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Visual Studies M.F.A. Overview
At the Department of Visual Studies, emerging artists are provided with resources to pursue their research and practice in an evolving art environment. The Master of Fine Arts program promotes individual artistic development with an intellectual and cultural perspective on art and design. Each student’s potential is developed within a community of students and faculty that are engaged in intensive discourse, investigation, and production of challenging new work. Critiques, presentations, readings, and discussions with resident faculty, visiting artists, designers and critics come together to form graduate level study. The program requires a strong work ethic, personal development of artistic practice and freedom of creative inquiry and production. The MFA program is interdisciplinary; utilizing UB’s comprehensive research facility. Full time study and residency for the duration of the two-year program is required.
The MFA is interdisciplinary in nature; it has no designation of studio areas or concentrations. Studio lab facilities support the media of communication design, emerging practices, painting, photography, print media, or sculpture. However, M.F.A. students are free to work in any studio area and to employ media appropriate to their research. Graduate students meet regularly with a committee of three faculty members, and other faculty, to shape their research and progress. The second year project culminates in a thesis exhibition or alternative public presentation and a written thesis defense.
Seminars and Academics
In addition to graduate research and project supervision MFAs can take Visual Studies seminars to give them a context for their art practice with awareness of current trends in visual arts and design. During the two year graduate program, academic requirements include: Introduction to Critical Theory in the fall and a critique-based Graduate Seminar in the spring semester. In addition to this, 12 credits of academic electives (may include art history or visual studies) and 3 credits of an open elective are required.
Individual/Private Graduate Spaces and Communal Studios
Graduate MFA students are provided with a private or semi-private securable studio space as well as full access to the well equipped communal labs. Some studios have sky lights, and all are equipped with internet connections.
Visiting artists and critics
Lectures and critiques by visiting artists and designers, visits to area collections and alternative spaces, including day trips to galleries in Toronto, can be scheduled.
