Graduate Programs
Degree Programs
M.F.A. in Visual Art and Public Life
The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Visual Art and Public Life is a 60-credit hour program of study that provides students with an in-depth, professional-level understanding of visual art planning, production, and presentation. Students may pursue one of three emphasis areas for this program: Furniture Design, Sculpture, or Printmaking. The program consists of a systematic sequence of educational opportunities for students to gain fluency in the practices and issues involved in creating original works of visual art and developing their careers within contemporary society. The Master of Fine Arts degree is recognized by the art and design professions as the terminal degree in the studio arts.
The objectives of the program are: (1) to create coursework and experiences in which students examine and learn to shape the formal, thematic, theoretical, social, cultural, cognitive, and technological aspects of visual art; (2) to develop university and community-based collaborations that facilitate learning and research opportunities; (3) to provide opportunities for developing leadership in the professional practice of visual art and to prepare graduates for a range of specialized careers, from university-level teaching to creative entrepreneurship to employment by urban arts organizations to work as independent artists; (4) to foster an exploration of visual art as an intellectual and experimental practice that is rooted in a specific time and place; (5) to engage students in studio activity that is placed in a professional context, from making work to its presentation, installation, marketing, and critical analysis; and (6) to provide students with the intellectual flexibility to research, plan, design, fabricate, and complete work utilizing a variety of processes in a variety of settings for a variety of purposes.
To complete the degree, students are required to present a final, substantial body of original artwork in an exhibition (or other significant public presentation of a major body of work), documentation of the exhibition, and completion of a written thesis, all demonstrating a high level of professional achievement. The thesis project is a culmination of the graduate experience in which students develop professional expertise in their field as active studio artists including professional practice and research.