Program Admission

Applicants should see the Graduate School for general admission information and procedures. Applicants for admission to the M.F.A. degree program must have an undergraduate degree, with a major in art or approximately 30 hours of undergraduate coursework in art through an accredited institution; meet degree admission standards of the Graduate School; submit the following materials for review -

• Graduate School Application supported by official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate credit earned at each institution attended.
• School of Art & Design Application (submitted via Slideroom) including the following;
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Letter of Intent that concisely expresses the applicant’s goals and objectives as an artist/designer and the reason(s) for pursuing graduate study.
  • Artist statement describing current artwork and research objectives/goals.
  • A portfolio of 15-20 images, videos, and/or audio files of the applicant’s studio work, with a corresponding list stating title, medium, size, and date of completion for each artwork submitted.

Applications received in the School of Art & Design by February 15 for Fall semester and by October 1 for Winter semester will be given highest priority. Late applications will be considered as studio space permits. Please consult the Graduate School section of this catalog for application deadlines.

School Information

Art & Design, College of Arts & Sciences

Sandra Murchison, MFA | Director | 114 Ford Hall | 734.487.1268 | smurchis@emich.edu

Advisor Information

Michael Reedy, MFA | Graduate Coordinator | 114 Ford Hall | 734.487.1268 | mreedy@emich.edu

Program Requirements

The graduate coordinator will meet with each student to construct a program of study. Students should follow closely the Graduate School requirements for “Application for Diploma.” Students whose degree program includes a final exhibition of work must apply for gallery space one semester prior to the proposed exhibition. Two years of residency (full-time enrollment) are required; exceptions may be made to this requirement with the approval of the student’s advisor and the M.F.A. committee.

At the end of the first year, the M.F.A. committee will review the work of each M.F.A. student and either allow the student to continue or formally ask the student to withdraw from the program. Individual passing grades assigned by a student’s principal advisor or other faculty during the first full year of enrollment in the M.F.A. program shall not be construed as a guarantee that any student will be granted continuation in the M.F.A. program beyond the initial year of study, since the mid-program review by the M.F.A. committee is based upon a de-novo review of the student’s entire first year of M.F.A. work and his or her performance in the mid-program review. Further, no student may rely on statements by faculty or other agents of the University that would suggest, even remotely, that the student is ensured continued enrollment in the M.F.A. program prior to a review and recommendation by the M.F.A. committee.

Degree Requirements: 60 hours

The M.F.A. requires the completion of 60 hours of course work to be distributed among required courses, elective courses and cognate courses as follows: