Department of Art
Chairperson and Professor Dial
Professors Brown, Friend, Martin
Associate Professors Evans and Kovacs
Associate Professor Emeritus Obermayr
Assistant Professor Granger
Affiliate Instructor Vaughn
Master of Fine Arts in Art
The MFA degree is the recognized terminal degree in the studio
arts. The MFA program is designed to refine the visual art skills
of the graduate student in a particular area or areas of
concentration by providing the instruction, facilities and time
for the student both to develop a significant body of studio work
and to expand his or her intellectual horizons in preparation for
a rewarding professional career.
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the
Graduate School, each applicant must submit a portfolio of work,
either color slides or actual paintings, drawings, etc., to the
Art Department for approval. Admission portfolio should consist
of work from preferred studio area(s) indicating control and
capability. Remedial work may be suggested. The portfolio of
slides will be retained by the department for students who are
accepted and enroll into the program. Twelve undergraduate
credits in art history are required for admission or must be
completed in addition to the graduate program before admission to
candidacy.
Basic requirements are a minimum of 60 credits in graduate
courses approved by the Department of Art and the Graduate
School. A minimum of six credits must be in the area of art
history, and a minimum of 12 credits must be thesis project. The
student may elect, as a program option, to take up to six credits
in other related areas outside the Art Department. These courses
must be departmentally approved. Students are required to
complete ART 601 and ART 621. The department will accept a grade
of C in one class as long as the minimum overall 3.0 GPA is
maintained. The student will have the opportunity to repeat the
course.
Each candidate for the MFA degree must exhibit a one-person show
during the last semester before the granting of the degree. A
collection of slides of the exhibit must be turned in to the Art
Department at this time. The thesis project consisting of
original creative work by the candidate is the focal point of all
the work necessary to the granting of the degree. The MFA degree
is the terminal degree in the field of the visual arts. The
candidate should have the time and opportunity to create a
significant body of work which demonstrates a professional level
of competency within a unified creative point of view. A minimum
of two years of participation in the program is required for this
goal. An oral examination is held concurrently with the thesis
project show. Additional information is available from the
Department of Art.
Art Graduate Courses
g422 World Arts 3 credits. Study of the art produced in cultures
outside of the western tradition. Topics include pre-Hispanic art
of Mexico, Central and South American art, and North American
Indian art, Oceanic art, and the art of Africa south of the
Sahara.
g423 Nineteenth Century Art 3 credits. History of the visual arts
from the beginning of the l9th century up to the advent of
Cubism.
g424 Twentieth Century Art 3 credits. History of the visual arts
from Cubism to the present.
g425 Contemporary Art Forms 3 credits. PREREQ: ART 423 or 424 or
permission of the instructor. The study of the major developments
of art as an expression of contemporary society. Emphasis on art
since l950.
g426 Seminar in Art History 3 credits. Extensive reading and
discussion in Art History and aesthetics under the supervision of
the instructor. May be repeated up to 6 credits.
g431-g432 Advanced Printmaking 3 credits. Advanced work in
printmaking. Choice of medium. PREREQ: ART 331 and 332.
g441-g442 Advanced Painting and Composition 3 credits. Special
projects and experimental individual work for advanced students.
PREREQ: ART 341 and 342.
g451-g452 Advanced Metals-Jewelry 3 credits. Experimental work.
Individual projects may include plastics, electroplating,
electroforming, advanced fabrication, anodizing or raising
techniques. PREREQ: ART 351 and 352.
g461-g462 Advanced Weaving 3 credits. Experimental work.
Individual projects may include on-loom and off-loom techniques,
dyeing processes, basketry, or multilayered fabrics. PREREQ: ART
361 or HEC 353.
g471-g472 Advanced Ceramics 3 credits. Individual projects may
include ceramic sculpture, mosaics or experimental problems in
form and techniques. PREREQ: ART 371 or 372.
g481-g482 Advanced Sculpture 3 credits. Experimental work with an
emphasis on scale and environmental problems. PREREQ: ART 381 or
permission of instructor.
597 Professional Education Development Topics. Variable credit.
May be repeated. A course for practicing professionals aimed at
the development and improvement of skills. May not be applied to
graduate degrees. May be graded S/U.
601 Independent Study in Drawing 3 credits (required).
Individualized course designed to address drawing-specific
concerns: technical, material, and/or conceptual possibilities
inherent to various drawing media. May be repeated for a total of
6 credits.
621 Graduate Seminar 3 credits (required). Reading and
discussion of theories and practices related to the production
and presentation of studio art under the supervision of the
instructor. Student s will research and prepare written
presentations for weekly seminar discussion and evaluation.
Required.
635 Research in Studio or Theory 4 credits. Investigation of
technical, material, and/or aesthetic/theoretical problems in art
history/studio areas under the supervision of the instructor.
640 Experimental Problems in Studio 4 credits. Experimentation
in technical, material, and aesthetic problems in a studio area
under the supervision of the instructor.
645 Studio variable credit. Studio work under the supervision of
the instructor. May be repeated up to l2 credits.
649 Thesis Proposal l credit. Summary of the objectives and
goals of the thesis project prepared under supervision of the
student's advisor. Concurrent with application for admission to
candidacy.
650 Thesis Project variable credit; l2 credits required minimum.
Preparation and presentation in a one-person show of a
significant body of work which demonstrates a professional level
of competency within a unified creative point of view. An
exhibition and slides of the works are required by the department
under the supervision of the candidate's advisor. A graduate
faculty orals committee will review and approve or disapprove the
show and thesis proposal. PREREQ: ART 649. May be repeated up to
l6 credits.
699 Special Topics l-4 credits.
Department of Biological Sciences