School of Art
The School of Art offers the Master of Fine Arts Degree in Art and the Master of Arts Degree in Art History.
Master of Fine Arts Degree in Art
The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in Art is the terminal degree in the field of studio art. UTSA is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The emphasis of the M.F.A. program is on conceptual development and its harmony with formal aesthetic and art historical considerations. The objective of the degree is to provide advanced study in the field of art in preparation for a career as a practicing artist, in higher education, or as a professional in other art enterprises. Students in pursuit of the M.F.A. in Art have the opportunity to study in a wide range of disciplines including: ceramics, painting/drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video/digital media.
Program Admission Requirements
In addition to satisfying the University-wide graduate admission requirements, applicants are expected to have a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree or the equivalent. Equivalency is defined as completion of a minimum of 45 semester credit hours in studio art and 15 semester credit hours in art history as part of, or in addition to, a bachelor’s degree.
Application
The Graduate Admissions application for the M.F.A. is available online. A complete application includes:
- The online application
- Personal contact information
- Educational background
- Transcripts
- A statement of intent concerning graduate school
- An artist’s statement about the applicant’s work
- Three letters of recommendation (submitted digitally by recommender)
- Portfolio (see below)
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required as part of the application for the M.F.A.
Artist Statements and Statements of Purpose should be submitted as separate files.
Portfolio
The portfolio is the most important part of the application for admission. Applicants should submit 20 images that best exemplify their most recent creative work. Do not send original works of art. Ideally, a strong portfolio will suggest a specific direction or overarching thematic interest. Portfolios may be submitted as a PDF document uploaded through the application portal. The PDF should be created as a PowerPoint with a white background, and each slide should include title, medium, size, and date of completion for each piece in each image. Slides for time-based artworks should include a still image with an additional HTML link (not embedded) to a YouTube or Vimeo site where a video can be viewed or a sound file can be heard for the piece.
Note: Due to the format of studio laboratory art courses, auditing is not permitted.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 60 semester credit hours is required for the Master of Fine Arts degree, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove admission deficiencies. Full-time enrollment of 9 or more semester credit hours during regular semesters is expected of degree-seeking students. In addition to satisfying all University-wide requirements, M.F.A. students must pass a First Semester Review, a Semester End Progress Review, an Advancement to Candidacy Review (available after the third or fourth semester of study and completion of 30-36 semester credit hours of the program of study), and a final M.F.A. Oral Comprehensive Examination. The M.F.A. degree culminates in an exhibition supported by a written process document. Courses in which a grade of “C” or lower is earned will not count toward the minimum 60 hours required for the M.F.A. degree.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A focused program of study in studio art (ART) including ART 6023 Graduate Studio Seminar | 30 | |
| 2. Art electives outside the student’s specialized area of study | 12 | |
| 3. Free Elective | 3 | |
| 4. Art history and criticism (AHC) including AHC 5123 Seminar in Research Methods and Writing | 12 | |
| 5. ART 6843 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition | 3 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 60 | |
Leaves of Absence-Enrollment interruptions during completion of the M.F.A. Program
M.F.A. students must seek permission to have a “leave of absence” from the program by submitting a memo that defines the length of the “leave of absence.” Approval for the leave requires 3 signatures: the major professor or area coordinator, the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR), and the Director. “Leaves of absence” can be extended as situations develop up to the University limitation policy of four non-enrollment semesters. M.F.A. students are responsible for communicating with the GAR during their leave of absence to reinstate enrollment or to extend their leave.
Master of Arts Degree in Art History
The Master of Arts (MA) degree in Art History provides students with the opportunity to gain an academic and theoretical foundation and to specialize in a range of historical and cultural arenas in the history of art. Students work closely with engaged faculty who specialize in Art of the Americas from ancient to the present, as well as Museum Studies. The program provides students with the opportunity to engage with diverse cultural histories, artists, artisans, patrons, institutions, methods, materials, styles, and critical, practical, and aesthetic considerations. Coursework provides instruction and development opportunities in traditional literary scholarship, hands-on investigations and fieldwork, cutting-edge digital research and presentation technologies, interdisciplinary analysis, critical thinking, writing, discussion, and exhibition practices. The degree is designed to prepare students for careers in museums, in public or private arts programs, as teachers at the community college level, in other arts-related careers, or to serve as a basis for pursuing a doctoral degree.
