Art Degrees Online

Master of Fine Arts Degree

The graduate program leading to the M.F.A. degree is a 60 semester-hour degree program comprised of 18 hours in the major, 12 hours in art history, 24 hours of related arts, and six hours of graduate seminar. Candidates for the Master of Fine Arts degree are encouraged to complete all course work for the degree within three years to ensure the sustained concentration requisite to the achievement of quality work at the graduate level. Students must complete the degree program within five years. Additionally, students are required to complete one academic year in residence during the course of their degree program. This residency is defined as 18 semester hours comprising a minimum of nine semester hours taken in two consecutive semesters.

Throughout the program of study, student will be evaluated on a regular basis. A progress review is required during each semester of enrollment in the graduate program.

Upon completion of all course work for the degree, all graduate students present their work in a thesis exhibition at the Blaffer Gallery, with accompanying photographic documentation. The creative work and supporting documentation will represent the visual thesis. In addition, students must produce a written thesis, normally in the first semester of the final year of work for the degree, and pass a comprehensive oral examination conducted at the time of the Thesis Exhibition. The examination will cover students’ knowledge of their major discipline, of art history, and of related areas of art.

Today’s media artist has access to more processes, more means of presentation, and more methods of distribution for their art than ever before. The Photography / Digital Media program prepares artists to take full advantage of the traditional and contemporary modes of creating, manipulating, printing and/or publishing their photographs, lens-based artworks, and media art productions. Students are expected to develop their own identities as artists, as well as learn the technical, historical, and critical approaches to studio practices in their field. They also are encouraged to bring a strong sense of individualism and imagination to the program.