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 the course catalog for the most accurate and up to date information.

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

  • ART 650 Critique Seminar (3 units) – 3 units required
  • ART 649 Professional Practice (3 units) – 3 units required
  • ART 698: Seminar in Visual Arts (3 units) - 6 units required
  • ART 710: Graduate Studio Practices (3 units) - 24 units required
  • ART 722: Graduate Tutorial (3 units) - 3 units required
  • ART 737: Theory and Criticism (3 units) - 3 units required
  • ART 747: Directed Readings (3 units) - 3 units required
  • ART 777: Graduate Exhibition (3 units) - 3 units required
  • ART 790: Community Service in the Arts (3 units) - 3 units required
  • Electives: (9 units) Electives are not limited to Department of Art 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 (ART 722)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 710)
  • Seminar in the Visual Arts (ART 698)
Spring (12 credits)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 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 (ART 790, in even year)

  • Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)

Second year

Fall (nine credits)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 710)
  • Seminar in the Visual Arts (ART 698)
  • Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)
Spring (12 credits)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 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 (ART 790, in even year)
  • Elective (either at the main campus or Tahoe)

Third Year

Fall (nine credits)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 710 - 6 credits)
  • Directed Readings (ART 747) – with Thesis Committee Chair
Spring (9 credits)
  • Graduate Studio Practice (ART 710 - 6 credits)
  • Graduate Exhibition (ART 777) – with Thesis Committee Chair

Course descriptions

Critique Seminar - Art 650 (3 credits)

Emphasis on interdisciplinary issues and techniques in studio production. Prerequisites: graduate standing in art.

Professional Practice - Art 649 (3 credits)

Strategies for the professional artist. Prerequisites: graduate standing in art.

Seminar in Visual Arts - Art 698 (3 credits)

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

Graduate Studio Practice - Art 710 (3 credits)

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

Graduate Tutorial - Art 722 (3 credits)

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

Theory and Criticism - Art 737 (3 credits)

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

Directed Reading - Art 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 - Art 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 art.

Community Service in the Arts - Art 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 art.