Graduate Program

MFA Program Director: Prof. John Czerkowicz 973.655.7294

MA Program Coordinator: Dr. Dorothy Heard 973.655.4210

Overview

• Studio (MFA)
• Studio (MA Fine Arts)
• Art Education (MA, MAT, Post-Bacc)
• Art History (MA Fine Arts)
• Museum Management (MA Fine Arts)

Why Get Your Degree at the College of the Arts

Admission to the Programs: 
Master of Arts (MA)
Master of Arts in Fine Arts (MFA)

 

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Graduate Program Overview

The Graduate Program in the Department of Art & Design offers students opportunity to pursue a full-time terminal degree culminating in the MFA (60 credits), as well as programs that offer the flexibility of study on a full- or part-time basis through the MA degree (33 credits). In most cases these degree offerings mirror specializations available in our undergraduate programs and include the Studio (MFA), Studio (MA), Art History (MA), Art Education (MA, MAT, Cert.) and Museum Management (MA). The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) at MSU has become one of the New York Metropolitan area's preeminent full-time studio-based graduate degree programs. The program is interdisciplinary in scope, offering access to faculty and facilities in eleven specialization areas. Students are afforded private studio spaces (accessible 24 hours a day) where work is completed independently and across media, under the mentorship of an outstanding faculty and internationally known artists and critics-in-residence . The MFA facility is housed in the newly renovated Finley Hall South, located in the center of campus. The facility has a dedicated gallery and large fully equipped general workshop area for the development of installations and oversized sculptural work, giving students the opportunity to gain critical exposure as exhibiting artists with shows throughout each term, while providing them with the space needed to bring their ideas to life.

Why Study Art & Design at MSU-CART? MSU's College of the Arts (MSU-CART) offers an art school experience in a liberal arts setting. Located just 14 miles from the cultural richness of midtown Manhattan, MSU-CART offers unparalleled advantages. Find out more . Come Visit!

Students successfully completing the program are equipped with the necessary tools and acumen needed to reach their goals as professional exhibiting artists. The full-time two-year program, which culminates in a final thesis exhibition in the heart of the New York City gallery scene, arguably the center of the art world, gives students the opportunity to pursue advancement as exhibiting artists in a diverse range of professional studio practices, from Drawing, Painting and Performance Art, Three-dimensional Installation and Digital Multi-Media to Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.

In addition to the MFA program the Department of Art & Design offers the 33-credit Master of Arts (MA) Degree in a broad range of study and studio specializations, more appropriate for full-time working professionals. Where applicable, courses can be taken on an independent study basis allowing for one-on-one interaction between student and faculty. Beyond the studio focus, which mirrors the undergraduate program offerings, there are Master of Arts programs in Museum Management, Art History and Art Education.

Studio MA majors have full access to general studios located in the main Art & Design facility, Calcia Hall, during and after their scheduled classes, in addition to all other university open lab facilities were applicable.

All programs within the Department of Art & Design afford students access to our talented and diverse faculty & staff, who continually bring a worldview to all studio and lecture venues.

Our geographic location is a strategic component to all visual arts programs on both the Graduate and Undergraduate level as is our participation and membership to The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASA) our accrediting organization, to which we have had active membership for over a decade.

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Studio (MFA)

MFA Program Director:
Prof. John Czerkowicz
973.655.7294

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Studio Art is a 60-credit program designed to prepare students for careers as practicing professional artists. Comprised of a diverse group of students who share in a vision to explore, synthesize, innovate and create, the rigorous MFA program is a full-time two-year in-residence program that fosters opportunities for critical discourse in an environment where individuals can collaborate or work independently and make meaningful contributions to contemporary culture. A professional degree for studio artists, the MFA is also usually required for college-level teaching.

