| Offered as: |
On-campus
Graduate
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The MFA in Artisanry - Ceramics is a 60 credit, 2- to 3-year program of study.
The Ceramics program offers the opportunity for concentrated studio work involving both technical and conceptual challenges. Through questioning and experimentation, students work to consolidate materials and processes while developing strong conceptual and expressive ideas.
Graduate students are encouraged to pursue individual areas of interest which may include fabrication of functional or sculptural forms. Your work in the studio is complemented by courses in clay and glaze formulation, kiln construction, and ceramic history and aesthetics.
You will work closely with a faculty advisor to ensure guided exploration to develop maturity. Individual meetings take place on a weekly basis and critiques occur each month. Studies culminate with both a visual and written thesis.
To arrange a tour of our facilities please contact Suzanne Schireson, 508-999-9289, or sschireson@umassd.edu.
Student Success
Katy Rodden Walker, MFA '22, receives Outstanding Student Award from SDA
Graduate ceramics student’s "Enmeshed" (2022) rewarded for innovative work in textile and fiber media by a student artist.
Faculty positions
- Buffalo State University
- University of Nebraska at Kearney
- University of Arkansas
- University of Wisconsin
- Rhode Island School of Design
- SUNY New Paltz
- MassArt
- University of Minnesota Morris
- University of Florida
- Texas State University
- University of West Florida
- Adams State University
Other employment
- Sherle Wagner International, Ceramic Production Manager
- Northern Clay Center, Educational Outreach Manager
- The Pottery Workshop Jingdezhen China, Director
- Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts, Director
- Kennedy Museum of Art, Ohio University, Curator
- Toy Museum, Executive Director
- Archie Bray Foundation, Educational Coordinator
Residencies
- Anderson Ranch Arts Center
- Archie Bray Foundation
- Arrowmont for the Arts and Crafts
- Watershed
- Red Lodge
- Pocosin Art Center
- Red Star Studios
- Mudflat Studios
- Vermont Studio Center
- Pottery Northwest
Awards
- United States Artist Fellow
- American Craft Council Emerging Artist Award
- Emerging Artist, Fiber Art Now
- Commission-Philadelphia International Airport
- Visual Arts Grant, The Kunststiftung North Rhine-Westphalia. Schöppingen, Germany
- Meyer Family Award for Contemporary Art, Mainline Art Center
- Fleisher Wind Challenge Grant, Fleisher Art Memorial
Research
UMassD advantages
Pursue your MFA at UMassD
- Assistantships: provide stipends, tuition waivers and fee reductions
- Exhibition opportunities: local, regional, and on campus
- Facilities: labs, equipment, and tools for artistic exploration and production
- Faculty: involved in scholarly, creative, and professional projects
- Individualized attention extended to every student
- Interdisciplinary projects and committees are encouraged
- Location: an hour from Providence, Boston, and Cape Cod
- New Bedford: an active downtown arts community
- University education: access to faculty in other fields
- Visiting artists: enrich your artistic and professional development
- Visual Resources Center: more than 150,000 archived images
- Workspaces: assigned to each graduate student
A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.
Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth
University requirements for graduate admissions
- Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
- Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
- Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
- Resume
- Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts.
- Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
- International students: official TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. The Duolingo test is not accepted for the following programs: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Luso-Afro-Brazilian Studies & Theory, Marine Science and Technology (MS, PSM, PhD), Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Portuguese Studies, Professional Writing and Communication, Psychology (ABA, Clinical, Research), and Public Policy.
Program-specific requirements
Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.
- Portfolio of 20 images representing your artwork, process of thinking, implementation of concepts, and studio production. The portfolio is the equivalent of the entrance examinations which other academic areas often require. Submit your portfolio to: SlideRoom.
- 1 letter of recommendation. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.
Program deadlines
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