Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art - Painting and Drawing

The Studio Art graduate program welcomes all lines of inquiry: spatial, lens-based, two-dimensional, interactive, sound, and performative. We are a multidisciplinary program using as an organizational structure the expansive territories of Painting & Drawing, Photography & Media, Print, Sculpture & Extended Media, and Transmedia.MFA students work closely with dedicated and professionally active faculty to fine-tune existing skill sets and develop new approaches, both conceptual and technical. We have built a supportive yet stimulating community in which students are immersed in an environment of discovery, challenged to consider the depth of an individual discipline, encouraged to explore new ones, meanwhile finding overlaps in new and familiar ways.Used to its full advantage, our curriculum is distinctive to each student’s interests and particular to the assets and research strengths of the department as well as to The University of Texas at Austin. The curriculum allows for many course options giving MFA candidates progressively more studio time as their investigations become more demanding and distinct. Students develop their artist’s voice, in both the ability to make images and to build intellectually upon the discourse surrounding one another’s practices. Students formulate an ongoing and dynamic dialogue with faculty, peers and visiting specialists allowing for a richly informed approach and experience in art making.The Painting & Drawing area facilitates investigative methods and technical proficiency. Through exploration of new materials, an emphasis on interdisciplinary practices and conceptual rigor, students are encouraged to develop a mastery of materials and techniques as a means for creating contemporary art. A diverse group of faculty members offer collective strengths in creativity, professional experience, and extensive cultural investigation.

Applicants must submit an official transcript from all undergraduate and graduate institutions you’ve attended, with the exceptions of community or junior colleges that offer no coursework beyond the sophomore year. Review the Graduate School’s requirements and instructions for submitting transcripts.Letters of Recommendation - After you’ve submitted your ApplyTexas application and paid the fee, each of the three people you listed in the References section will be sent an email containing a secure link for submitting their Letter of Recommendation electronically. All letters must be submitted electronically and must be received by the final application deadline.A grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or a comparable GPA in upper-division work—junior- and senior-level courses—and in any graduate work already completed is also required.The Graduate School requires applicants to have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution.