About the MFA Program

<h3>Overview/Philosophy</h3> The School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University offers an innovative, highly interdiciplinary, contextually oriented, three-year Master of Fine Arts degree program. The program is highly selective, with only six students accepted each year. Our faculty are versatile, diverse and accomplished artists. Students also interact with an extraordinary roster of visiting artists and critics. We have an impressive array of tools and studios to facilitate our students making just about any kind of work they can imagine. The MFA program produces artists of exceptional ability and initiative who are able to create opportunities for themselves and connect meaningfully with communities and cultures around them in Pittsburgh and beyond. Art making in the graduate program: <ul> <li>is regarded as a mode of creative inquiry whose by-products may be materially intangible or intangible, static or time-based, long-lived or temporary; <li>is inclusive rather than exclusive — all natural and human-created tools, technologies, materials, ideas and contexts are regarded as available to the artist for analysis, exploration, exploitation, image-development, synthesis and gesture; <li>expands and thereby redefines the parameters of art by taking risks and risking failure; <li>engages contemporary issues, ideas and technologies, anticipating the future and utilizing the past not as a safety net but as a springboard; <li>is responsive to local, national and planetary contexts, addressing the culture inside and outside of art; <li>is synchronously attuned to the comprehensive and public nature of a university environment, both enriching and mining the resources of the university. </ul> The program seeds the art world with artists possessing intellectually broad-based, socially minded approaches to art-making, encouraging a new vitality and relevance of art. <h3>Curriculum</h3> The MFA curriculum requires three consecutive years of full-time residence and a minimum of 282 academic units. Structured course work dominates the first year of the program; structured and independent work are balanced in the second year; and independent work characterizes the final year. Experimentation during the first year of the program is expected to develop into focused, integrated activity during the final year. All graduate study in the School of Art is undertaken on a full-time basis. Initial enrollment is possible only in the fall of each year. Credit from other programs is not transferable, and no courses are offered in the summer. The Master of Fine Arts degree is designed to connect artmaking to both the university community at Carnegie Mellon and the greater Pittsburgh community. School of Art Connections The School of Art is the cultural home base of the program, where the student is nourished by the heritage and processes of artmaking, participates in a peer community and is guided in integrating the components of the program. Each student takes the initiative to develop supportive faculty connections in the School of Art. Two art faculty members serve on the student’s culminating Thesis Project Advisory Committee. All full-time art faculty participate in the graduate program and may serve as graduate advisors for any student. University Connections This outreach aspect of the program enriches the student’s artmaking processes through connections to other disciplines at the university, selected from: <ul> <li>College of Fine Arts <li>College of Humanities and Social Science <li>Mellon College of Science <li>Carnegie Institute of Technology (engineering) <li>H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management <li>Tepper School of Business <li>School of Computer Science </ul> Other units and departments such as Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII), and Masters of Arts Management (MAM) program offer a richness and depth of nterdisciplinary opportunities within the university. In relation to their course work, each student takes the initiative to develop supportive faculty connections in a discipline outside of art. A faculty member from this outside area serves on the student’s culminating Thesis Project Advisory Committee. To date, faculty from a wide variety of academic disciplines have enthusiastically served as advisors in this unique degree program. Contextual Practice This element of the program requires students to connect their artistic practice with a larger public sphere (typically off-campus and outside the art world). Students identify, research, engage with and respond to an organization, site or audience that pertains to their interests. Resulting creative responses and projects broaden various communities’ understanding of the role that art can play in contemporary society as well as multiplying contexts, venues and opportunities for artists. Each student takes the initiative to develop supportive professional connections related to their contextual project. An individual from this affiliation usually serves on the student’s culminating Thesis Project Advisory Committee. Thesis Exhibition & Research