Master of Fine Arts in Art and Social Practice
The Master of Fine Arts in Art and Social Practice is a 60-hour terminal degree. The program consists of graduate courses in the Department of Art that provide strong theoretical framework as well as courses that develop the students’ creative work. The program is designed to provide support for the development of a professional creative practice of art making that engages audiences in community-based projects.
Students wishing to pursue an MFA in Art and Social Practice must meet the following requirements and submit all documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- Graduate Admissions Application (submitted online through ApplyTexas)
- Application Fee
- A bachelor's degree in art with a 3.0 GPA* in undergraduate art coursework
- An official transcript from your baccalaureate degree-granting institution
- A digital portfolio of the applicant's artwork
- A statement of intent
- Three letters of reference
- A resume
*Note: Exceptions to the 3.0 GPA requirement may be made in instances of outstanding portfolios and letters of recommendation that provide evidence that the student can be successful in a graduate program.
Requirements include public exhibitions and community-engaged art projects. An exhibition is required at the conclusion of the first year, and a review of the student's work by the graduate faculty occurs at the conclusion of the second year. The thesis/exhibition project includes a publication collaboratively designed and written by students in their third year.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Fine Arts in Art and Social Practice | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| ARTS 5311 | Studio Critique 1 | 6 |
| ARTS 5312 | Studio Seminar 2 | 9 |
| ARTS 5313 | Teaching Seminar in Art | 3 |
| ARTS 5315 | Professional & Social Practice | 3 |
| ARTS 5381 | Socially Engaged Art | 3 |
| ARTS 5385 | Contemporary Art and Theory | 3 |
| ARTS 6311 | Collaborative Studio 1 | 6 |
| ARTS 6312 | Community Seminar 1 | 6 |
| ARTS 6313 | Studio Critique II 1 | 6 |
| ARTS 6381 | Research Methods in Art | 3 |
| ARTS 6398 | Thesis Project I | 3 |
| ARTS 6399 | Thesis Project II | 3 |
| Prescribed Electives 3 | 6 | |
| Independent Study | ||
| Special Topic | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Taken two times.
- 2
Taken three times.
- 3
Or any other 5000 or 6000 level course with the approval of the Department Chair and the Graduate Coordinator.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) marketable skills initiative is part of the state’s 60x30TX plan and was designed to help students articulate their skills to employers. Marketable skills are those skills valued by employers and/or graduate programs that can be applied in a variety of work or education settings and may include interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skill areas.
The MFA in Art and Social Practice is designed to provide graduates with the following marketable skills:
1. Advanced oral and written communication.
2. Critical thinking.
3. Teamwork and collaboration.
4. Communicating visually.
5. Developing and managing budgets.
6. Organizing and motivating others.
