MFA Degree Requirements

The Masters of Fine Arts in Studio Art is a three-year program that emphasizes conceptual development and critical understanding of contemporary issues.

Graduate Advising

Degree Requirements

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

DESCRIPTION

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Ideation

DESCRIPTION

ART 696A – Contemporary Art: Concepts and Issues (taken in the first semester)

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

3 units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Studio Critique

DESCRIPTION

ART 642 – Graduate Interdisciplinary Critique (taken twice in the first four semesters0

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

6 units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Critical Methods

DESCRIPTION

ARH 531 – Studio Introduction to Contemporary Art (taken in the second semester)

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

3 Units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Professional Practice

DESCRIPTION

ART 596A – Graduate Professional Practice (taken in the fifth semester)

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

3 Units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Studio Art

DESCRIPTION

Coursework in studio art area, as approved by the student’s faculty advisor

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

33 units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Art History

DESCRIPTION

Selected from graduate-level Art History offerings (in addition to ARH 531).

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

6 Units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Electives

DESCRIPTION

Unrestricted electives, as approved by the student’s faculty advisor.

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

6 units

PROGRAM REQUIREMENT

Thesis Exhibition

DESCRIPTION

In lieu of a written thesis, an original group of works must be presented to the public in the form of a Thesis Exhibition.

REQUIRED NUMBER OF UNITS (60)

Funding

  • Through Graduate Assistantships and other forms of aid, students are guaranteed 3 years of full funding. This includes the full cost of tuition (students are still responsible for university, program and course fees) plus a $10,000 annual stipend.
  • GA’s, Tuition waviers, Fellowships
  • Production support- Marcia Grand Centiennial Award, Helen Gross Award
  • Travel support- Small Grants, Medici

Marcia Grand Centennial Sculpture Competition

Building on the excellence of its graduate programs, the Marcia Grand Centennial Sculpture Prize Competition is intended to provide MFA-seeking graduate students with up to $10,000 to support the completion of work in the sculptural/3D arts. The work supported by this award can be presented on or off campus; possible projects include:

  • Land-art
  • Site-specific sculpture/installation
  • “Traditional” sculptural work
  • Performance-based work incorporating 3 dimensional components.

Helen Gross Award

The Helen Gross Award is a generous gift from Joseph Gross to support talented young artists who have shown remarkable ability in their areas of study, along with a record of exhibitions of their own work as well as others. The scholarship is intended to provide MFA seeking graduates who have passed candidacy review with a $2,000 award to support the cost of their thesis exhibition. This award is presented at an annual luncheon hosted by Joseph Gross for the award recipient and the School of Art Director.

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