Program
Students
Curriculum and Courses
Faculty and Visiting Artists
Studios & Facilities
MFA Gallery
Location Advantage

Admission / Portfolio Guidelines

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Program

The MFA at MSU is unique in its interdisciplinary approach. Traditionally MFA programs require students to choose a concentration in a particular studio area such as painting or photography; however, contemporary artists tend not to be bound by singular modes of art making but work concurrently in a variety of forms and media. The MFA at MSU allows students to work in any studio area in a given semester, provided it relates to the student's ongoing project. This gives the student access to a more diversified faculty and contemporary ideas. Studio opportunities are offered in painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, papermaking, filmmaking, video art production, photography, ceramics, fiber forms, jewelry/metals, and multi-media. The program further includes specific interdisciplinary courses such as Computer Generated Art, Art in Public Places, and Performance Art that allow students and faculty to explore concepts not rooted in a specific genre, Full-time students generally complete the MFA in two years. (note: While University policy permits students six years to complete the degree, MFA students are strongly encouraged to complete it within the two-year time period during which they are assigned studio space on campus. An extension of course work beyond two years will be considered in exceptional circumstances but studio space cannot be provided beyond the two year maximum.)

Students

The MFA Program seeks to attract artists of diverse cultures, ethnic backgrounds, geographic derivation, and stage of career development in order to ensure wide points of view, artistic orientation and a stimulating atmosphere for discourse.

Assistantships and Recognitions

                                                                                                     Solo exhibition of alumnus Amer Kobaslija at George Adams Gallery

A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available each year, providing a waiver of tuition and fees and a stipend of $5000. GA's are assigned to a particular studio area (e.g. ceramics, sculpture) depending on the student's area of interest and needs of the studio areas. GA's work 15 hours per week as Technical Assistants, Studio Managers and Lab Assistants under the supervision of a studio area head and the MFA Director.

Apart from assistantships, students and alumni of the program have received many recognitions for their accomplishments including Joan Mitchell Foundation grants, solo exhibitions in New York galleries and critical reviews by major press.

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New York Times
Friday, June 30, 2006

Amer Kobaslija
Large-Scale Studio Paintings
George Adams Gallery
525 West 26th Street, Chelsea
Through Aug. 18  

It's not what you paint, but how you paint. That might be the motto of Amer Kobaslija, a young artist from Bosnia who has a recent M.F.A. degree from Montclair State University. Mr. Kobaslija makes paintings of his studio, a small, windowless, white-walled room of the sort commonly provided to graduate students by state universities. Working on panels joined into diptychs or triptychs measuring up to 7 feet by 12 feet, he paints intensely realistic, exhaustively detailed pictures of the room and its contents as if viewed from a corner near the ceiling.  

Because of their near life-size scale, skewed perspectives and convincing spatial illusions, the paintings induce a sensation of vertigo. Mr. Kobaslija's photographically assisted attention to detail enhances the effect. Draw closer, however, and the illusion collapses into sensuously busy surfaces. Stains, paint marks and footprints on the floors turn large areas into passages of pure painterly abstraction.  

The paintings have autobiographical intrigue, too, as the contents of the room, including painting supplies and personal stuff, like clothes, keys, a cellphone, a CD player and food and drink containers, evoke the life of a contemporary artist. (Joe Fig's miniature models of artists' studios come to mind.) And there is a spiritual dimension: the studio is like a monk's cell, a place to practice Zen-like attentiveness to ordinary reality. KEN JOHNSON

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Curriculum and Courses

The MFA curriculum is comprised of a core 48 credits including seminars in theory, criticism and art history; independent study in research, studio and criticism; completion of a final paper; design and production of an exhibition catalog; mounting of a solo thesis exhibition in a Manhattan space to which critics and gallery directors are invited; critiques by faculty and visiting critics; and a year-round Art Forum/MFA Lecture Series co-sponsored with the Montclair Art Museum. In conjunction with the core curriculum, 12 credits are available for courses in studio and free electives.

