Art (MFA) Graduate Program of Study at The University of Arizona

General Information

Program/Degree

Art (MFA)

Program Description

The Master of Fine Art program in Studio Art (60 unit, terminal degree) combines conceptual, technical, and critical thinking skills that enable students to gain a deeper understanding of their own artistic ideas and vision. Graduate students complete 30 units in studio art courses: 2D Painting and Printmaking, 3D and Extended Media, Photography | Video| Imaging, Illustration + Design or Interdisciplinary Practice, 12 units in elective coursework, 3 units in ART 696A Contemporary Art: Concepts and Issues, 3 units in ART 596 Graduate Professional Practice and 12 units of Art history.

AREAS OF EMPHASIS

Please see our website for more information: art.arizona.edu

Department/Academic Unit(s)

School of Art

Passion is the spark that ignites the fire of creativity, and it is the foundation of a pursuit to study the visual arts. If you are considering a major in Art and Visual Culture Education, Art History or Studio Art, you know that passion first hand. Why not join a community of like-minded individuals who share that commitment to creativity?

Ranked among the top art schools in the nation and accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the School of Art offers its students a dynamic arrangement of in-depth programs of study. You will find the faculty supportive, the curriculum provocative, and the community among your classmates both challenging and inspiring.

Studying at a research-focused university, with over 200 degrees such as the University of Arizona gives you the unique opportunity to be surrounded by, and to engage with, faculty and peers of cross-disciplinary expertise, providing a depth and breadth of experience that is limited only by how far you want to go.

College

College of Fine Arts

Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

Contacts

Tuition and Fees

Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees.
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees.

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Application Deadline: January 10

The Art MFA program admits students for fall semesters only.

All submitted applications will be considered after the application deadline has passed. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and will be automatically denied. Paper applications will not be accepted, please submit all materials via the Graduate Admissions Application.

APPLICATION PREREQUISITE

Applicants must have a recognized bachelor degree and a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Through the Graduate Admissions Application you will have the ability to upload various requirements for consideration by the admission committee. For this application you will be asked to submit the following:

Please provide a Statement of Purpose
Select the track you would like to apply for:
- 2D: Painting and Drawing
- 2D: Printmaking
- 3D & Extended Media
- Illustration + Design
- Interdisciplinary Practice
- Photography | Video | Imaging
Please provide a Resume/Curriculum Vitae
Please attach a Portfolio of 20 Images (largest file size for each image is 2 MB) with the title, medium, dimensions and date. If you are submitting video, please submit a still for the image and provide us with a link to a website like YouTube, Vimeo before the title, medium, dimensions and date of your video.
Transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended. For initial evaluation purposes, you may attach scans of official or unofficial transcripts.
The names and contact information for 3 references who will be submitting Letters of Recommendation forms on your behalf. (Click here for the PDF form; click here for the Word Doc form). All Letter of Recommendation forms must be received by the application deadline and at least 2 Letter of Recommendation forms must be from academic sources. The preferred method to receive letter of recommendation forms is through the web-based Graduate Admissions Application. If, however, this is not possible, letters can be sent to:
- Graduate Program
  School of Art
  University of Arizona
  P.O. Box 210002
  Tucson, AZ 85721

The Graduate College requires additional materials for International Applicants (Proof of Financial Resources, Health Insurance, and proof of English proficiency for students whose native language is not English). Please refer to the Graduate College website for details.

Once your application has been submitted, you may check the status of your application at anytime by logging in to the Graduate Admissions Application. You will be notified via email as soon as a decision has been reached.

Standardized Tests

International Students Only: English Proficiency Required.

Funding Opportunities

The School of Art offers fee waivers, scholarships, fellowships and graduate assistantships for graduate students in good standing. These awards are competitive and assigned during both fall and spring semesters.

Please refer to the department website for more information: http://art.arizona.edu/

Admissions Deadlines

Fall: January 10th

International Conditional Admission

International applicants may be considered for conditional admission to this program at the department's discretion.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 2406,2499

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

Core Coursework Requirements

ART 696A: Contemp Art: Cncpts+Issue, 3 units (taken in the first semester)
ARH 531: Studio Introduction to Contemporary Art, 3 units (taken in second semester)
ART 642: Grad Interdiscipl Critiq, 3 units (taken twice in the first four semesters)
ART 596A: Graduate Professional Practice, 3 units (taken in fifth semester)
ART 698: Graduate Thesis Studio, 3-10 units or ART 910: Thesis, 1-6 units

