Studio Art, MA

Program Description

The MA in Studio Art is an intensive, two-semester exploration into studio practice that cultivates a deep connection to self. In this creative environment, faculty and peer interaction support professional and personal development. This program is for students who want to build a portfolio to apply for further graduate study in art or who want to enhance their studio practice.

The MA in Studio Art provides the time and structure to strengthen perception, sensibility, and creative voice, resulting in a substantial body of quality work. Studio practice is supported by a rich peer environment, engaging critiques and seminars, and ongoing interaction with experienced, caring faculty, and frequent guest artists.

Faculty coach students to develop practical skills vital to the MFA application process, including writing an artist’s statement, photographing work, the interview process, and selecting schools that align with their work and creative aspirations. Recent graduates of MIU art programs have received scholarships, paid teaching assistantships, or salaried fellowships at Yale University, the University of Iowa, the University of Wisconsin, Penn State, the University of California at Davis, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Cranbrook Academy of Art, and other prestigious graduate schools.

Entrance Requirements

Entrance requirements for applicants to the MA in Studio Art include the following:

• BFA or BA undergraduate degree with 3.0 or higher GPA from an accredited college or university.
• Portfolio of 15-20 images that:
  • Are optimized for the Web with a screen resolution of 72 dpi.
  • Demonstrate a focused body of work.
  • Include a list of slides that designates title (optional), materials, size (dimensions), date.
  • Include a 500-word statement of purpose.
• Interview with Art Department faculty and program directors.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successfully completing the MA in Studio Art, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate attentiveness, engagement and receptivity to feedback.
2. Create works for art that demonstrate a working knowledge of materials and process.
3. Communicate an intellectual and intuitive understanding of concepts expressed in form.
4. Deliver a cohesive body of authentic artwork for exhibition sufficient to sustain a studio practice or to apply for further graduate study.
5. Research and write effectively about art, connecting their creative process and work to the historical and contemporary art context as well as to consciousness.
6. Write and speak effectively and authentically about their art, articulated in an artist statement and in conversation.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate with an MA in Studio Art, students must successfully complete 40 total credits of study, including 12 credits of art seminar courses and 24 credits of Advanced Contemporary Studio. Students who new to MIU must also complete the 4-credit Science of Creative Intelligence sequence of courses. Students who have successfully completed FOR 500  or SCI 108 as an MIU undergraduate student must complete two 2-credit Forest Academy courses.