MFA Curriculum
Course Descriptions
Graduate Catalogue

Faculty and Visiting Artists

                   Visiting Artist William Wegman

Faculty - The faculty of the MFAprogram are practicing professional artists with distinguished careers and exhibition records. Together they bring multiple points of view that stimulate critical discourse and inform development of the student's own vision.

Visiting Artists/Scholars Program - The Visiting Artists/Scholars program and the weekly Art Forum Lecture Series infuse the MFA program with noteworthy figures in the contemporary art world. These highly recognized artists augment the faculty, and broaden the range of knowledge and exposure to new media and approaches for our students. MFA students are expected to participate in this program.

• Critic-in-Residence - The MFA program sponsors a professional critic-in-residence who teaches two courses, MFA Seminar in Theory and Criticism I & II, and works with students on independent study projects. He/she also serves on student project committees and gives public lectures and critiques annually.
• Artist-in-Residence - Further augmenting the contributions of the faculty, a weekly visiting artist teaches courses such as Special Topics I, II, III, IV; and participates in the MFA Seminars in Studio Art program. Like the critic-in-residence, this person also works with students on independent study projects, serves on student project committees; gives two lectures per year that are open to the community and two critiques that are open to the entire Department. The professional artist-in-residence maintains an active studio on campus, which students are encouraged to visit.

Studios and Facilities

The MFA program occupies a newly constructed, expanding facility exclusively dedicated to the MFA program including 22 large private studios; a mediated seminar room; common lounge and work areas; and a student MFA Gallery. In addition students have access to the facilities for the Department's twelve studio areas in Calcia and Finley Halls.

Location Advantage

MSU's proximity to New York City (14 miles) offers a particular advantage to MFA students. The rich concentration of world class artists, museums and galleries in Manhattan is unparalleled, and directly accessible by bus and train from campus. Students are encouraged to visit artists in their studios and on a weekly basis artists from New York are invited to Montclair to conduct lectures and workshops.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the MFA program involves applying to the university and submitting examples of recent work in slide or disc format. When possible a portfolio interview is encouraged.

The Graduate School

Graduate School page for MFA program.

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Studio (MA)

MA Studio Advisor:
Dr. Robert Browning
973.655.4167

The Master of Arts in Fine Arts / Studio (MAST) is a 33-credit program that may be completed on a part-time or full-time basis and tailored to suit a variety of needs. Through the MA program, students have opportunity to advance existing and emerging skills in studio art; develop a personal aesthetic voice; or explore a studio area that is never before tried. The program also assists students wishing to develop a portfolio for application to the more intensive MFA program.

The MA curriculum is composed of a core of 12 credits (including 6 credits of art history); 15 credits of studio courses; 6 credits of free electives; and a Graduate Project.

Studio areas include Ceramics, Cinematography, Drawing, Metalwork & Jewelry, Painting, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture.

Faculty

The faculty of the MA program are practicing professional artists with distinguished careers and exhibition records. Together they bring multiple points of view that stimulate critical discourse and inform development of the student's own vision.

Facilities

Students in the Art Studio program have access to all the department studio facilities, including the Betty Schlossman Image Library and the university's main Sprague Library on campus.

Curriculum and Admission to the Program may be found under the Graduate School's Guidelines for Art Studio MA.

Studio Course Descriptions (Select Art & Design / studio area)

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Art Education (MA, MAT, Post-Baccalaureate)

Art Education Director:
Dr. Dorothy Heard
973.655.4210

Students have a choice of three graduate programs in Art Education:

• MA in Teaching (Art Education) (MATAE)
• Graduate Post-Baccalaureate (Art Education) (POSTBAAE)
• MA in Fine Arts (Art Education Concentration) (MAAE) (note: This program is not accepting applications at this time.)

The Master of Arts in Fine Arts, Art Education Concentration (MAAE) is a program for individuals who are certified practicing K-12 art teachers dedicated to further enhancing Art Education in elementary and secondary schools.  Students in this program explore, discover and develop new perspectives and approaches that integrate their own aesthetics and current pedagogical concerns to reinvigorate K-12 art classrooms.

