Graduate Faculty: Austin, Berry, Blow, Bourbon, Butt, Chanda, Choi, D.J. Davis, R. Davis, Doherty, Donahue-Wallace, Erdle, Falsetta, Fisher, Gibson, Gleeson, Hunt, Jessup, Lawrence, Ligon, Mayer, McCarter, Montgomery, Nacke, Newton, O'Rourke-Kaplan, Packard, Phelps, Schol, Shector, Shuemaker, Sprague, Stidham, Taylor, Walker, Way.
The School of Visual Arts, with more than 1,900 undergraduate and graduate majors combined, is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive visual arts programs at a public institution. The school offers degrees in 12 major areas of concentration as well as the BA degree in general art studies. The School of Visual Arts operates as one unit but is organized into divisions based on programs:
The design division offers the BFA and MFA degrees with majors in communication design, fashion, design, and interior design. Students interested in these degrees may contact Marian O'Rourke-Kaplan, chair, division of design of the School of Visual Arts.
The School of Visual Arts maintains a comprehensive range of professional-level programs in the visual arts for those whose primary interest is art, and who intend to make some phase of the scholarship or production of art their life's work. To achieve this, the School of Visual Arts is staffed with faculty dedicated both to quality teaching and to professional achievement as artists and scholars.
Career opportunities for graduates include employment as professional artists and designers, art teachers, professors and administrators. Career options also include work in art museums and galleries and in art-related positions in business and industry. Library holdings in art include major reference tools and microforms, such as the Marburger Index and Index Photographique de l'Art en France, and comprehensive holdings in art history. Proximity to museum libraries in Dallas and Fort Worth provides access to additional resources.
Graduate students pursuing the MFA with a studio major may apply for individual studios. Teaching fellowships and assistantships are available in all majors. Internships for graduate students may be arranged in communication design, fashion, interior design and museums.
Prospective applicants for graduate degree programs must obtain admission forms from the UNT graduate dean and information from the School of Visual Arts. Admission deadlines are as follows:
Students are admitted to the MFA in Drawing and Painting in fall semesters only. All required materials must be filed by February 15 proceeding the fall semester for which the student is applying.
* Applicants are not accepted to the Master of Fine Arts program in art education or art history without advisement from faculty in that division.
Students seeking the MA in art history must have completed the equivalent of the Bachelor of Arts with a major in art history as offered at UNT. Art history majors must complete a reading examination in French or German at the beginning of graduate work and must pass a written examination in art history prior to beginning the thesis. The MA in art history requires 21 hours to be taken in art history, 3 hours in research methods and 6 hours of thesis.
Students seeking the MA in art education must have completed a bachelor's degree in the visual arts. Those who do not hold a bachelor's degree in art education and/or certification as a K-12 teacher of art must complete a minimum of 9 semester hours of leveling courses in art education. Of the 30 hours required for the degree, 12 hours are in art education; 6 hours in art history, art theory and/or studio; 3 hours in an elective; 3 hours in research methods; and 6 hours of thesis.
The MA in art education has a non-thesis option with 6 credit hours of course work in lieu of thesis and 6 additional credit hours of course work, for a total of 36 hours. Students may complete a 6 credit hour tool subject instead of the foreign language requirement. Students should consult the division chairperson for specific course selections.
A student may obtain a Museum Education Certificate by completing 6-9 semester hours beyond the requirements for the master's degrees in art education and art history. For details, contact the chair of the division of art education and art history.
Students may pursue majors in one of the following: ceramics, communication design, drawing and painting, fashion design, fibers, interior design, metalsmithing and jewelry, photography, printmaking or sculpture. Permission to pursue the Master of Fine Arts instead of the Master of Arts in art education or art history must be obtained from UNT faculty teaching in those areas.
Studio majors must complete 21 to 30 semester hours in a major studio area, 9 to 15 semester hours in a minor studio area, 3 hours in research methods (ART 5350), 12 hours in art history of which 6 or more semester hours must be in at least two different 5000-level seminar courses and 6 hours of problem in lieu of thesis (ART 5920, 5930). The candidate also must mount an exhibition of work.
Art education majors (MFA) must complete 15 semester hours in professional courses in art education, 18 hours in a studio field, 6 hours in a minor, 3 hours in research methods (ART 5350), 12 hours in art history of which 6 semester hours must be 5000-level seminars and 6 hours of thesis (ART 5950).
Art history majors (MFA) must complete 33 semester hours in art history, 18 hours in studio, 6 hours of thesis (ART 5950) and 3 hours in research methods (ART 5350). They also must pass a reading examination in French or German at the beginning of graduate work and a written examination in art history prior to beginning the thesis.
All majors must devote 6 semester hours of credit to a written thesis or a creative project and descriptive paper, according to the field of specialization. Each candidate with a major in a studio area will prepare an exhibition of work of a quality suitable for presentation to the public.
All graduate students on the MFA track are required to participate in graduate reviews every semester they are enrolled in a studio course until they pass and are admitted to candidacy.
The PhD with a concentration in art education is designed for individuals who wish to teach elementary and secondary school teachers at the university level or to pursue a career in elementary or secondary education. The program consists of an 18-hour doctoral core, 3-6 hours in research methodology, 9-12 hours each in an art specialization and a minor area, 12 hours of dissertation and the remaining hours in electives.
A foreign language or tool subject also is required for the PhD degree.
Doctoral degrees are conferred in recognition of scholarship as shown by (1) the satisfactory completion of a prescribed period of study, (2) the ability to function at a professional level in the designated area of major, (3) the preparation of a dissertation demonstrating ability to undertake a problem with originality and independent thought and (4) the completion of examinations showing a satisfactory grasp of the field of specialization and its relation to allied areas. The candidate must earn a minimum of 60 hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree or 90 hours beyond the bachelor's and must complete the doctoral residence requirement, together with the admission requirements, as well as qualifying and final examinations prescribed by the school.
For additional information concerning doctoral study in art, write to the School of Visual Arts.
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