Program Overview: Painting offers graduate students intensive professional training in a liberal arts setting. Graduate students are encouraged to experiment with a broad range of technical and theoretical interests in a way that upholds, expands, and redefines the boundaries of Painting.

The Master of Fine Art in Painting + Drawing is an intensive three-year program. The first and second years are primarily devoted to studio, seminar, art history, and elective coursework. During the third year, the emphasis is an intensive commitment to studio time in preparation for the thesis exhibition. As part of this 3rd year studio experience, the student will have individual and group meetings with faculty, interaction with peers, and will participate in graduate critiques. A normal full-time academic load is 15 credit-hours per semester, and progress toward the degree is guided by the student’s graduate review committee members to the successful completion of 90 credit hours.

Credit-Hour Requirements Summary: 90 Total credit hours

40 studio (28 in major area and 12 in studio elective hours)
12 art history/academic studies
6 seminars
25 thesis credits

The First-Year Progress Review Occurs toward the end of fall semester and constitutes a progress assessment of the student’s work by his/her committee members.

The First-Year M.F.A. Candidacy Review occurs toward the end of spring semester and admits the student to full candidacy for the degree by the student’s committee members.

A Thesis Proposal Review occurs during spring semester of the second year and establishes the goals and guidelines of the student’s thesis exhibition.

The Thesis Exhibition Review occurs during the third year and satisfies an oral defense of the thesis exhibition. The School of Art requires that candidates for the M.F.A., at successful completion of the degree, prepare visual documentation of the work.

Admissions Policy: Admission to the MFA program requires a bachelors degree or equivalent, and the submission of a portfolio of images through slideroom, a CV, artists statement, letter of intent, and three letters of recommendation (through the online request service). You must also submit an application to Ohio University online.

Change Policy: Admission to the MFA program requires a bachelors degree or equivalent, and the submission of a portfolio of images through slideroom, a CV, artists statement, letter of intent, and three letters of recommendation (through the online request service). You must also submit an application to Ohio University online.

Transfer Policy: Admission to the MFA program requires a bachelors degree or equivalent, and the submission of a portfolio of images through slideroom, a CV, artists statement, letter of intent, and three letters of recommendation (through the online request service). You must also submit an application to Ohio University online.

Opportunities: Painting graduates are trained as professional artists. After graduation, they are successful in securing university teaching positions, gallery representation, artists-in-residencies, and work-related travel awards.