Course Requirements

Required courses

An MFA candidate must be enrolled as a full-time student (minimum nine credits per semester). Candidates must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average. The course of study is intended to be flexible allowing students to focus on individual needs. It is highly recommended that students plan two semesters at 12 credit hours and four semesters at nine credit hours, taking into consideration the time demands of their Mid-way Advancement to Candidacy and Thesis exhibition presentation semesters. Please view thecourse catalogfor the most accurate and up to date information.

The degree requires 60 credit hours (three years of study) from the following:

• w88 live casino 650 Critique Seminar (3 units) – 3 units required
• w88 live casino 649 Professional Practice (3 units) – 3 units required
• w88 live casino 698: Seminar in Visual Arts (3 units) - 6 units required
• w88 live casino 710: Graduate Studio Practices (3 units) - 24 units required
• w88 live casino 722: Graduate Tutorial (3 units) - 3 units required
• w88 live casino 737: Theory and Criticism (3 units) - 3 units required
• w88 live casino 747: Directed Readings (3 units) - 3 units required
• w88 live casino 777: Graduate Exhibition (3 units) - 3 units required
• w88 live casino 790: Community Service in the Arts (3 units) - 3 units required
• Electives: (9 units) Electives are not limited to Department of w88 live casino courses. *These credits can also be used to join a summer or winter ten-day intensive course held by our low-residency program in Lake Tahoe. All electives must be arranged and approved on an individual basis and must be 600-700-level coursework. See MFA Graduate Director for advisement.
  * Students are responsible for paying dorm and meal fees at Lake Tahoe to participate in the ten-day residency.

Recommended course of study

First year

Fall (nine credits)

• Graduate Tutorial (w88 live casino 722)
• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710)
• Seminar in the Visual Arts (w88 live casino 698)

Spring (12 credits)

• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710)
• Critique Seminar (ART650, in odd year) or Professional Practice (ART649, in even year)
• Theory and Criticism (ART737, in odd year) or Community Service in the Arts (w88 live casino 790, in even year)

• Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)

Second year

Fall (nine credits)

• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710)
• Seminar in the Visual Arts (w88 live casino 698)
• Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)

Spring (12 credits)

• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710)
• Critique Seminar (ART650, in odd year) or Professional Practice (ART649, in even year)
• Theory and Criticism (ART737, in the odd year) or Community Service in the Arts (w88 live casino 790, in even year)
• Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)

Third Year

Fall (nine credits)

• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710 - 6 credits)
• Directed Readings (w88 live casino 747) – with Thesis Committee Chair

Spring (9 credits)

• Graduate Studio Practice (w88 live casino 710 - 6 credits)
• Graduate Exhibition (w88 live casino 777) – with Thesis Committee Chair

Course descriptions

Critique Seminar - w88 live casino 650 (3 credits)

Emphasis on interdisciplinary issues and techniques in studio production. Prerequisites: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Professional Practice - w88 live casino 649 (3 credits)

Strategies for the professional artist. Prerequisites: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Seminar in Visual Arts - w88 live casino 698 (3 credits)

Critical dialogue dealing with the relationship of the student's artwork to contemporary issues. Prerequisites: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Graduate Studio Practice - w88 live casino 710 (3 credits)

Directed individual studio production with choice of medium and faculty. May be repeated. Prerequisite: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Graduate Tutorial - w88 live casino 722 (3 credits)

Individual problems in the studio with scheduled visits by all department faculty. Cannot be repeated. Prerequisite: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Theory and Criticism - w88 live casino 737 (3 credits)

Aspects of w88 live casino criticism and theory, and their influence on w88 live casino making in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. May be repeated with change of subject up to 6 credits.

Directed Reading - w88 live casino 747 (3 credits)

Topic-based readings culminating in discussion and writing related to the development of student's artwork in preparation for MFA thesis project. Specifics agreed upon by student and faculty. May be repeated up to 6 credits.

Graduate Exhibition - w88 live casino 777 (3 credits)

Individual tutorial for graduate exhibition; completion of thesis paper. To be taken in final semester. May not be repeated. Prerequisite: graduate standing in w88 live casino.

Community Service in the Arts - w88 live casino 790 (3 credits)

Individual, supervised volunteer experience in museum/gallery management, preparatory work, arts administration and/or arts activism. May be repeated up to 6 credits. Prerequisite: graduate standing in w88 live casino.