Fine Arts, M.F.A.

Admission

Applicants must have a B.A., B.F.A., or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university. The applicant’s transcript must be equivalent to the curriculum requirements of an undergraduate degree in art and any undergraduate deficiencies in art history or studio art must be remedied. A representative portfolio in prints and/or images on CD/DVD-ROM, an artist’s statement, three letters of recommendation, and a letter of intent must be approved by the graduate faculty of art and will remain on file in the graduate advisor’s office.

Curriculum Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) curriculum consists of 60 credit hours of graduate study.

If the M.F.A. candidate has fewer than 15 hours of undergraduate credit in art history, then the candidate must take an additional three hours of art history coursework.

Transfer credit of up to 12 credit hours for the M.F.A. at the discretion of the art program’s graduate faculty. The graduate faculty may extend full credit for hours earned in an M.A. degree toward requirements for the M.F.A.

The maximum number of credit hours the 6000 level is 24 hours. Studio work must include a minimum of three credit hours with at least three different professors.

A written artist statement by the candidate for the M.F.A. degree is required and will be maintained in the candidate’s file in the graduate advisor’s office.

The time limitation for completion of the M.F.A. degree is six years. Should the candidate hold an M.A. degree before embarking on the M.F.A. program, the completion requirement is limited to four years. Students seeking candidacy for the M.F.A. degree must complete a residency requirement consisting of no less than nine credit hours in one semester at The University of Tulsa.

Review

Critiques or formal reviews with all School of Art, Design and Art History  faculty will take place each semester. Formal reviews with all School of Art, Design and Art History  faculty and thesis committee members are required of all M.F.A. students at the end of the second and fourth semesters or at the end of 18 and 36 credit hours. At each critique or review, students will present a body of work and an artist’s statement to discuss with all faculty members present. If a student does not pass the formal review, a probationary review will take place at the end of the next semester. Failure to pass any probationary review will result in dismissal from the program.

Thesis

The student will select a graduate professor to be director of the master’s thesis and chair of the thesis committee. The master’s thesis is defined by the student in consultation with the major professor and consists of a body of creative works in the student’s identified area of emphasis and a written component discussing the works. All candidates are expected to participate in a solo or group exhibition at a University gallery. Alternative venues must be approved by School of Art faculty. Candidates for the M.F.A. degree are encouraged to participate in national or regional exhibitions prior to their oral examinations. Candidates should consult with the graduate advisor concerning specific requirements for the completion of the degree.

The format for the submission of the thesis work consists of professional documentation in prints and CD/DVD-ROM, as well as a written master’s statement. The evaluation committee consists of a minimum of three professors: two from studio art and one from a discipline outside the studio art area. The committee will conduct an oral examination during the candidate’s thesis exhibition, at which time the student will defend and discuss the work presented in his or her exhibition. All students are expected to adhere to departmental and Graduate School deadlines concerning completion of the thesis project. The written component and images must be submitted to the Graduate School and follow the thesis preparation guidelines.