Program Admission

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Graduate School Application

After reviewing the admission requirements below, please select the appropriate application. The University is transitioning application platforms; pay close attention when selecting the application below.

• 2021-2022 Application (Winter 22)
• 2022-2023 Application (Summer 22, Fall 22, or Winter 23)  

The program you are applying to may not accept applicants every semester.

For additional information regarding the application process, please see Graduate Admissions or International Admissions.

Admission Requirements

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

A four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution. In addition, a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale, or 3.0 in the last half of the undergraduate program, is required for full admission. Applicants who do not meet minimum admission requirements may be considered for conditional admission. See International Admissions for international applicant requirements.

Applicants must also meet the following program criteria:

• Have an undergraduate degree, with a major in art or approximately 30 hours of undergraduate coursework in art through an accredited institution
• 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 the title, medium, size, and completion date for each artwork submitted

Winter 2022 Applications - The items above will be submitted using SlideRoom (slideroom.com). Applicants will also submit a graduate school application. 

Beginning with Summer 2022 Applications - The items above will be submitted using GradCAS.  

Deadlines

Applications received in the School of Art & Design by February 15 for the Fall semester and October 1 for the Winter semester will be given the 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

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

Advisor Information

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Brian Spolans, MFA, Graduate Coordinator, 114 Ford Hall, 734.487.1268, bspolans@emich.edu

Program Requirements

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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

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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: