Can graduate students take undergraduate & continuing education courses?
All registered graduate students may audit two undergraduate and/or continuing education courses per academic year. (An academic year consists of the Fall, Spring & Summer sessions.) Students do not receive credit or grades for audited courses. Students auditing courses do not have to pay for tuition for those courses, but are responsible for registration and lab fees applicable to the course(s) audited. Audits are subject to class size limitations, and instructor’s permission. These audits are often used for interdisciplinary study or for additional software instruction.
Can I transfer credits from another program?
Up to 15 credits may be transferred toward your School of VISUAL ARTS MFA. Transfer credits will only be accepted from another accredited MFA, MS or MA degree program. Additionally, the department you enter will only accept credits for courses that concur with courses they offer. Any student wishing to transfer credits from another institution should submit course descriptions and/or syllabi with the application. For more information on transferring credits, please contact the department.
Can I double major?
Students cannot double major in different departments (for example MFA Photography/Video and MFA Computer Art). Students may concentrate in different areas within the department (for example: video and installation). Students with the proper prerequisites and departmental permission may be allowed to enroll in courses offered in other departments.
Are there summer classes?
The department does not offer any summer classes. Registered students may audit continuing education and undergraduate courses over the summer. Additionally, the department lab is open to registered students throughout most of the summer, for an additional fee.
How big are the classes?
Critique courses are generally limited to 8 to 10 students. Studio classes range in size from 10 to 12 students. Courses in the digital lab can accommodate 14 students. Academic courses range from 12 to 15 students.
What are the course requirements?
Master Critique is required of photography students every semester and of video students in every semester after the first. Students must also take Introduction to Digital Imaging, Historical Perspectives, Criticism & Theory, and Contemporary Issues classes, and a minimum of 60 credits. Video students have a specific track of courses tailored to their concerns. Interdisciplinary exploration within the department is permitted and encouraged. All students are also required to take Thesis Project, Thesis Forms I & II, and complete an approved thesis project. Students meet with the department’s Academic Advisor and Chair to determine which courses are appropriate for their planned course of study.
What software is offered?
Courses are not application-specific. Studio classes are usually a combination of theory, critique, and software instruction. Widely used software includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Final Cut Pro, and AfterEffects. Students desiring intensive software instruction are recommended to audit undergraduate or continuing education classes. Please see the Facilities page for a complete list of software.
How many computers does the department have?
The department has approximately 20 Macintosh computers as well as high-end scanners, inkjet printers, video editing stations, and other essential digital imaging and moving-image editing peripherals. Hardware is state-of-the-art and updated every year. Please see the Facilities page for a complete list of hardware.
How much help is available for students in the labs?
There are, on average, 6 lab assistants available each semester who work in the computer and video labs, available to answer any lab questions that arise. There are also 2 systems administrators who oversee the lab operations.
What about analog photography?
Due to the quick turnaround required for most classes and real-world assignments, the department encourages the use of digital printing. Many students do shoot with film, but most students’ output is completely digital. However, if you require the use of a darkroom, you may register for “MFA Darkroom” and pay a small lab fee per semester in order to use the undergraduate facilities.
What is the thesis?
Each student must complete a thesis to graduate from the department. A thesis is a significant body of creative work and research. The medium and format of the thesis is the students’ choice. Students generally choose from one of the following disciplines: photography, video, interactive media, or installation. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged. Thesis critique classes meet weekly, wherein students present and discuss their work.
What kinds of jobs can I get with this degree?
MFA Photography, Video & Related Media has been the starting place for professionals in a wide range of disciplines and fields, including fine art, commercial photography, video production, editing, college-level education, web design, curating, multimedia production, and museum & gallery management. This department does not subscribe to the belief in a singular career goal for all MFA grads, rather, it recognizes the wide range of roles and varieties of impact that creative interlocutors have in society. Students who graduate from this program are armed with professional level skills and critical contextual knowledge to pursue unique, challenging, and memorable careers of their own choice and volition.
Your department seems to have a certain aesthetic; what if my work doesn’t fit in?
The department makes great efforts to attract students that are diverse in practice, background, and career goals. The curriculum encourages students to experiment outside of their normal working habits in an effort to expand their creative inquiry. As a result, the department doesn’t favor any particular photographic aesthetic. We are committed to supporting and nurturing each student’s individual creative trajectory.
How rigorous are the video & photo programs?
Students in the program are expected to produce work or complete technical based assignments at least every other week for critique or other classes. At the same time, they are expected to participate in meaningful group discussions in all their classes. For some students, this can be a difficult transition as they learn discipline and the rigor of making work at this pace. Faculty and peers will quickly get to know what you are capable of producing and will challenge you creatively, intellectually and technically. In addition, the program has an academic component to further your knowledge in critical analysis, theory, and history in order to flesh out the context of your creative inquiry.
