studio_art
Art and Art History

Graduate Studio Art Program

Theses Completed

A Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Studio Art is a three-year, full-time degree program offered in seven areas of concentration. Thirty graduate faculty mentor 36 M.F.A. candidates. Students are admitted in the Fall semester only. All application materials must be received no later than January 7, 2008. Decisions are made in early March.

Students apply to one area only, and specialize significantly in that area during their studies: Ceramics (sculptural), Metals, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Transmedia (time-based art). See the following for more information on each area:

Ceramics (Sculptural)

Graduate students work in a sculptural-oriented direction only, but wide-ranging as to processes and to their awareness of historical and contemporary perspectives. All construction and firing methods are available.

Metals

Defining their work either functionally [jewelry, objects] or non-functionally [sculpture, hollowware, installation, performance], students work intensely, one-on-one, with the faculty in metals, as well as from various other studio areas. The metals studio is equipped for fabrication, casting and smithing.

Drawing and Painting

Graduate students engage in a course of study where a challenging mix of ideas from a variety of ideological and cultural vantage points promotes conceptual, technical and formal experimentation. Through public and private critiques, classes, interactions with visiting artists, critics, a dozen painting faculty, as well as faculty from other areas of the studio and art history program, a vital graduate painting community is created.

Photography

Photography is broadly defined as a lens-based medium open to a variety of expressive means, ranging from black & white and color images to installation and digital prints.

Printmaking

Students have access to all of the traditional printmaking processes [intaglio, relief, monotype, lithography, serigraphy, paper making, book making] as well as digital facilities. Students are often encouraged to work with faculty and with processes beyond the print area.

Sculpture

Students explore an art form that includes both discrete object-making and, more recently, has been transformed and expanded into environmental and installation arts.

Transmedia

Emphasis is on an experimental approach to contemporary art practice researching historical and current critical ideas and time-based art practices, including but not limited to sound, installation, performance, video, web, interactive, digital multimedia, and hypertext. Advanced interdisciplinary research, sophisticated facilities, study of theory and criticism, interaction with other units of the College and the University.

Graduate Admissions Criteria and Requirements

The M.F.A. in Studio Art is designed for the early career artist; therefore, the faculty is interested in those applicants who show the potential for artistic and intellectual growth. From a portfolio of recent work and the statement of purpose, the faculty seeks to identify applicants showing the development of a personal artistic style that seems grounded in a critical base and knowledge of contemporary art. [See letter from the Graduate Advisor in the pdf below for a more complete description.] Both the Studio Art Graduate Studies Committee and the Office of Graduate Studies of the University must approve admission.

By January 8, materials must be received in two separate offices, ART and GIAC. To the Department of Art and Art History (ART), you submit a portfolio of 15 slides (or a videotape for transmedia), a portfolio list, statement of purpose and artist's statement, 3 letters of recommendation, and a resume. To the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC), you submit the University's online application, fee, official transcripts, and TOEFL or IELTS test scores (international students only). The GRE is not required for the M.F.A..

Detailed instructions on accessing the online application, preparing your portfolio and statement of purpose, on course of study, critiques and oral examinations, program costs and financial assistance, as well as information on resources and the visiting artist program are included in this downloadable PDF document: M.F.A. Studio Art Admission and Program Guide (pdf).

For additional information on funding graduate study in studio art, please see M.F.A. Studio Art Financial Aid.

To Department of Art and Art History, submit in one package:

  1. Your 15-slide portfolio in a plastic slide sheet or DVD (transmedia only) and portfolio list.
  2. Your statement of purpose. (For specific questions to be addressed in the statement, please see PDF: M.F.A. Studio Art Admission and Program Guide.)
  3. Three (3) letters of recommendation in sealed, signed envelopes
  4. Resume including your name, address, phone, email; education (college/degree), awards, exhibitions, work experience.

Mail to:

Graduate Coordinator for Studio Art
Department of Art and Art History
University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station #D1300 Austin, TX 78712-0337.

For overnight or package delivery, ship to:

Graduate Coordinator for Studio Art
Department of Art and Art History
University of Texas at Austin
Art Building, Room 3.320
23rd and San Jacinto Streets
Austin, TX 78712
[512-471-3377]

To Graduate and International Admissions Center, you submit:

  1. Online application: To access the online application, see the detailed instructions in the pdf above.
  2. Fee: $50 for United States citizens and permanent residents; $75 for International students
  3. Official transcripts
  4. TOEFL or IELTS test scores, international students only

Mail to:

Graduate and International Admissions Center
University of Texas at Austin
P.O. Box 7608
Austin, TX, 78713-7608

For overnight or package delivery, ship to:

Graduate and International Admissions Center
University of Texas at Austin
2608 Whitis Avenue
Austin, TX 78712-1534
[512-475-7390]

Contacts:

Prospective applicants wishing to visit with Judy Clack about the graduate Studio Art program should arrange an appointment in advance of visiting the department. Please see Visiting the Department for detailed information.

Judy Clack - Graduate Coordinator

jclack@mail.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-3377
Fax: 512-471-7801
Office: ART 3.320
Campus Mail Code: D1300

Professor Mark Goodman - Graduate Advisor

mgoodman@mail.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-6427
Fax: 512-471-7801
Office: ART 3.344
Campus Mail Code: D1300

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