Elective Coursework

39 units of studio art coursework:
ART 501: Cont Drawing Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 504: Topics in Studio Art, 3 units
ART 526: Alt Process and Material, 3 units
ART 538: Digital Fabrication, 3 units
ART 540: Trnds/Contemporary Photo, 3 units
ART 546: Adv Color Photography, 3 units
ART 549: Graduate Video, 3 units
ART 556: Printmaking Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 565: Clients & the Community Design, 3 units
ART 566: Illustration Studio III, 3 units
ART 573: Adv Art Practice/Ceramic, 3 units
ART 580: Painting Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 583: Combining Media, 3 units
ART 585: Grad Watercolor Painting, 3 units
ART 586: Adv Sculpture/Exper+Comb, 3 units
ART 593: Internship, 1-6 units
ART 599: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ART 642: Grad Interdiscipl Critiq, 3 units
ART 693: Internship, 1-6 units
ART 694: Practicum, 3 units
ART 699: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ART 532A: Interactivity, 3 units
ART 536A: Digital Arts Authoring, 3 units
ART 537A: Digital 3D Modeling, 3 units
ART 562A: Figure Paint/Illustrn, 3 units
ART 562B: Comics + Sequential Art, 3 units
ART 562D: Animation II, 3 units
ART 562E: Letterpress + The Multiple, 3 units
ART 567B: Visual Narrative + Art Bk, 3 units
ART 596B: Digital Illust+Painting, 3 units
ART 596F: Design, Art & the Environment, 3 units
ART 597A: Gallery Management, 3 units
Substitutions for electives can be made with the approval of the faculty advisor.

9 units of ARH coursework, in addition to ARH 531:
ARH 500: Topics in Museum Studies, 3 units
ARH 512: Rome and its Reception, 3 units
ARH 517: 19th Century European Art, 3 units
ARH 530: Queer Cinema, 3 units
ARH 536: Topics in American Indian Art, 3 units
ARH 552: Etruscan Art + Archaeology, 3 units
ARH 554: Greek and Roman Sculpture, 3 units
ARH 562: Classical and Controversial, 3 units
ARH 565: Greek Pottery: Craft & Society, 3 units
ARH 577: Greek Architecture, 3 units
ARH 580: Topics in Art History, 3 units
ARH 584: Roman Art + Architecture, 3 units
ARH 599: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ARH 501A: Art As Plunder: The Spoils of War, the Formation of Collections, & Trade in Stolen Art, 3 units
ARH 511A: Theory and Methods in Art History: Renaissance to 1960, 3 units
ARH 512D: Mdv Art: Romanesqu+Gothic, 3 units
ARH 513B: Renaissance Art in Italy: 15th Century, 3 units
ARH 514A: Northern Renaissance Art, 3 units
ARH 514C: 16th-Century Art of Northern Europe, 3 units
ARH 515A: Southern Baroque Art, 3 units
ARH 523A: The Art of Mexico, 3 units
ARH 523B: The Art of Mexico, 3 units
ARH 524A: History of Photography, 3 units
ARH 524C: History of Photography: Contemporary Trends, 3 units
ARH 526A: European Art Since 1945, 3 units
ARH 529B: American Art: 19th Century Art, 3 units
ARH 529D: American Art: 20th Century, 3 units
ARH 596B: Problems in Renaissance-Baroque, 3 units
ARH 596F: History of Photography, 3 units
ARH 596I: Isus Cntmp Theory + Crit, 3 units
ARH 596M: Issues in Mexican Art, 3 units
ARH 596N: American Art, 3 units
ARH 596O: Issues in Art History, 3 units
ARH 596V: Issues in Native American Art, 3 units
3 units may be ARH, or it may be taking in another discipline, as approved by your faculty advisor.
Substitutions for electives can be made with the approval of the faculty advisor.