Program Admission Requirements
In addition to the University-wide graduate admission requirements, applicants are expected to have completed an undergraduate major or a minor with a minimum of 18 semester credits in art history or the equivalent in related fields that combine substantial studies in the humanities and visual arts. Students with no studio background will be required to take one undergraduate studio art course (3 semester credit hours). Students determined as having no studio background and completing a 5000 or 6000 level UTSA Art (ART) studio course offered by a graduate faculty member will fulfill this requirement, and this coursework can be utilized to fulfill 3 semester credit hours of free electives under part C of the Master of Arts program of study. Students needing to fulfill this requirement should consult with the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) for Art History for advice concerning appropriate courses and instructors.
Application Materials
Application to the program is submitted online through the Graduate Admissions website. Students can obtain information, detailed instructions of what additional material they must submit (three letters of recommendation, official transcripts, a writing sample, and statement of intent), as well as forms, from the Graduate Admissions website. Deadlines for all materials for each term can be found on the same website.
Degree Requirements
The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree is 36, exclusive of coursework or other study required to remove admission deficiencies. Courses in which the grade earned is lower than a "B" will not count toward the program of study required for the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Only 6 hours of internship, practicum, or independent study will count toward the degree. Students accepted into the Master of Arts degree program in Art History are required to maintain a minimum of 3 semester credit hours of enrollment for all fall and spring semesters until the degree is completed. Failure to enroll will result in forfeiture of the student’s status as an accepted candidate in the program. Exceptions to this requirement are granted only due to extraordinary circumstances as determined by the review and approval of the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) and the School Director.
There are two options for this degree plan. Option 1 is the non-thesis track, which requires the successful completion of 36 hours of coursework with no thesis hours. All students accepted into the MA program follow the non-thesis track unless the student submits the Intent to Write a Thesis form at the end of the semester in which they complete 18 hours, which serves as their request to move to the thesis track. Option 2 is the thesis track, which requires the successful completion of 36 hours, including 30 hours of coursework and 6 hours of Master’s Thesis, and the submission of a committee-approved thesis. Students should only elect Option 2, the thesis track, upon consultation with the GAR and the faculty member who would chair the thesis committee. It requires the submission of the Intent to Write a Thesis form at the end of 18 hours and a Thesis Proposal before reaching 27 hours in the program. If these forms are not submitted and approved on the stated timeline, the student may request a one-semester extension. If the forms are not submitted and approved after the one-semester extension, the student will return to Option 1, the non-thesis track, to complete their degree.
Option 1: Non-Thesis
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A. 3 semester credit hours required: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Research Methods and Writing (must be taken in student's first year) | ||
| B. 21 semester credit hours of art history electives approved by student's advisor, selected from the following and distributed across the disciplines offered by the program: | 21 | |
| Topics in Art History | ||
| Topics in Mesoamerican Pre-Columbian Art | ||
| Topics in Spanish Art | ||
| Topics in Latin American Colonial Art | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Latin American Art | ||
| Topics in Contemporary U.S. Art | ||
| Practicum in Art History and Criticism | ||
| Art Gallery and Museum Practices | ||
| Project in Art History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| C. 12 semester credit hours of free electives | 12 | |
Up to 6 hours of free electives may be taken within AHC. However, 6-12 hours of free electives must be taken outside the discipline of art history in any supporting fields, with the selection approved by the GAR for Art History. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
In addition to the semester credit hour requirements set forth above, all candidates for the non-thesis track are required to pass the Comprehensive Examination, a written exam that can be taken after 15 hours of art history coursework. Satisfactory performance on the examination, as determined by the Graduate Program Committee, is required for the degree. The Comprehensive Exam can only be attempted twice. If a student fails to pass on the second attempt, they are dismissed from the program.
Option 2: Thesis
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A. 3 semester credit hours required: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Research Methods and Writing (must be taken in student's first year) | ||
| B. 21 semester credit hours of art history electives approved by student's advisor, selected from the following and distributed across the disciplines offered by the program: | 21 | |
| Topics in Art History | ||
| Topics in Mesoamerican Pre-Columbian Art | ||
| Topics in Spanish Art | ||
| Topics in Latin American Colonial Art | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Latin American Art | ||
| Topics in Contemporary U.S. Art | ||
| Practicum in Art History and Criticism | ||
| Art Gallery and Museum Practices | ||
| Project in Art History | ||
| Seminar in Art History | ||
| C. 6 semester credit hours of free electives | 6 | |
These are courses outside the discipline of art history in any supporting fields, with the selection approved by the GAR for Art History. | ||
| D. 6 semester credit hours of Master's Thesis or Project | 6 | |
| Master's Thesis (Enrollment in AHC 6983 requires successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination.) | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
In addition to the semester credit hour requirements set forth above, all candidates for the thesis track are required to pass the Comprehensive Examination, a written exam that can be taken after 15 hours of AHC coursework. Satisfactory performance on the examination, as determined by the Graduate Program Committee, is required before students may enroll in AHC 6983 Master's Thesis. The Comprehensive Exam can only be attempted twice. If a student fails to pass on the second attempt, they are dismissed from the program.
Art (ART) Courses
ART 5153. Painting/Drawing. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
The exploration of painting/drawing’s broad capacity for conceptual and formal inquiry. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 5353. Printmaking. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
Emphasis on intaglio, lithography, monotype, relief, and photo processes in black and white and color. Experimentation in processes and imagery is encouraged. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 5453. Photography. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
Emphasis on the medium as an art form, including black and white, color, non-silver and digital processes. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 5553. Sculpture. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
Emphasis on the creative development of sculptural ideas in a variety of materials and technical methods and approaches. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $35.
ART 5753. Ceramics. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
Emphasis on the discipline as an expressive art form, using a variety of technical processes and materials and approaches to ceramics. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $35.
ART 5953. New Media. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: B.F.A. or equivalent.
Investigation of concepts and forms through the integration of video and other digital media into fine arts practice using a variety of materials and methods. May be repeated for credit. (Formerly titled "Video/Digital.") Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 6023. Graduate Studio Seminar. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
An organized class concerned with the exploration of current formal and conceptual problems in art through discussions, critiques, and work executed for the class in the student’s major field: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, ceramics or video/digital media. May be repeated for credit. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45.
ART 6033. Internship in the Visual Arts. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and approval from the School Director prior to the beginning of the internship.
A learning laboratory in which art methods and principles are applied in a practical manner outside the classroom in areas such as museum and gallery activities, historical preservation, providing technical studio assistance for artists, and community-oriented educational or informational functions and publications. Projects are initiated by students, with close supervision and evaluation by the instructor. May be repeated once for credit, but not more than 6 hours total of ART 6033 and ART 6043 will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 6043. Practicum in the Visual Arts. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and approval from the Department Chair prior to the beginning of the practicum.
Students are provided with the opportunity to gain teaching experience as a teaching assistant to an instructor of record in their area of emphasis. Students are given guidance in preparing and presenting course materials, providing technical and conceptual support for student projects, and preparing and implementing grading rubrics. Students submit a teaching portfolio at the culmination of the course. May be repeated once for credit, but not more than 6 hours total of ART 6043 and ART 6033 will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art. (Formerly ART 6013.) Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 6843. Master of Fine Arts Exhibition. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Completion of studio course requirements in the major.
Concentrated studio activity in the major field of study emphasizing preparation of work for the required concluding M.F.A. exhibition, in consultation with the Graduate Advisor of Record and upon approval of the Graduate Program Committee in the program. Course fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 6953. Independent Study. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available in the Department office) from the instructor, the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR), and the Department Chair.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students desiring specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course Fee: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; SAF2 $150; STLF $18.48.
ART 6971. Special Problems. (0-2) 1 Credit Hour.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
ART 6972. Special Problems. (0-4) 2 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
ART 6973. Special Problems. (0-6) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit when topics vary, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master of Fine Arts degree. Course Fees: GL01 $90; SAF1 $45; STLF $18.48.
Art History and Criticism (AHC) Courses
AHC 5123. Seminar in Research Methods and Writing. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
A basic methodology course designed to offer the opportunity for the graduate student to gain an introduction to all facets of the discipline of art history and criticism, including research, documentation, and historical and critical writing. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.
AHC 5813. Topics in Art History. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
A course designed to deal with specialized areas in art history and criticism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fees: DL01 $75, GL01 $90, STLF $18.
