ARTP-MFA - Art Practice (MFA)
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Program Overview
Fields of Study or Degree Options
Fields of study for the MFA degree are offered in Painting, Sculpture, New Genres, Photography, and Printmaking. These fields of study are not declared on Axess; they are not printed on the transcript or the diploma.
The MFA program is a two-year program.
Admissions Information
The applicant must have a BA, BFA, or BS from an accredited school. The applicant is expected to have a strong background in art practice, either an undergraduate degree or at least three years of independent studio practice. Students accepted to the program are admitted for the beginning of the following autumn quarter. No applicants for mid-year entrance are considered.
Portfolio Specifications—See the department’s Graduate Admission website for portfolio requirements.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
- 1105931
- 2142871
- 2142881
Plus one elective course each quarter for four units approved by the DGS.
All courses should be taken once in autumn and again in winter.
- 1105931
- 2142891
Plus one elective course for four units approved by the DGS.
- 1105931
- 2142871
- 2142881
All courses should be taken once in autumn and again in winter.
- 1105931
- 2142891
The student is expected to pass four formal academic reviews conducted by the faculty. The purpose of these reviews is to evaluate development and assess the student’s progress.
At the end of the first quarter, any student judged to be making inadequate progress is placed on probation and requires an additional review at the end of the second quarter.
At the end of the third quarter, at which the recommendation to proceed to the second year is determined.
At the start of the fifth quarter. If the review is unsatisfactory, the student is placed on probation and an additional review is scheduled at the end of the fifth quarter.
At the time of the MFA exhibition.
Six quarters (minimum of 36 units), which includes one (course in Spring) or two (course and course in autumn and winter) weekly seminars and Studio Practice, as well as an individual tutorial (course) with a selected member of the faculty; all seminars must be taken for a letter grade. See the MFA Handbook for further details.
Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.
Regardless of their source of funding, students must assist with the department’s teaching program for a minimum of twenty hours per week over six quarters; the particulars of this assignment are at the department’s discretion.
Graduate students may propose solo teaching an undergraduate art class in their second year, subject to faculty and department approval.
The department reserves the right to use graduate paintings, sculptures, and photographs in exhibitions serving the interests of the graduate program.
Graduate students must remain in residence at Stanford for the program’s duration (six academic quarters).
The thesis consists of two portions: an exhibition at the end of the final quarter and a written paper addressing the development of work completed over the two years at Stanford, to be completed during the fifth quarter. The written portion and participation in the MFA exhibition at the end of the year are required.