Art, MFA
Art, Ceramics, Fibers, Intermedia, Metals, Photography, Printmaking, Wood, drawing, painting, sculpture
The curriculum is being reviewed for program changes and will be updated upon approval.
Join this nationally recognized program and advance generative art practices that are driven by research, ideas and effective public engagement.
The Master of Fine Arts program in art is a three-year graduate program situated within a Research l institution where students advance research, engage communities and cultivate a professional arts practice. Graduate students are provided individual spaces at Grant Street Studios located in downtown Phoenix. This facility includes studios, labs, workshops and galleries enabling learning, production and critical thinking. Students also benefit from funding opportunities, including teaching assistantships and awards that support research and tuition. The curriculum draws connections between traditional methods and emerging art practices. The coursework is designed to advance interdisciplinary discourses and promote collaboration. Students work with faculty members to refine their ability to think and communicate effectively through their art across studio disciplines and within art education, art history and museum studies. Furthermore, students are encouraged to engage the humanities and sciences, sustainability and engineering. The MFA program culminates with a solo thesis exhibition in one of the School of Art galleries.
The program is also enriched by arts and culture organizations, which provide students the opportunity to build their professional network through fellowships, internships and residencies. The program is augmented by public events supported by the ASU Art Museum, Ceramics Research Center and Archive, Pyracantha Press and School of Art Galleries, including the Northlight Gallery that houses a significant photography collection, which serves as a laboratory for student research. The program is enriched by regional cultural institutions, including the Phoenix Art Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Heard Museum and Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Students who want to engage in the school's creative community, should subscribe to the School of Art newsletters and follow the school on social media.
- College/school:
Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
- Location: Tempe
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
60 credit hours and an oral comprehensive exam (defense of MFA exhibition)
The 60 hours of graduate credit are subject to committee approval and must include:
ART 680 Practicum, resulting in an MFA exhibition (10-15 credit hours)
graduate studio (18-27 credit hours)
graduate-level academic coursework (at least 6 credit hours)
graduate-level ART seminars (9-18 credit hours)
required courses in contemporary art theory (3) and cross-practice critique (3) (6 credit hours)
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Applicants must have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 ="A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- current resume or curriculum vitae
- portfolio
- statement of intent
- three letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Admission is a two-step process. Although applicants fill out one application through the online graduate application process, they must be admitted to both the MFA program and the Graduate College.
The portfolio should include a combination of 20 images sized with a maximum dimension of 1024 pixels and video files with less than 60 MB each; it should be accompanied by an image list. The statement of intent (not to exceed 1,000 words) should address the applicant's artistic interests, reasons for applying to graduate school in general and the ASU School of Art in particular, as well as professional goals.
The three letters of recommendation should be from faculty members with whom the applicant has studied or from recognized professionals in the field. All the instructions for letters of recommendation must be followed when submitting them with the application to the Graduate College.
The method for submitting the resume or CV, portfolio, statement of intent, and letters of recommendation is online via SlideRoom: https://asuherberger.slideroom.com/#/Login. Applicants may upload images (.jpg), video (.mov, .wmv, .flv), music (.mp3) or PDF documents.
Applicants should see the program website for application deadlines.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Final |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Apply concept development and knowledge of material practice in their focused media area to contextualize their research.
- Demonstrate professional preparedness by developing a comprehensive toolkit for self-promotion that will position them for success in the field of art and design.
- Demonstrate how their cohesive body of artwork fits within the context of the fine art world holistically.
More and more ASU graduate students are pursuing Global Education opportunities. Although participating in a Global Education program as a graduate student can present challenges, it can also provide a meaningful opportunity to deepen the educational experience and connect an international opportunity with a student's career aspirations.
MFA degree holders have the credentials necessary for teaching courses in their discipline at colleges and universities as well as for entering the art market, working in art administration or other competitive creative fields. Graduates of this program also go on to start their own galleries or small businesses, exhibit at notable institutions and are awarded prestigious grants and residency opportunities.
School of Art
|
ART 102
soaadmin@asu.edu
480-965-8521
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
