Master of Fine Arts in Studio
Degree Requirements
The M.F.A. degree requires 60 hours of graduate course work, including 30 to 36 credit hours in Art Studio courses (including Graduate Studio Seminar and Studio Thesis Project), 6 to 12 credit hours in Art History and/or Art Education (a total of 24 credit hours of undergraduate and graduate Art History study is required), and up to 18 credit hours in related graduate courses which may be taken outside the Department of Art in the College of Fine Arts or elsewhere in the University. Thirty hours must be at or above the 600 level and forty hours must be in regular courses (not independent study). No foreign language is required.
The student will designate a major area focusing on one or more areas with the advice of the director of graduate studies at the outset of graduate work:
- - Ceramics
- - Digital Media
- - Drawing
- - Fiber Arts
- - Painting
- - Photography
- - Printmaking
- - Sculpture
The candidate must successfully complete at least 12 hours in the major area under the guidance of one faculty member selected as a major professor.
The M.F.A. degree is offered only according to Plan B (Non-Thesis Option). Students must complete successfully a final one-person M.F.A. exhibition of studio work and a visual documentation of that work together with an explanatory essay which is to be filed with the department prior to the exhibition. A total of 6 credits of A-S 767 (Studio Thesis Project) is required for the preparation of the exhibition and essay. Work toward the one-person exhibition will begin at a time determined by the department.
MFA Reviews
- 1. A Preliminary Review for first semester MFA candidates takes place at the end of the Fall semester. Its purpose is to prepare the student for his/her Qualifying Review the following semester.
- 2. A Qualifying review is held at the end of the semester in which the MFA candidate accumulates twelve (12) studio credit hours, usually Spring semester of their first year in the program.
- 3. Continuing Student Reviews are conducted annually at the end of the Fall semester.
- 4. Final Examination Committee
Qualifying and Filing for Graduation
To be eligible for a degree, students must file an application at The Graduate School office within 30 days after the beginning of the semester (or 15 days in the Summer session) in which they expect to complete their work. You must pay all outstanding bills to the University before you can qualify for graduation and you may have no incomplete, "I", grades on your record.
MFA GRADUATION CHECKLIST:
- 1. At least 24 credits in Art History (undergraduate and graduate combined)
- 2. 30 credits at or above 600 level
- 3. 12 credits under major discipline
- 4. 3 credits of A-S 793: Graduate Seminar
- 5. 6 credits of A-S 767: MFA Thesis Show
- 6. 60 credits minimum total for all graduate course work
- 7. NO “I” grades
The Graduate School must be notified in writing by your DGS at least two weeks before you plan to have your final (thesis) exam or MFA review. This allows the Graduate School time to verify that all other requirements for graduation have been met, whereupon it issues an exam card to the Chair of your Graduate Committee.
Students must successfully complete a final one-person MFA exhibition of studio work and a visual documentation of that work together with an explanatory essay which is to be filed with the department prior to the exhibition. A total of 6 credits of A-S 767 (Studio Thesis Project) is required for the preparation of the exhibition and essay. Work toward the one-person exhibition will begin at a time determined by the department.
The student will designate a major area with the advice of the Director of Graduate Studies at the outset of graduate work and will carry at least 12 credits in that area under the guidance of one faculty member selected as a major professor. A foreign language is not required, and the MFA degree is offered only according to Plan B.
Candidates for the MFA degree who hold an MA degree in studio work from another school will be required to complete a year’s residence and 18 credit hours of graduate work at the University of Kentucky, including two semesters of Graduate Studio Seminar and all other requirements for the degree. Total hours toward the MFA degree must equal 60 credit hours of graduate work.
The final (thesis) examination of MFA review must occur no later than eight days before the last day of classes. When completed, the Chair and members of the Graduate Committee sign the examination card and return it to the Graduate School.
Departmental Scholarships
Kim Adler Memorial Scholarship
Provides one or more scholarships to cover MFA thesis exhibition costs. Recipients should be third-year MFA students who are concentrating in sculpture.
Applications
Apply for admission by downloading the form provided by The Graduate School.
Contact
For more information about the graduate program in Art Studio, please contact the current Art Studio Graduate Advisor Dennis "Bones" Carpenter, Reynolds Building Rm 115, 859/257-3280.