
Degree Program Requirements
Candidates for the MFA in Visual Arts may choose a concentration in either Painting or Illustration.
Every student is expected to complete the Art Colloquium plus 56 credits of study under the guidance of his or her mentor/adviser and with approval of the program coordinator.
All candidates must maintain a consistent minimum GPA standard of 3.0. With adviser’s approval, independent studio courses may be taken in small increments over several semesters.
Required Courses: |
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| ART 510 | Art Colloquium | 4 SH |
| ART 511 | Advanced Independent Studies in Art History (To be taken incrementally over first three semesters) | 9 SH |
| ART 512 | Individual Introductory Graduate Studio (in area of emphasis) | 3-6 SH |
| ART 520 | Individual Applied Studio I | 3-6 SH |
| ART 521 | Individual Applied Studio II | 6 SH |
| ART 530 | Advanced Individual Studio I | 12-15 SH |
| ART 531 | Advanced Individual Studio II | 9 SH |
| ART 580 | Practicum Internship | 3-6 SH |
| ART 581 | Individual Introductory Graduate Studio in Related Area | 3-6 SH |
| ART 590 | Thesis Exhibition | 6 SH |
(In all studio courses, each course hour requires three hours of applied studio work per week)
Assessment
The recipient of the MFA will attain a certifiable level of technical proficiency and the ability to make art. However, earning the degree does not necessarily guarantee an ability to teach this proficiency to others. When work toward the MFA has been concentrated in a particular medium, there should be complete professional mastery of that medium. Candidates whose preparation has been broader and less specialized must still meet the critical demands of the profession by convincingly demonstrating expertise and knowledge in a number of areas. Ongoing critiques with the students’ mentors and visiting artists will be a integral component of the evaluation process. It is customary for these critiques to periodically include the other students. A review of the students’ progress will take place prior to admission to their final semester. Since the profession demands from MFA degree recipients an ability ‘to make art,’ a faculty, institutional, and public review of the final product is necessary. As a final step prior to receiving the degree, each MFA candidate is required to mount a substantial exhibition of his/her work.