3 units of electives:
ARE 520: Community, Culture and Art Education, 3 units
ARE 525: Theory and Practice in Art Museum Education , 3 units
ARE 530: Introduction to Research in Art Education, 3 units
ARE 531: Pedagogical Practices in Art and Visual Culture, 3 units
ARE 535: Theory in Art & Visual Culture Education, 3 units
ARE 538: Teaching Art and Visual Culture, Wildcat Art, 3 units
ARE 560: Curriculum Theory in Art & Visual Culture Education, 3 units
ARE 569: Teaching Media and Visual Culture, 3 units
ARE 593: Internship, 1-6 units
ARE 599: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ARE 630: Historical Foundations of Art and Visual Culture Education, 3 units
ARE 631: Arts-based Research, 3 units
ARE 632: Visual Arts Teaching in Higher Education, 3 units
ARE 633: Issues and Recent Research in Art and Visual Culture Education, 3 units
ARE 693: Internship, 1-6 units
ARE 699: Indepedent Study, 1-5 units
ARE 596A: Current Issues in Art Education Theory and Practice, 3 units
ARH 500: Topics in Museum Studies, 3 units
ARH 512: Rome and its Reception, 3 units
ARH 517: 19th Century European Art, 3 units
ARH 530: Queer Cinema, 3 units
ARH 536: Topics in American Indian Art, 3 units
ARH 552: Etruscan Art + Archaeology, 3 units
ARH 554: Greek and Roman Sculpture, 3 units
ARH 562: Classical and Controversial, 3 units
ARH 565: Greek Pottery: Craft & Society, 3 units
ARH 577: Greek Architecture, 3 units
ARH 580: Topics in Art History, 3 units
ARH 584: Roman Art + Architecture, 3 units
ARH 599: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ARH 501A: Art As Plunder: The Spoils of War, the Formation of Collections, & Trade in Stolen Art, 3 units
ARH 511A: Theory and Methods in Art History: Renaissance to 1960, 3 units
ARH 512D: Mdv Art: Romanesqu+Gothic, 3 units
ARH 513B: Renaissance Art in Italy: 15th Century, 3 units
ARH 514A: Northern Renaissance Art, 3 units
ARH 514C: 16th-Century Art of Northern Europe, 3 units
ARH 515A: Southern Baroque Art, 3 units
ARH 523A: The Art of Mexico, 3 units
ARH 523B: The Art of Mexico, 3 units
ARH 524A: History of Photography, 3 units
ARH 524C: History of Photography: Contemporary Trends, 3 units
ARH 526A: European Art Since 1945, 3 units
ARH 529B: American Art: 19th Century Art, 3 units
ARH 529D: American Art: 20th Century, 3 units
ARH 596B: Problems in Renaissance-Baroque, 3 units
ARH 596F: History of Photography, 3 units
ARH 596I: Isus Cntmp Theory + Crit, 3 units
ARH 596M: Issues in Mexican Art, 3 units
ARH 596N: American Art, 3 units
ARH 596O: Issues in Art History, 3 units
ARH 596V: Issues in Native American Art, 3 units
ART 501: Cont Drawing Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 504: Topics in Studio Art, 3 units
ART 526: Alt Process and Material, 3 units
ART 538: Digital Fabrication, 3 units
ART 540: Trnds/Contemporary Photo, 3 units
ART 546: Adv Color Photography, 3 units
ART 549: Graduate Video, 3 units
ART 556: Printmaking Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 565: Clients & the Community Design, 3 units
ART 566: Illustration Studio III, 3 units
ART 573: Adv Art Practice/Ceramic, 3 units
ART 580: Painting Studio Practice, 3 units
ART 583: Combining Media, 3 units
ART 585: Grad Watercolor Painting, 3 units
ART 586: Adv Sculpture/Exper+Comb, 3 units
ART 599: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ART 699: Independent Study, 1-5 units
ART 532A: Interactivity, 3 units
ART 536A: Digital Arts Authoring, 3 units
ART 537A: Digital 3D Modeling, 3 units
ART 562A: Figure Paint/Illustrn, 3 units
ART 562B: Comics + Sequential Art, 3 units
ART 562D: Animation II, 3 units
ART 562E: Letterpress + The Multiple, 3 units
ART 567B: Visual Narrative + Art Bk, 3 units
ART 596B: Digital Illust+Painting, 3 units
ART 596F: Design, Art & the Environment, 3 units
ART 597A: Gallery Management, 3 units
Substitutions for electives can be made with the approval of the faculty advisor.

Additional Requirements

There are no additional requirements for this degree.

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate	25%
Med. Time-to-degree (years)	3.00

Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male	25%
Enrollment Percent Female	75%
Enrollment Percent International	3.57%
Enrollment Percent URM	25%

All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2020.
Median Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2015-2019) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program. This measure uses the methodology established in the 2011 Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs by the National Research Council.
Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/ARTMFA

Last revised 19 Oct 2021

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Graduate Program: Art (MFA)

General Information

AREAS OF EMPHASIS

Admissions Contact

Graduate Program Coordinator

Director of Graduate Studies

Graduate College Degree Counselor

Admissions Information

APPLICATION PREREQUISITE

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Completion Requirements

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers