"The modern visual designer must be broadly educated, articulate, and literate to compete successfully in today's world."
CVPA's Visual Design MFA is a 60-credit, 2- to 3-year program of study. The program allows students to explore visual communication in a broad sense. Areas of study include:
- Digital Media
- Graphic Design
- Illustration
- Photography
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.
Artistic development, professional advancement
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 each student, 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.
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.
Pursue your MFA at UMassD
- Art history: strong emphasis on the methods and theory of design
- 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