Art, M.A.

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Effective Spring 2017 - No new students will be accepted into this program while it is undergoing a revision. Students interested in pursuing an MFA may consider the Independent Film and Digital Imaging, M.F.A. Program.
Current students will complete the program of study identified here.

The graduate major in Art, offered through the College of Arts and Sciences , stresses intellectual curiosity, self-discipline, and technical proficiency. With course work in painting, printmaking, photography, digital imaging, sculpture, or ceramics, the art studio student is directed to become a mature artist in command of the medium and capable of expressing an individual view.

Students are encouraged to develop perception and imagination, combined with an awareness of visual elements, principles of design, artistic statement, and criticism.

The graduate art program enables students either to become practicing artists or to achieve a level of scholarship that can help them to be art experts or professional educators. With a growing interest and expanding use of the arts in contemporary life, the employment outlook for art majors continues to be promising.

Classes in art history treat art objects as historical documents related in subject, style, technique, and material to other works of art and interpret their context and purpose. Courses range from contemporary international and regional artistic expressions to those of ancient America, Africa, and Asia. Students with an interest in art history elect a specific subject area.

Special Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting university criteria, applicants must:

have an undergraduate major in one of the humanities; and
have submitted a proposal, acceptable to the degree program advisor, that outlines academic goals with supporting rationale and plan of study and includes examples of previous work (e.g., sculptures, research papers, drawings, prints, or paintings, etc.).

Students will not be admitted to the major until the proposal reflecting potential for graduate work has been approved by the degree program advisor.

Thesis Requirement

As part of this degree program, students are to select with advisor’s approval either an art history or studio option.

The art history thesis consists of an analytical and historical approach to the study of a particular artist, art object, movement, or theme in the visual arts. In the thesis option, the student develops a thesis proposal in an area of art history acceptable to the program advisor, completes a research project, and prepares a formal thesis manuscript.

In the art studio option, the student prepares a one-person exhibition of a consistent body of work in the student’s area of interest and written documentation of the work and development.

Admission to Candidacy

Application for candidacy should be made after nine hours of graduate studio or graduate art history courses have been completed. To qualify for degree candidacy, a student must:

complete nine hours of graduate studio or graduate art history courses with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher; and
complete an approved thesis proposal.

More detailed candidacy information is available through the student’s advisor.

Degree Requirements

Students must meet all university requirements for a master’s degree.

Required Courses (15 Hours)

ART - 8810 Studies in Art (3)
ART - 8820 Art Seminar (3)
ART - 8990 Graduate Thesis/Project (1-3)
Art History Courses (6)

Art Selectives (18 Hours)

Select 12 hours from courses within emphasis and 6 hours outside of media emphasis

Art History
Ceramics
Digital Imaging
Painting/Drawing
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

Total - 33 Hours

Immediately upon admission, the graduate student must contact the Graduate Coordinator and the assigned advisor in the studio area in which the student will work for initial advising.

By the end of the student’s first semester in the program (or completion of nine graduate credits), the student must make arrangements for a member of the faculty to serve as major advisor and chair of the Graduate Review Committee and notify the Graduate Coordinator that the professor is willing to serve in this capacity.

Each year the student must participate in a graduate review. The review committee consists of three faculty members including the student’s advisor and is selected randomly from faculty of the art department. The review committee surveys the student’s research progress and recommends approval or probation for the continuation within the program.

By the beginning of the student’s third semester in the program (or after completion of 15 credits) the student, in consultation with the advisor and upon successful graduate review, shall organize a Graduate Thesis Committee (GTC). Meet with GTC one semester prior to graduation they must be reviewed by GTC.

This committee consists of three or more members; at least one member must be from the student’s area or areas of concentration. The committee is composed of the major professor, who acts as chair, and two additional members of the Art Program. A fourth member may be chosen from the faculty of other departments within the University or an expert in the community, approved by the advisor.

A student who wishes to change their designated area of study must first apply and be accepted into the new area of concentration. The student should then contact the head of the newly selected area for advice in possibly selecting a new major professor.

If the student’s major professor takes a leave of absence or leaves the university, the student should contact the head of the area for advice in selecting a new major professor. The student must notify the graduate coordinator of the change immediately.

Graduate Review Process

The advisor and faculty create a review committee that will review the student’s research progress. A date and time are selected within which the student and review committee meet. The student presents the research and/or artworks created both finished and in progress since either entry into the graduate program or since the last review. The review committee recommends forward progress within the graduate program or probation. If the committee recommends probation the student must resubmit a review of progress to the committee within one semester or be asked to leave the program. The student may reapply to the program after one academic year has passed.

Thesis Exhibition

Upon recommendation of the Graduate Thesis Committee, the student presents a one-person thesis exhibition or presentation of work centering on the student’s area of concentration and executed during graduate studies. The exhibition does not have to be located on campus but it is desired. The exhibition is not a retrospective of every artwork created while a candidate but rather a consistent body of work revolving around an artist statement, research, and singular theme.

Time Limit

The Art Program requires that students complete all degree requirements within seven years of initial enrollment in the graduate program.