Master of Arts Degree

download this information as a PDF file
download Recommendation form as a PDF file

Admissions

Deadlines
(Note destination of materials due to either or both the Graduate Admissions Office and the SFA School of Art)

• April 1 for summer or fall admissions.
• October 1 for spring admission.
• February 1 to be considered for assistantships funded by the Alumni Office.

Requirements

42 semester credit hours studio art, 18 hours art history for clear admission
2.5 GPA overall, 3.0 GPA in major for clear admission

Submit to the Graduate Admissions Office:

• Application form
• Official transcript from the institution granting the undergraduate degree and any previous graduate work
• Application fee

Submit to the School of Art Office:

• Application form
• Transcripts (copies or originals) of all undergraduate and any previous graduate work
• Incoming students must have 42 hours studio, 18 art history
  Students who do not meet these requirements will be required to do leveling work.
• Portfolio of images presented in slide format, CD, or a mix, if appropriate (minimum of 20 and maximum of 30 images)
• Three recommendation forms, at least one of which must be from a practicing professional and/or major professor in an art related field
• Autobiographical sketch / career goals (no more than two pages)

Assessment

The Graduate Advisor and/or the Director of the School of Art will review application materials.

Portfolios will be reviewed by the Graduate Portfolio Review Committee and the head of the applicant's area of major concentration, if that area is not represented on the Committee. The quality of the student's work is the most important factor in admission; GPA and recommendation forms are the other criteria.

Time limit

Normally, the MA is completed within two years. 
Students must complete the requirements for the MA degree within four years of admission to the program.

Graduate Advising/Degree Plan

Graduate Students are responsible to know University and School of Art policies and procedures and to keep track of their progress through the program.  To assist students in this endeavor, the School's Graduate Advisor will provide guidance and instruction and work with the Director of the School of Art and the Graduate Faculty to maintain records and review the students' progress. 

Prior to registering for courses, new graduate students are to meet with the Graduate Advisor to:

1. Set up an initial degree plan sheet, which may be revised later in consultation with the Graduate Advisor or Director of the School.
2. Be advised and receive a current copy of this Graduate Guide and the Art History Studio Study Guide, MA Comprehensive Exam.

Returning Graduate Students are to meet for advising with the Graduate Advisor or the Director of the School prior to registering for courses.  The student’s major professor may be consulted. 

All Graduate Students must attend the initial School of Art Graduate Student Orientation meeting each semester. Graduate students are expected to contribute to the cultural life of the School of Art and participate in its activities. Graduate Students are role models for their undergraduate counterparts and should conduct themselves accordingly by taking a leadership role in attending School of Art events (such as gallery openings, guest presentations) and by actively participating in special programs (workshops, symposia, etc.).

Curriculum

Incoming students must take at least one three-hour upper level course with the major professor(s) of their area of concentration in their first semester.  Some areas may require an additional three hours in the first term. 

Description of Courses

• ART 501 is a required art history course exploring the history of ideas and theories of modern art.
• ART 530 / 531 are studio courses that are team-taught, with group critiques.
• ART 575 / 576 are courses of independent study with a professor -- approval of the instructor, the director, and the dean is required before registration.
• ART 592 is a professional practices course appropriate for those students seeking to enter the profession as academics and those seeking gallery representation.
• ART 597 is a special topics course conducted as a class rather than independent study; with approval of the Graduate Advisor, these classes are taken where appropriate.

Course Distribution

>> At least 12 hours of studio coursework must be taken in 530 / 531 courses for the MA degree, and no more than 6 hours in any one semester.

MA Exhibition

Each student is required to mount a public exhibition of their work, accompanied by an artist’s statement, at the conclusion of the final semester of coursework. This show may also serve as the MFA Candidacy exhibition. An artist's statement is required. The exhibition and statement will be evaluated by the Art Graduate faculty and must be approved by the majority of that faculty.

• Students must have passed the written comprehensive examination before the installation of their exhibition.
• Students must submit an Application for MFA Candidacy Exhibition signed by the major professor.
• Students must complete the requirements for the MA degree within 4 years of admission to the program.

MA Written Comprehensive Examination

• The exam is given by the fourth week of the fall and spring semesters. The exam is not offered during summer sessions.
• Students should take the comprehensive after they have completed their nine hours of art history and, if possible, before the final term of MA coursework, in the event they need to retake the exam or a portion of it.
• The exam consists of a general art history component and a studio discipline specific component. Each component will comprise 50% of the exam.
• Evaluation of the exam follows a grading rubric developed for this purpose.
• Each part of the exam will be evaluated Pass, High Pass or Fail.
• Students must have at least a Pass on both the art history and studio portions of the exam to pass the exam.
• If a student receives a Fail on either the art history or studio portion of the exam and a Pass or High Pass on the other portion, the student is only required to retake the portion of the exam that received the Fail.
• Students may take the exam or one portion thereof a maximum of three times. Not completing the exam counts as one time / sitting.
• Passing both portions of the exam is a condition for receiving the MA degree and before becoming a candidate for the MFA degree.
• The Art History and Studio Study Guide, MA Comprehensive Exam is given to MA candidates upon request. The Guide contains a study guide for the art history component of the exam and a study guide for most studio areas. The questions bank will be periodically revised, and the revised question bank will be available from the faculty person administering the exam.
• The area study guides also guide the discussions and critiques in the 530/531 courses.