Studio Art Master of Arts (MA)

The MA program in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History is a multidisciplinary program where students pursue a wide range of media through studio coursework. Students may use the MA degree to develop technical skills and a portfolio of work as a pathway to an MFA degree or to advance in an existing career or industry.

The Master of Arts Degree is a 30-credit hour program, enrollment may be either full-time (8 credits per semester) or part-time. The MA must be completed within 6 years.

Department of Art supports research and studio work in the following disciplines: 

• Ceramics
• Digital Art
• Drawing
• Fashion Design
• Fibers
• Graphic Design
• Industrial Design
• Interior Design
• Metalsmithing
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture

Curriculum

For students commencing studies in Fall 2021 or later, a details curriculum overview and list of courses can be found in the University Graduate Bulletin. Students who commenced before Fall 2021 should consult the Handbook or the University Bulletin for the year they commenced studies.

• Graduate Bulletin - Overview
• Graduate Bulletin - Requirements
• Graduate Handbook

Visiting artists and critics

Each semester there are a variety of visitors in the department with opportunities for graduate studio visits, lecture, and critiques.

Recent visiting Artists and Critics Include:

• Shannon Stratton (Executive Director of Ox-Bow School or Art)
• Helen Lee (Visual Artist)
• Cathy Byrd (Founder and Artistic Director of Fresh Art International)
• Jova Lynne (Visual Artist and Curator Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit)
• Margaret Laurena Kemp (Visual Artist)
• David Buckley Borden (Visual Artist)
• Alison Wong (Visual Artist and Director of Wasserman Projects)
• Kambui Olujimi (Visual Artist)
• Sarah Rose Sharp (Visual Artist and Arts Writer)
• Jason Yates (Visual Artist)
• Irina Nakhova (Installation Artist)
• Jennifer Willet (BioArtist)

Facilities and studios

Students in the MA program have access to an array of department facilities including the department woodshop and digital fabrication studio. Through course work student can access facilities in ceramics, digital arts, drawing, fashion design, fibers, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, metalsmithing, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

When available, MA students have the opportunity to request a private studio in in our graduate studio area. The studio area includes communal installation space, a spray booth, mini shop, and break room.