Graphic Design
MFA

"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

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Discover why UMass Dartmouth is the right place to earn an advanced degree or certificate.

Application Deadlines

Fall: Jan. 10
Spring: Nov. 1
Summer: Not applicable

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Contact

Suzanne Schireson

she/her

Associate Professor
Art & Design
College of Visual & Performing Arts 356A

508-999-9289

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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.

UMassD advantages

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

Assistantship opportunities

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

Graduate admissions requirements

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.