Paper A culminating exhibition of work is required of all students in the spring semester of their third year. In conjunction with their final exhibition of work, all students produce a written thesis, which documents and informs the development and resolution of their artistic practice during the MFA program. The written thesis should be clear, thorough, concise and consist of the following elements: <ul> <li>An introduction to the work and a preview of what is to follow <li>Contextual information providing historical and theoretical information to substantiate the exhibited work <li>Discussion and documentation of the work in written and visual form <li>A conclusion with retrospective reflections upon what has been learned through the work </ul> <h3>Unit Requirements</h3> FIRST YEAR FALL SEMESTER (45-48 units) MFA Studio (12) Academic Seminar (12) Integrative Seminar (12) University Elective (9-12) SPRING <acronym title="48-48 units">SEMESTER</acronym> MFA Studio (12 OR 24) Academic Seminar (12) Integrative Seminar (12) SOA Studio Option(12) OR University Elective (9-12) <hr /> SECOND YEAR FALL SEMESTER (45-52.5 units) MFA Studio (12 or 24) Integrative Seminar (12) Contextual Practice Prohject (6) Writing Seminar (6) MFA Studio Option (12) OR University Elective (9-12) OR Study Abroad (48) SPRING SEMESTER (48 units) MFA Studio (24) Integrative Seminar (12) Contextual Practice Project (6) Writing Seminar (6) <hr /> THIRD YEAR FALL SEMESTER (48-52.5 units) MFA Project (36) Integrative Seminar (12) Writing Seminar (optional – 6) SPRING <acronym title="48-52.5 units">SEMESTER</acronym> MFA Project (36) Integrative Seminar (12) Writing Seminar (optional – 6) <hr /> MFA Studio—72 units Academic Seminar—24 units Integrative Seminar—72 units Contextual Practice—12 units University Electives—18-24 units Writing Seminar—12 units MFA Project—72 units SOA Studio Option—12 units maximum * <hr /> 282 UNITS MINIMUM <ul> <li>All students must take 2 University Electives for a total of 18-24 units.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>All students MAY take only one SOA Studio Option either in the spring semester of year one or the fall semester of year two.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>If a student elects to take a SOA Studio Option in the spring of year one or fall of year two, the MFA Studio units are reduced to 12 units.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>If a student does not take the SOA Studio Option in the spring of year one or the fall of year two the MFA Studio is 24 units.</li> </ul> <h3>Course Descriptions</h3> MFA Studio: Supervised individual creative work. Graduate students are expected to be proactive in contacting their advisors and arranging sufficient time for review during the course of each semester. Academic Seminar (Contextualizing Practice, Reading and Research): Graduate seminar using writings from art history, theory, and criticism to activate dialogue and develop a shared common language within each MFA cohort. This shared inquiry and vocabulary connects a range of intellectual and creative pursuits and enables students, as producing artists, to respond to and situate themselves within the history and theory of creative practice and thought. Integrative Seminar (Articulating Practice: Presentation & Critiques): Graduate seminar designed to integrate the various components of the MFA program: the School of Art base, Contextual Practice, critical writing and the university academic affiliation. Also it integrates the discourse of School of Art academic seminars, studio practice, and visiting artists/critics in a critique driven environment. Venue for the critique of students’ work and practice through oral and written presentations. Art Studio Option: Optional undergraduate art studio chosen from the SOA schedule. Graduate students may enroll in a studio to gain skills in a new area or broaden and enhance their existing skills. The course instructor will set requirements. Course descriptions by semester are available online at http://www.cmu.edu/hub. Contextual Practice: Graduate seminar in which supervised student-initiated projects connect artistic practices with a larger public sphere (typically off-campus and outside the art world). Students identify, research, engage with and respond to an organization, site or audience that pertains to their interests. Resulting creative responses and projects broaden various communities’ understanding of the role that art can play in contemporary society as well as multiplying contexts, venues and opportunities for artists. University Elective: Course in an academic department outside of art. Pittsburgh Filmmakers courses are treated as School of Art courses and are not considered university electives. Academic courses taken at neighboring universities that are members of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education (PCHE) may be counted as electives. Physical education courses, while personally enriching, do not count for academic credit. Writing Seminar: This seminar is designed to assist the students in developing their writing and analytic skills in