Department of Art
Chair and Professor Dial
Professors Brown, Friend, Martin
Associate Professors Evans, 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.