Master of Fine Arts Low-residency Program in Ceramics, Painting, or Sculpture

Program Total Credits: 60

These studio-based Master of Fine Arts degree programs are intended to broaden and advance the conceptual, critical, historical, and practical knowledge needed to sustain a contemporary studio. The programs have been designed to meet the needs of artists holding BFA or BA degrees who are interested in pursuing an MFA in either Ceramics, Painting, or Sculpture within a time frame that accommodates their employment or academic year schedule.

Departing from the traditional semester format, students enter this three-year program in summer and complete the major portion of their work during three annual eight-week summer residencies of intensive, individually focused studio experience. In addition to exploration in the major, students pursue interdisciplinary investigations in studio topics common to each discipline and address contemporary critical issues and methodology in University graduate seminars. During the fall and spring semesters, students complete independent studios, writing and research projects, and independent thesis preparations. Regional students maintain contact with studio faculty and present studio work at specific intervals throughout the off-campus semester and at final critiques held at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Non-regional students meet with assigned studio mentors in their geographic region for concurrent periodic and final critiques of in-progress and completed work. Off-campus writing and research projects are completed via mail or e-mail communication with seminar faculty. A final thesis review and exhibition is held following completion of the third summer.

Beginning with the entering class of June 2011, the low-residency program will be re-christened the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art. Students in the program will continue to be able to specialize in either Ceramics, Painting, or Sculpture, but gain new ability to explore across media and the other disciplinary boundaries.