G R A D U A T E  P R O G R A M

Department Head: Professor Carolyn Cardenas

Graduate Program Coordinator: Assistant Professor J. Daniel Murphy, Ceramics

Specializations: Ceramics, Drawing, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture

Degree offered: Master of Fine Art (MFA)

::  Master of Fine Art  ::

The Master of Fine Art degree is the terminal degree in the visual arts field. The MFA program is designed to allow students to mature to a level of professional competence in the making of art. Related studies augment a rigorous studio program. The prospective student must exhibit both academic excellence and a well-developed personal artistic vision.

::  MFA Admission Requirements  ::

All applicants are required to have earned a BFA degree in the Visual Arts, or its equivalent, including a minimum of 12 credits of Art History. GPA in art courses during the last two years of undergraduate work must be at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale. Students must submit either MAT or GRE scores. MAT scores should be at or above the 40th percentile; applicants taking the GRE should have verbal and quantitative scores at or above the 40th percentile.

::  MFA Degree Requirements ::

Students must earn 60 credits, to include

      43 credits of graduate level studio art as determined by the

          student in consultation with his or her major professor,

          including a minimum of 6 credits outside of the emphasis

          area,

      6 credits of Graduate Seminar,

      2 credits of Graduate Interdisciplinary Critique,

      6 credits outside the art department as specified by the

          supervisory committee, and

      3 credits of Research and Thesis, which concludes with an

          MFA thesis exhibition and an oral defense. The MFA

          thesis is a visual presentation, the equivalent of a

          written dissertation in other disciplines. The thesis

          exhibition is the single most important feature of the

          MFA program; the culmination of at least two years, and

          often three or more years, of intensive study in a

          single discipline. In conjunction with the thesis

          exhibition, a student must submit bound, illustrated

          thesis documentation and an adequate selection of slides.

The MFA program is a full time resident program; it is not possible to complete the requirements for graduation by correspondence. The program is predicated on the assumption that students will live in Logan; candidates must complete a minimum of four semesters in residency. Nine credits per semester is considered full-time graduate enrollment; 12 credits are considered a maximum. A minimum of five semesters is thus required to complete the 60-credit program; most students require three years.

::  MFA Application Procedure ::

Completed applications must include:

• completed application form ( http://www.usu.edu/gradsch/Admissions.html)
• letter of intent
• transcripts of all previous graduate and undergraduate work
• three letters of recommendation from qualified professionals
• GRE or MAT scores
• application fee ($50.00)

These materials must be sent directly to The School of Graduate Studies. When complete, applications will be forwarded by The School of Graduate Studies to the Art Department for review.

A portfolio of recent work (CD of 20 digital images in .JPEG format) must be mailed directly to:

          Department of Art

          4000 Old Main Hill

          Utah State University

          Logan, Utah 84322-4000

Work depicted must be recent, i.e., no more than two years old. Completed applications and CD portfolios must be received by February 1.

Please note that:

• applications will be considered only at this time
• only completed applications will be reviewed
• admission will be considered for Fall semester only
• deadlines for Financial Aid may be earlier.   Contact the financial aid office:

          Financial Aid Office

          Taggart Student Center 106

          Utah State University

          Logan, Utah   84322-1600

          Tel. (435) 797-1102

          http://www.usu.edu/finaid/

Applications are reviewed by the Art Department faculty. Candidates are selected primarily on the basis of their portfolio, which should demonstrate a level of development beyond the need of classroom instruction and encouragement. The faculty will also look for evidence of significant personal exploration in the portfolio.

Secondary to the portfolio, but important nonetheless, the applicant's letter of intent and letters of recommendation will also be given careful consideration. In reviewing these letters, the faculty will look for, among other things, indications that the applicant will be capable of prolonged and concentrated effort, guided by realistic personal goals. Letters should address both academic and artistic accomplishments as well as potential for further growth in both of these areas.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to visit the USU campus and meet with the faculty in their proposed field of study well in advance of the February 1 application deadline.

:::  Important Note   :::

Please note that the graduate program has limited enrollment; admission is very competitive. Because only a small fraction of applicants can be accommodated, there can be no guarantee that applicants who meet admission requirements will be accepted into the program.

Financial Assistance

Departmental support is available to graduate students on a competitive basis. Students requesting financial support should apply to the department by February 1. Other assistance is available through the University Financial Aid Office. Students should note that applications for Federal Work Study should also be mailed during the first week of February.

G R A D U A T E   A R T   C L A S S E S


6100. Graduate Drawing Studio.

Advanced individual drawing projects designed to aid in preparation for the thesis project. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6200. Graduate Painting Studio

Emphasis on the individual attainment of personal conviction or direction in painting. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6250. Graduate Printmaking Studio

Intensive individual production in advanced printmaking techniques. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6370. Graduate Illustration Studio

Techniques in illustration that meet the needs of a client and his or her audience. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6400. Graduate Graphic Design Studio

Graphic design problems leading to an understanding of major concepts in this area. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6650. Graduate Ceramic Studio

Arranged to provide time, equipment, and facilities for the graduate student to pursue directed studies. Tutorial format with group critiques. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6660. Graduate Sculpture Studio

Advanced individual problems in various media and technique. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6710. Graduate 19th Century Art

Painting and sculpture from Neoclassicism to Symbolism. Prerequisite: Art 2720 or consent of instructor, graduate status. (3)

6720. Graduate 20th Century Art

History of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the post-impressionists to the present. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3)

6730. Graduate American Art

History of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the post-impressionists to the present. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3)

6740. Graduate Baroque and Rococo Art

Development of art and architecture in Europe from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3)

6750. Graduate Greek and Roman Art

Origin and development of the art and architecture of Crete, Mycenae, Greece, and Roman world. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3)

6760. Graduate Renaissance Art

Development of European art and architecture from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3)

6790. Art History Seminar and Special Problems.

Prerequisite: graduate status and consent of instructor. (1-6) R

6800. Graduate Photography Studio.

Designed to cover several phases of photography with emphasis on composing what we see in an artistic manner. Also, to allow graduate students to further emphasize their thesis project area of study. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3-9) R

6900. Graduate Seminar.

Deals with general topic of professional practice, including art criticism and how contemporary work relates to current social issues. Prerequisite: graduate status. (3) R

6910. Graduate Interdisciplinary Critique.

Focuses on current work of critique participants. Bring disciplinary analysis to specific problem. Prerequisite: graduate status. (1) R

6920. Graduate Independent Projects in Art.

Advanced problems in emphasis, medium, and idiom of student's choice. Student plans project and executes it through individual initiative and scheduled consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor, graduate status. (1-9) R

6970. Research and Thesis.

Prerequisite: candidacy status. (3) R

6990. Continuing Graduate Advisement.

(1-3) R