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Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

The Master of Fine Arts degree consists of 60 credit hours and requires a minimum of two years of full-time study in residence, but in some cases may require a fifth semester.

The breakdown of 60 credits (effective Fall 2003) is as follows:

29 Studio credits. Studio/lab courses offered in other departments may be used to fulfill this requirement with pre-approval of the graduate director.

6 credits (2 courses) of critique-based graduate seminars

4 credits (2 courses) of Topics, Aesthetics and Contemporary Criticism Seminar

6 credits Thesis Project Supervision (register same semester as exhibit or thesis presentation)

3 credits (1 course) Art 521 Introduction to Critical Theory

6 credits (2 courses) graduate level Art History. One relevant course in another department might be substituted with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

6 credits of academic electives (500 level or above). Only courses with a writing or theoretical component are acceptable. Popular choices are offered in the Departments of Media Study, Women’s Studies, English and Comparative Literature as well as additional Art History courses.

An Academic Approval form signed by the Director of Graduate Studies is needed in order to receive credit for electives.

Four hundred (400) level undergraduate courses might be requested for graduate credit only if they are upgradeable to the 500 level by the instructor. Each course must have a signed approval by the instructor and be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in advance of registration and the Graduate School must be petitioned for approval.

Each graduate student is guided in his or her research by a committee of three faculty members, one of whom acts as principal advisor. Group critiques and program seminars bring together the faculty and students to discuss ongoing work and other issues of current concern.

MFA plan/guide for how the program progresses each semester

Please note that several courses vary in number of credits taken, such as ART 690: Graduate Project Supervision and ART 599 & 699: Graduate Research 1 & 2.

First Year - Fall

First Year - Spring

Second Year - Fall

Second Year - Spring

If you are a Teaching Assistant you must register for one credit of Supervised teaching per semester - this does not count in your 60 total credits.

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