preparation for the written thesis requirement. Through conversation, reading, writing and critique, group and individual sessions explore how a thesis can inform and expand visual ideas and shape meaning. Study Abroad: Study abroad may occur only in the first semester of the second year. Plans for study abroad must be approved by the Head of School and Graduate Committee. Grad Assistantships: Each semester, a graduate assistantship of 8 hours/week is required. Assistantships can follow one of several tracks – teaching, administrative, research, or a hybrid of the three result in a professional or pedagogical development. Graduate assistants are expected to take initiative to encourage a quality educational experience for themselves, and set a stong example for undergraduates in their class. The specific job description for each assistant is determined in agreement with the supervising faculty or staff member. MFA Thesis Project: In the third year, university course work, contextual practice and studio work should inform the production and presentation of a coherent final exhibition of work that is researched, documented, analyzed and discussed in a written, illustrated thesis. <h3>Advising</h3> Students work closely with faculty advisors in all three years of the program. For the first semester in the program, each student is assigned a single faculty advisor. For each of the remaining three semesters of the first two years, students choose two art faculty advisors. Following successful completion of the second-year review, each student selects a member of the art faculty as a primary advisor for the third year. In consultation with this advisor, who becomes the chair of the student’s four-person M.F.A. Project Advisory Committee, the student then selects three additional advisors: a second member of the art faculty, a member of the faculty from the student’s university-affiliate department and/or an outside advisor with relevant professional experience. The Project Advisory Committee guides the student through the final year’s thesis and artwork, critiques the final summary exhibition and approves the thesis. General questions about academic requirements or selecing advisors may be directed to Keni Jefferson, MFA & Admissions Coordinator, at kjgreen@andrew.cmu.edu, 412.268.8001 <h3>Reviews</h3> Comprehensive reviews are required at the middle and end of each academic year. First-Year Review: Successful completion of specified course work and a presentation of work accomplished during the first year are required for advancement to second-year status. First-year reviews are carried out by appointed, ad hoc art faculty committees. Second-Year Review: Successful completion of specified course work and a presentation/critique of work accomplished during the second year are required for advancement to third-year status. Second-year reviews are carried out by appointed, ad hoc art faculty committees. Third-Year Review: Successful completion of specified course work and a presentation/critique of the third-year project including the thesis and exhibition are required for degree completion. Third-year reviews are carried out by the MFA Project Advisory Committee. <h3>Culminating Project</h3> The final year is dedicated to a culminating project that focuses and integrates the experiences of the first two years. During this year university course work and community affiliations developed during the first two years should combine with studio work in a coherent MFA project. The culminating project is presented in a final summary exhibition and documented in a written, illustrated thesis. See the <a href="/programs/admissions/graduate-admissions">Graduate Admissions</a> section of this website for more information about financial aid, budgeting, health services, housing and other services. <h3>Studio Space</h3> Studio space is provided for all graduate students in the School of Art. Students may occupy their assigned studios within two weeks of studio selection prior to the fall semester until the re-allocation of studio space after the end of the spring semester. Private and semi-private studio space is made available for 18 graduate students. These spaces are located throuhgout the 4th floor of CFA and sub-levels of DH, all in close proximity to faculty and staff offices. All spaces are secure with an average of 271 square feet. Students may occupy their assigned studios within two weeks of studio selection prior to the fall semester until the re-allocation of studio space after the end of the spring semester. Individual studio spaces are assigned by the Head of School, in consultation with graduate students, during the summer prior to each academic year. Third-year students get first choice of available spaces, then second-year students. Third-year students may elect to keep their studio spaces from the previous year, unless those spaces are reconfigured or reassigned for MFA. or BFA. program needs. First-year studio spaces will be allocated by the Head of School.

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About the MFA Program

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