A minimum of 33 credits is needed to complete the MAAE program. Depending upon the applicant's academic background, prerequisites may be required to meet program admissions standards. Students focus on either one studio area or one area in art history and use either a Visual Project and Report or a Thesis approach (for Studio or Art History Specialization) to guide and complete their course of study.

The interdisciplinary nature of the field of Art Education is reflected in the MAAE curriculum which combines structured coursework and independent study (fieldwork); studio and art history; and seminars or master's theses.  MAAE students select one of three curricular approaches, each of which is distinctly characterized by an emphasis on either a project or thesis approach toward the production of original Art Education inquiry, combined with a studio or art history focus.

The MAAE is designed to further students, understanding of current theories, practices and issues in Art Education.  Professional art teachers must know theories, practices and current issues to cogently identify, discuss and inquire into the art learning concerns that arise from their own classrooms.

Students entering the MAAE program should be prepared to engage in active exchanges of ideas across multiple disciplines.  Students will be strongly encouraged to identify and select relevant problems in art teaching and learning and to pursue innovative solutions that will be directly applicable to the art classroom.  Students will be involved in dynamic, critical, exploratory and meaningful inquiry through artmaking, fieldwork, writing, literature review and discussion with peers and other professionals.

The MAAE curriculum is designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to inquire into authentic art classroom problems.  In the MAAE program, both studio and thesis are understood as processes of inquiry for asking questions and seeking possibilities for genuine democratic art classroom practices.  Here, the purpose of inquiry is not to replicate variations of what already exists, but to question current art education practices and to seek new meaningfully relevant possibilities beyond traditional institutionalized practices of art teaching.

Whether following a project or thesis inquiry approach, MAAE students may frame, plan, carry-out and report on art classroom concerns such as, but not limited to, culturally responsive teaching, special needs learning, computer technology, cultural diversity, assessment, integrated learning, aesthetics, school-community relations, critical and creative thinking, and art and democracy.

Curriculum and admission requirements may be found on the Graduate School Webpage for Art Education.

Other Program Options:

The MA in Teaching Art (MATAE )
The Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification (PostBAAE)

Comparison of Graduate Programs in Art Education
Compare Programs:	Post-Baccalaureate (POSTBAAE)	Master of Arts in Teaching (MATAE)	Master of Arts in ART Education (MAAE)
Degree:	Art Teacher Certification Only	MA in Teaching	MA in Art Education
Recommendations:	Recommended for candidates with or without an undergraduate art degree who wish to obtain Certification in Teaching.	Candidates with or without an undergraduate art degree who wish to earn a Master's Degree while also obtaining Certification in Teaching.	Certification as an art teacher is required.
Certification Earned After Completion of Program and Praxis Examination:	Art, K-12	Art, K-12	Not Applicable
Portfolio/Interview:	Candidates applications must be reviewed by the Director of Teacher Admissions. Candidates are portfolio interviewed by the Coordinator of Art Education.	Candidates applications must be reviewed by the Director of Teacher Admissions. Candidates are portfolio interviewed by the Coordinator of Art Education.	An interview with the Coordinator of Art Education and a portfolio are required for admission to the program.
Total Number of Credits in Program:	Minimum 36 to 72 credits	Minimum 54 to 90 credits	Minimum 33 credits
Approximate Length of Program:	Minimum 2 years	Minimum 2 years	Minimum 3 years with approximately one course each semester, some courses available during summer.
Day/Evening Offerings:	Some courses during the day, some evening	Some courses during the day, some evening	All evening courses
Capstone Experience:	Student teaching	Student teaching	Project/Paper or Master's Thesis in Art Education
Contact Dorothy Heard, Art Education Coordinator, for further information.

Program Facilities

Students in the Art Education program have access to all studio facilities in the Department of Art & Design including the slide library, as well as the university's Sprague Library on campus.

