Fine Arts - M.A. and M.F.A. Download to print

The Master of Arts and the Master of Fine Arts in Fine Arts emphasizes intensive personal investigation and the development of strong aesthetic and conceptual understanding. In addition to time in their own studio, graduate students have opportunities to enhance existing skills and knowledge by observing undergraduate class demonstrations and critiques.  Areas of study within the program are painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture. The M.F.A. is the terminal degree in the studio arts and is a requirement for those who intend to teach fine arts in higher education.

The Fashion concentration in the M.A. in Fine Arts is a "fashion lens" approach that allows for advanced fashion practice from a number of different perspectives, such as technology implementation, management, design processes, sustainability and product development. The program also addresses emerging trends in the fashion industry towards increased growth in entrepreneurism in small to medium sized businesses with a specific interest in manufacturing locally or within the United States. Admission to Fashion has been suspended as of spring 2015.

Official transcript(s); goal statement(s); three letters of recommendation; curriculum vitae;  a 250-500 word “artist statement"; and portfolio. Students applying to the Fashion concentration must also submit past visual (portfolio) and/or written academic work (paper) that demonstrates capabilities. A minimum 5-10 examples of work or significant term paper or project. Portfolios can be up to two 25MB max/documents (50MB max/form) in .pdf format. Minimum of a 3.000 college GPA (or a standard GMAT or GRE if GPA is below 3.000 for conditional admissions).

Please refer to the university policy for graduate admission.

M.A. for students not in the Fashion concentration: Minimum 32 total credit hours. After completing 20 hours of coursework, M.A. candidates present a body of current art work to a committee of three to five faculty members for review and discussion. As the final project for the M.A. degree, candidates mount an exhibition of selected works, introduce it through a written statement and defend it to a committee of three to five faculty members.

M.A. Fashion concentration: Minimum 30 total credit hours, comprising 24 hours of graded coursework and a minimum of 6 hours of thesis or project.

M.F.A.: Minimum 60 total credit hours.
 

1. Students overall thesis project is of a high quality
2. Student thesis projects demonstrate a high quality and knowledge of methods and processes pertaining to their chosen media.
3. Students thesis projects demonstrate a high quality of formal and conceptual knowledge and understanding.
4. Student exhibition is well presented in the gallery or exhibition venue, considering lighting, signage and overall presentation concerns.
5. Students are able to articulate the conceptual and formal ideas in their thesis exhibition. 
6. Students are able to write articulately about their work.

Successful completion of the Candidacy Review Examination is a requirement in every School of Art graduate program. In the studio majors, it is scheduled after half of the program has been completed. Successful completion of the examination designates the student as a candidate for the degree.

The M.A. Fashion concentration requires a thesis proposal evaluation in lieu of Candidacy Review.

National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)