Master of Fine Arts - Art

San Francisco State University

Program Description

The Master of Fine Arts program in Art provides a dynamic interdisciplinary environment within which students are encouraged to develop their creative practice as professional artists.

The School of Art has facilities for printmaking, painting and drawing, sculpture, photography, textiles, digital media, and emerging technology, and ceramics. MFA students have access to all of the School of Art facilitates as well as individual and communal MFA studio workspaces. Faculty are distinguished and professionally active artists and art historians. Students work closely with a graduate advisor/mentor to chart their individual path through the program, including studio seminars, critiques, and individually supervised tutorials.

Coursework and seminars in art history and other academic fields complement studio courses, and students are encouraged to develop rigorous research and writing skills to enrich and complement their art practice. All students are provided with individual studio spaces, and there are opportunities for teaching, either as a teaching assistant or instructor of record. The vibrant visiting artist program introduces students to artists in the Bay Area and beyond, connecting students to the local art community. The M.F.A. degree culminates with a written thesis report and a thesis exhibition in which students exhibit an original body of work.

The program may be completed in 2 or 3 years, depending on how many classes are taken each semester. Students should decide before the beginning of their first semester whether they intend to complete the program in 2 or 3 years and meet early on with the graduate coordinator to plan accordingly. Students who choose the 2-year option must pass their first semester review without reservations and consult with the graduate coordinator before continuing with the 2-year option.