AHC 5823. Topics in Mesoamerican Pre-Columbian Art. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
A critical and historical study of specific developments in the pre-Columbian art of Mesoamerica. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 5833. Topics in Spanish Art. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
A critical and historical study of specific aspects of Spanish art and architecture from 711 to the nineteenth century. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 5843. Topics in Latin American Colonial Art. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
A critical and historical study of specific topics in South and Central American art and architecture from 1500 through the early nineteenth century. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 5853. Topics in Contemporary Latin American Art. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
A critical and historical study of issues in contemporary Latin American art. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 5863. Topics in Contemporary U.S. Art. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and completion of or concurrent enrollment in
AHC 5123.
Specific directions in modern and contemporary art history with emphasis on critical theory. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 6813. Practicum in Art History and Criticism. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and completion of or concurrent enrollment in AHC 5123.
A learning laboratory in which the principles and methodologies of art history, art criticism, and museology are applied in a practical manner outside the classroom in areas such as museum and gallery activities, historical preservation, research for private collections, and community-oriented educational or informational functions and publications. Projects are initiated by students with close supervision and evaluation by the instructor. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours will apply to the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Non-Art History (M.F.A.) majors utilizing this course for fulfillment of Art History requirements for a graduate program of study will require approval of the Art History and the Studio Art GARs as well as the approval of the School Director. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.
AHC 6833. Art Gallery and Museum Practices. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and completion of or concurrent enrollment in AHC 5123.
An introduction to the organization and operation of gallery and/or museum activities: cataloging, research, and preparation and installation of art exhibitions. May be repeated once for credit. Non-Art History (M.F.A.) majors utilizing this course for fulfillment of Art History requirements for a graduate program of study will require approval of the Art History and the Studio Art GARs as well as the approval of the School Director. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.
AHC 6843. Project in Art History. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Permission of the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) and project director.
A professional project in art history. Projects include but are not limited to historic preservation, publications, and exhibition curation. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours will apply to the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Non-Art History (M.F.A.) majors utilizing this course for fulfillment of Art History requirements for a graduate program of study will require approval of the Art History and the Studio Art GARs as well as the approval of the School Director. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.
AHC 6913. Seminar in Art History. (3-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing, consent of instructor, and completion of or concurrent enrollment in AHC 5123. This is a research course dealing with a particular problem or aspect of art history and criticism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Non-Art History (M.F.A.) majors utilizing this course for fulfillment of Art History requirements for a graduate program of study will require approval of the Art History, the Studio Art Graduate Advisors of Record, as well as the approval of the School Director. Course Fee: GL01 $90.
AHC 6953. Independent Study. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and permission in writing (form available in the Department Office) from the instructor and the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR).
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or critical writing under the direction of a faculty member. For students needing specialized work not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Non-Art History (M.F.A.) majors utilizing this course for fulfillment of Art History requirements for a graduate program of study will require approval of the Art History and the Studio Art GARs as well as the approval of the School Director. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.
AHC 6961. Comprehensive Examination. (0-0) 1 Credit Hour.
Prerequisite: Approval of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee to take the Comprehensive Examination.
Independent study course for the purpose of taking the Comprehensive Examination. May be repeated as many times as approved by the Graduate Program Committee. Enrollment is required each term in which the Comprehensive Examination is taken if no other courses are being taken that term. The grade report for the course is either “CR” (satisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination) or “NC” (unsatisfactory performance on the Comprehensive Examination). Credit earned in AHC 6961 cannot be counted in the 36 semester credit hours required for the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Course Fee: GL01 $30; STLF $6.16.
AHC 6983. Master's Thesis. (0-0) 3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: Permission of the Graduate Advisor of Record (GAR) and thesis director.
Thesis research and preparation. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 hours will apply to the Master of Arts degree in Art History. Credit will be awarded upon completion of the thesis. Enrollment is required each term in which the thesis is in progress. Students enrolling in this course will receive a performance evaluation of Credit (CR) which indicates satisfactory progress or No-Credit (NC) which indicates unsatisfactory progress for each semester of enrollment. Students receiving an evaluation of No-Credit (NC) will be placed on program probation and students receiving two evaluations of No-Credit will be reviewed for a determination of removal from the degree program. The Instructor of Record will make the determination of Credit (CR) or No-Credit (NC) for each semester of enrollment. Determination of continuation within the program, in the event of two No-Credit (NC) evaluations, will be made by a majority vote of the full-time graduate faculty of the Art History faculty. Enrollment in AHC 6983 requires successful completion (graduate-level passing grade) of AHC 6961, Comprehensive Examination. Course Fee: GL01 $90; STLF $18.48.