Curriculum, Admission and Program Requirements

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Art History (MA)

George Segal sculpture ( from the MSU Permanent Collection )

"Program is not accepting applications at this time."

MA Art History Advisor:
Dr. Ann Betty Weinshenker
973.655.7283

The Master of Arts (MA) in Fine Arts / Art History concentration (MAAH) is designed for individuals who wish to develop their scholarship and techniques of research, interpretation and writing about art, aesthetics and culture. The program offers specializations in Ancient, Medieval, Northern Renaissance, Italian Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-classical, Nineteenth Century and Twentieth Century art periods. Through investigation, critical writing and intensive dialogue, the program prepares students for directions that may include entry into a doctoral program and/or art related fields such as art criticism, curating, art publishing, museum programming, college teaching, among others. The MAAH provides unparalleled academic preparation for such endeavors. Close access to regional museums such as the Montclair and Newark Art Museums together with the vast resources of New York's major cultural institutions and galleries ensure a real-life experience that includes exposure to some of the finest artworks in the world.

Curriculum and Admission

The MAAH curriculum combines core art history lectures and seminars in a broad range of subjects in western art with independent study and research methods courses, culminating in the student's development of an original thesis in consultation with a thesis advisor.  On occasion, courses are offered at local art museums that hold specialized collections.  MAAH students are encouraged to seek museum internships as well as take at least one studio course. The 33-credit program can generally be completed within two years full-time. (Part-time study is also an option.) Curriculum and admission requirements may be found on the Graduate School webpage . Course descriptions may be found in the university course catalogue .

Art History Course Descriptions ( Select Art & Design/Art History)

Facilities

Students in the Art History program have access to all the department studio facilities, including the Betty Schlossman Image Library and the university's main Sprague Library on campus.

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Museum Management (MA)

                                                MSU's Colsa Collection in Kasser Theatre

MA Museum Management Program Coordinator:
Dr. Susi Colin
973.655.4439

The recent growth in museums, not only in the fine arts, but in science, sports and humanities, has created a demand for trained museum managers. The Department of Art & Design, in conjunction with MSU's School of Business and Department of Legal Studies, offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Fine Arts / Museum Managementconcentration (MAMM). MSU's program is one of only three in the region, and is the only program offering a broad-based multi-disciplined curriculum. Students take courses not only in art history and studio but in the humanities, sciences, business and law, preparing them to work in any museum or cultural setting, regardless of its genre (e.g. Graduates may apply their skills to art museums, history museums, archeology and anthropology museums, science and natural history museums, children's museums, auction houses, historical societies, and/or virtually any type of cultural institution.)

The Museum Management concentration is for individuals at any stage of their career, serving both the advancement needs of individuals working in cultural organizations and those seeking entry for the first time. Students learn the most current organizational practices, legal responsibilities, collections management, and exhibition techniques required to operate a range of institutions including museums, galleries and historic sites. Likewise students develop a critical sense of the ethics and politics of such institutions, developing skills for fundraising and lobbying for their support. Museum Management curriculum and courses are grounded in progressive teaching methodologies reflecting the highest standards of the profession.

Curriculum and Courses

The 33-credit program may be taken on a full- or part-time basis. The curriculum is comprised of 9 credits in business and management courses (Common Core), 12 credits in research and museum studies/management courses, 6 credits of specialization electives and 6 credits of business, legal studies and Communication electives. The program culminates in the Master's Thesis (3 credits) which may be taken as an applied work project in conjunction with a museum internship. The Museum Management curriculum includes several internship components which provide students with experience in museum operation and management. Further information regarding Curriculum, Faculty & Admission to the Program is available on the Graduate School webpage.

Museum Management Course Descriptions (Select Art & Design/Museum Studies)

Facilities

Students in the Museum Management program have access to facilities in the College of the Arts, School of Business and Legal Studies Department, including the Betty Schlossman Image Library, Sprague Library and other facilities on campus.

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