Typography MFA Degree

MFA - 60 credit, two- to three-year program of study

The modern visual designer must be broadly educated, articulate, and literate to compete successfully in today's world.

The Visual Design MFA Program allows students to explore visual communication in a broad sense. Under the guidance of a faculty committee, candidates develop a thesis project based on their own unique research. The thesis requires both visual and written components which are intellectually, formally and technically rigorous. Students form a committee based on their thesis topic, choosing from faculty who provide a wide variety of viewpoints and expertise. The faculty advisors are highly proficient in traditional, time-based, and interactive media. Students are encouraged to explore various media, processes and methods while they develop their topic. Areas of study include:

• Digital Media
• Graphic Design
• Illustration
• Photography
• Typography

Why Study at UMass Dartmouth?

• Art History: strong emphasis on Methods and Theory, with a Design theoretician on the faculty;
• University setting: access to faculty in other fields;
• Interdisciplinary projects and committees are encouraged;
• Exhibition opportunities: local, regional, and on campus;
• New Bedford: an active arts community and a monthly celebration of the arts;
• TA and GA opportunities: provide stipends, tuition waivers and fee reductions;
• Individualized student attention;
• Assigned workspaces;
• Visiting artists;
• Specialized facilities: letterpress & digital printing, computer labs, papermaking lab, and tools needed to support a wide range of artistic exploration and production;
• Visual Resources Center with more than 150,000 archived images;
• Faculty: currently working on a wide variety of scholarly, creative, and professional projects;
• Location: an hour from Providence, Boston, and the Cape.

The Master of Fine Arts is generally recognized as the highest degree offered in the visual arts. It qualifies the recipient for professional work and positions in higher education within a variety of disciplines. There are also numerous allied career paths, such as curatorial work, arts administration, art direction, and publishing, which benefit from the level of accomplishment the Master of Fine Arts degree entails. The faculty of the College of Visual and Performing Arts believe that the best graduate education is achieved through individualized attention to the students, and prides itself in the quality of the facilities and equipment. If you wish to attain a higher level of personal artistic development, and aspire to advance in professional practice, then we invite you to apply. Come visit us—we're happy to arrange a tour of our facilities. Call to make an appointment: 508 999-8546.

Admission Requirements

Standards for admission include a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, an undergraduate grade point average not lower than 3.0, and a portfolio demonstrating your capability for advanced work in your chosen discipline. We also require a congruence between your stated purpose and faculty support for projects of that nature.

Applicants must submit the required application materials to the Graduate Office (including a completed application form, the required fee, official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records, and reports of all required examinations).

In addition, we require:

• Three letters of recommendation from people who can write authoritatively about your accomplishments and potential in the visual arts.
• Your statement of purpose to informatively define the field of study you wish to pursue as a graduate student and to describe the ideas and concerns that will underlie your work.

A Portfolio of 20 digital, 35mm images, or prints providing a clear representation of conceptual development is required. Digital portfolio files must be Mac compatible, organized on a CD-R or DVD-R disk, preferably as a slide show using one of the following formats: PowerPoint, PDF, JPG, Flash (swf) or Keynote, to ensure viewing order is clear. Include a color-printed image list, including the title, scale, media, date, as well as a small thumbnail image for each project represented in the digital portfolio. Image size should not exceed 1024 x 768, at 72 DPI, or 1.2 MB. Portfolios cannot require installation of software. Video or time-based media (no longer than 10 minutes) may also be submitted on a DVD-R. We are not responsible for reviewing materials that are not readily accessible—please test CD-R or DVD-R media on multiple playback devices before mailing. Include a self-addressed mailer with sufficient postage for return of the portfolio.

Completed applications must be submitted by February 15th. Please see the Graduate Catalog for more information.

Teaching and Graduate Assistantships

Teaching and Graduate Assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Please see the Graduate Catalog for more information.

Visual Design Department