HELP 2015-2016 University Catalog Visual and Performing Arts, MFA Print-Friendly Page

Banner Code: AR-MFA-VPA

College Hall, C211
Phone: 703-993-9773
Web: cvpa.gmu.edu

Faculty

Lisa Kahn, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Professors: Ashcraft, Carbonneau, Frederick, Kravitz, Lepore, Linton, Miller, Sandell, Shields (Director, School of Dance), White

Associate Professors: Cooley, Crawford, Cui, Endress, Feerick, Frenn, Joyce, Karametou, Price, Rothstein, Winant (Director, School of Art), Wrbican (Associate Director, School of Art)

Assistant Professors: Constantine, d’Amboise (Heritage Professor), DelPopolo, Reedy, Stanley, Starr

Adjunct Faculty: Cronmiller, Schock, Summerall

Graduate Program

The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts is a terminal degree which prepares students to become professional artists and scholars through an intensive study in their own field combined with interdisciplinary studies in the arts.  Students will receive thorough training in their main discipline while collaborating with students outside their concentrated area in core courses that are required of all MFA students.

Concentration in Visual Arts: The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts, concentration in Visual Arts, is a terminal degree that prepares students to become professional artists, work in technology or arts-related fields, and teach at the university level.  Candidates are required to complete 60 credits, of which 30 credits comprise the core and 30 credits are concentration requirements.  Students who study under the AVT concentration may choose an emphasis in graphic design, InterArts, new media arts, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.Students have the opportunity to combine art forms in interdiscplinary projects that may be installation, performance, publishing, time-based, or writing-based; and combine creative and critical approaches in their work.

Concentraton in Dance: The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts, concentration in dance, is a highly selective 60-credit program of study grounded in the modern dance genre that emphasizes mastery in performance, choreography, and teaching in higher education.  Applicants must have significant (5 years or more) professional performance experience in modern or ballet at the national or international level.  They must also demonstrate professional competence in choreography as exemplified by a significant body of work, and have experience teaching technique at the advanced level.

Admission Requirements

Requirements of all MFA applicants:

• Online Application and Fee
• Official Transcripts from each institution of higher education attended
• 3 letters of recommendation

Additional Requirements for Concentration in Visual Arts:

• Portfolio (see below for guidelines)
• Resume
• Goals Statement
• Graphic Design Emphasis: must also submit a critical and historical essay or academic paper on a design- (preferred) or art-related topic

Additional Requirements for Concentration in Dance:

• The following should be sent directly to the School of Dance:
  • 15-minute video of original choreography
  • Artistic Goals Statement
  • Resume
• Applicant must satisfy the following prerequisites: advanced dance technique, improvisation, dance composition, history, anatomy/kinesiology, and dance production.  Prerequisite courses are usually fulfilled if the applicant has earned a BA or BFA in Dance.
• Qualified students will be invited for an audition after review of application materials.

Portfolio Guidelines (MFA Concentration in Visual Arts)

The applicant’s portfolio is a major selection criterion for graduate admission and should represent the applicant’s most accomplished work.

The portfolio and all other application materials should be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions.  For more information, contact the School of Art office at 703-993-8898.

Portfolio requirements are different for each graduate area of emphasis and are listed below. Incomplete portfolios will not be considered.

Applicants’ portfolio items are considered part of the application for admission and, thus, cannot be returned.  Please do not send original materials.

Portfolio Requirements by Area of Emphasis:

Graphic Design: 20 samples of design work compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom.  Samples must be labeled with: name of artist, title and date.  Videos and Flash files (no more than four minutes for each section) must be playable through SlideRoom.  In the case of collaborative work, the applicant’s role should be clearly stated.

InterArts: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom.  Samples must be labeled with: name of artist, title and date.  Videos and Flash files (no more than four minutes for each section) must be playable through SlideRoom.  In the case of collaborative work, the applicant’s role should be clearly stated.  If writing-based materials are submitted, they should be submitted in printed form.

New Media Arts: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom.  Samples must be labled with: name of artist, title and date.  Videos and Flash files (no more than four minues for each section) must be playable through SlideRoom.  Only the relevant parts of the video should be marked for viewing, with the applicant’s role clearly stated.

Painiting: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom. Samples must be labled with: name of artist, title and date.

Photography: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom. Samples must be labeled with: name of artist, title and date.

Printmaking: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom. Samples must be labeled with: name of artist, title and date.

Sculpture: 20 images compiled into a PDF or submitted through SlideRoom. Samples must be labeled with: name of artist, title and date.

Studios (School of Art Applicants)

The School of Art is located in the Art and Design Building which houses well-equipped studios for drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, as well as six computer-equipped studios that cross platforms and are installed with current software applications used for two-dimensional imaging, three-dimensional modeling, animation, video production, sound editing, multimedia authoring, photography, and web publishing.

Policies, procedures, and schedules for studio use are established by the AVT studio faculty.

Courses

The MFA in Visual and Performing Arts offers courses designated as AVT, CVPA, and DANC in the Courses  section of this catalog.

Academic Policies

Please see College of Visual and Performing Arts  for college academic policies.