MFA Degree Requirements
MFA students complete around 15 credits of coursework per semester for a total of 60 credits at the completion of the two-year program. The curriculum is designed to accommodate a range of art practices including but not limited to studio-based artistic practice, interdisciplinary creative work, scholarly research, and writing.
Within the coursework, every student:
- plans a three-to-five week research experience in a location relevant to their work during the summer between the first and second year,
- writes a thesis paper,
- completes a thesis exhibition, and
- delivers a public talk at the end of the program.
MFA Critique
12 credits
In this interdisciplinary course, students participate in weekly critique groups to develop rigor in their ability to understand, contextualize, and discuss their own work and the work of their peers. Stamps faculty and visiting scholars are invited to critiques and provide feedback and professional expertise. All students have the opportunity to present new work multiple times throughout the academic year and to meet with visiting critics during critiques and scheduled studio visits.
Studio Visit Program
An extension of the MFA Critique class is the studio visit program which pairs students with visiting artists, curators, and writers in two to three individual 45-min studio visits each semester. Since 2025, students have had studio visits with internationally renowned arts professionals including Aruna D’Souza, Alisha Wormsley, Allison Glenn, Narciso Martinez, Kaloki Nyamai, Taeyoon Choi, Peter Burr, Devan Shimoyama, Cosmo Whyte, Ingrid LaFleur, and many others.
Directed / Thesis Studio Courses
24 credits
Directed Studio is an essential part of the MFA program and students enroll every semester. During Directed or Thesis Studio, students work in their studios independently, doing material exploration, research, artistic production, and planning related to their projects. Faculty advisors meet with students to provide critical support and feedback in this highly individualized course.
Seminars
9 credits
The curriculum requires three seminar courses, each three credits:
- Research Methods introduces students to the wide range of approaches to artistic research within the field of visual art – in dialogue with other disciplines and mindful of the unique resources for artists operating within research institutions.
- Thesis Writing supports students in constructing their written thesis paper.
- Professional Practice demystifies the professional arts landscape and supports our students’ unique career trajectories.
History/Theory/Criticism Courses (HTC)
6 credits
MFA students take six credits of History/Theory/Criticism (HTC). Stamps offers two HTC classes each fall; recent courses titles include Decolonizing the Archive and What Happens After: Post Conditions and Speculative Futures. Students also are welcome to explore critical theory courses relevant to their field of inquiry in other departments across campus.
Elective Courses
9 credits
Students choose elective courses to meet their individual goals. They can pursue advanced studio courses to enhance their material skills or select interdisciplinary academic courses throughout the university to expand and support their research.
Recent elective courses include:
- Gallery as a Site for Social Change (Stamps)
- Screendance (School of Music, Theater, and Dance)
- Black Queer Theory (Department of Afroamerican and African Studies)
- Gender Euphoria (Stamps)
- Architecture in Global Socialism (Taubman School of Architecture)
Elsewhere Studio: Summer Research Project
3 credits
MFA students participate in a summer research experience during the summer between their first and second year. Students select a location to travel to and conduct their work and research for 3 – 5 weeks with funding provided by Stamps. The experience culminates with a project presented at a Stamps community event.
Sample recent Elsewhere Studio projects:
- Artist Residency at Casa Lü (Mexico City, Mexico)
- Mycology Research at University of Costa Rica (San José, Costa Rica)
- Visual Storytelling & Documentary Photography Workshop at Anderson Ranch (Colorado, United States)
- Natural Dye Workshop (Accra, Ghana)
- Public Performance & Artist Residency at Kintai Artist Residency (Kintai, Lithuania)
- Artist Residency & Rug Weaving Workshop at The Anou (Fes, Morocco)
- Irish Lacemaking Workshop (Dublin, Ireland)
Total Credits Required
60 credits
