Master of Arts In Art

Overview

The UTA Department of Art and Art History offers terminal graduate degrees in four disciplines: design, cinematic arts, intermedia, and glass. Each of these programs combines complex independent research and creative activity in line with contemporary professional practice. Students can expect to be challenged conceptually and technically while developing a mature body of work over a three-year period of study.

About The Program

The MFA is a 60 credit hour, full-time program requiring three years of study. It culminates in a visual thesis exhibition with a complimentary written component that is typically introspective in nature. Students are able to tailor their class schedules in conjunction with their graduate committees, and classes that are independent as well as collaborative in nature are possible. Graduate assistantships are typically provided with acceptance to helps defray tuition costs in exchange for modest work requirements in the department. Teaching opportunities for graduate students exist in the second and third years.

Why Choose Us?

• The Department of Art and Art History houses internationally recognized research programs that provide outstanding undergraduate and graduate training in theoretical, experimental, and applied art, design, and new media.
• We have a distinguished faculty of approximately 60 artists, designers, and historians including a Guggenheim Fellow, two Joan Mitchell Award Fellows, and two Moss-Chumley Award recipients.
• We are accredited by The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
• UTA is situated in the center of two major metropolitan cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, and is at the core of an internationally significant cultural community that includes the Dallas Museum of Art, the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Kimbell Museum, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, as well as world-class musical and theatrical venues.

Degree Plan

The graduate course requirements for the M.F.A. of 60 semester credit hours are normally distributed over six semesters of a three-year program. The student will be required to spend a minimum of three semesters in the M.F.A. program with one academic year in residency as a full-time student.

Specific Course Requirements

• Area of Concentration --- 39
• Supporting Studio Courses --- 9
• Art History --- 9
• Free electives --- 3

Total Hours --- 60

Courses outside the area of concentration (supporting and free electives) should be taken from faculty other than the major professor. It is strongly recommended that the students study with a minimum of three additional faculty members during the course of his/her program. Students are also encouraged to take a free elective outside the Art and Art History Department.

The supervisory committee will approve the course options (work) and scholarly research. It is emphasized that this is a committee/department option, not a student option.

Tima Miroshnichenko / pexels

Admission Requirements

Unconditional Admission

Applicants must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Submit transcripts from all previous college or university work, and three letters of recommendation are required of all applicants. In addition, applicants should have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, as calculated by Graduate Admissions. Applicants must submit a portfolio and statement of intent. The Art and Art History faculty review all materials and positively recommend acceptance into the M. F. A. program.

Provisional Admission

Those who have submitted their applications forms, but whose packets are incomplete, can be admitted provisionally if their GPA is at least 3.0, and if the program and Graduate Admissions have received official transcripts. In this case, incomplete materials could include letters of recommendation.

Probationary Admission

Those who have weaknesses in no more than two of the Degree Requirements (letters of recommendation, portfolio, statement of intent, and GPA), can be admitted on probation, with the condition that they make no less than a B in the first 12 hours of coursework in their art concentration. Such students must complete no fewer than 9 credits during the semester in which they are on probation.

Deferred Admission

Those who have weaknesses in no more than two of the Degree Requirements (letters of recommendation, portfolio, statement of intent, and GPA), and/or who have not submitted all of the materials required for unconditional admission, can have their applications deferred for one semester until outstanding requirements and criteria are met.

International Student Admission

International applicants must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or its foreign equivalent, a GPA of at least 3.0 as calculated by the Graduate School, 3 letters of recommendation, portfolio and letter of intent to be considered for admission. In addition, applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English by earning a score of at least 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of at least 213 on the computer-based test, or a minimum score of 40 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE). The Internet-based TOEFL examination (TOEFL iBT) will be accepted as an alternative to the paper and computer-based TOEFL for admission purposes. Students taking TOEFL iBT must attain a minimum total test score of 79 and meet or exceed the following scores on each of the sections of the test:

• Writing: 22
• Speaking: 21
• Reading: 20
• Listening: 16

Those who do not meet the English proficiency requirement must satisfactorily complete courses in the ESOL area, as approved by the program and the Graduate School.