Studio Art M.F.A.

Major in Studio Art

(Major Code: 5212)

The master of fine arts degree in studio art is a terminal degree, and designed to be a rigorous study of the student’s creative practice. Successful completion of the degree qualifies graduates to seek opportunities in higher education and the professional world of art. We offer major and minors in ceramics, digital art, drawing, painting, printmaking or sculpture, though cross-disciplinary investigations are strongly encouraged. The 60-credit hour degree in studio art requires at least five semesters of residency (in-person courses and regular studio presence) and culminates in a thesis/project with an exhibition of each student’s work.

Standard Undergraduate Requirements

Students who have completed a minimum of 36 undergraduate hours in art from an accredited institution are encouraged to apply to the M.F.A. Program. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be required to take undergraduate leveling courses and/or demonstrate a significant artistic practice.

Admission and Application Requirements

Steps for Art Program Admission

Submit the Graduate School Application
Submit a digital portfolio consisting of 10-20 images of your artwork (less than 20 MB; .pdf or .ppt format); or a link to a website with your artwork. Make sure all work is labeled with title date, medium, and dimensions, either on slides and/or on a separate image list.
Submit a 500- to 700-word letter of artistic intent, discussing your artistic practice, why you would like to study at WT, and your intentions and goals while you are here (.pdf format).
Submit a current CV, including contact information of three academic and/or professional references (.pdf format).
Request original copies of all transcripts

Application materials for the Fall semester are due April 1st and due November 1st for the Spring semester. The art faculty will review materials and determine acceptance within a month after the deadline. Finalists may be asked to do a short interview. The Art program generally accepts two applicants every semester.

All materials should be submitted to the Graduate School by the above deadlines for full consideration. Please contact the Art Program Director for more information: jrevett@wtamu.edu.

General Information about M.F.A. Student Status

Students accepted into the M.F.A. program are expected to maintain a high level of performance during their time in the program. Every student is reviewed at the end of each semester by their graduate committee. Students who fail to meet the expectations of their committee in the reviews, and/or have their GPA fall below a 3.0 will be placed on probation and will have one semester to improve their performance before they are dismissed from the program. In order to graduate, students must receive the approval of their committee on their thesis and pass a defense of their work. Please see the Art Graduate Student Handbook for more details about the M.F.A. program.

M.F.A. Degree Requirements

M.F.A. Degree in Studio Art (60 semester hours)

M.F.A. candidates may concentrate in the areas of painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, glass, printmaking, computer art, two-dimensional art or three-dimensional art.

15 semester hours in a major studio area of concentration

15 semester hours in an additional studio area

9 semester hours in art history, including:

ARTS 6371 - Seminar in Art History 3

12 semester hours of ARTS electives

Three semester hours of:

ARTS 6310 - Introduction to Graduate Study in Art 3

Six semester hours from:

(Terminal project/thesis to include an oral examination, an exhibition of M.F.A. studio work featuring the M.F.A. project and an extensive professional paper.)

ARTS 7002 - M.F.A. Terminal Project/Thesis 3,6

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