D. Jack Davis, Dean
Don Schol, Associate Dean
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 art history/art education division offers the BA, BFA, MA, and MFA degrees in art history and visual art studies. The PhD is offered in art education. Students interested in these degrees may contact Dr. Jacqueline Chanda, chair, division of art education/art history of the School of Visual Arts.
The design division offers the BFA and MFA degrees 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 studio division offers BFA and MFA degrees in ceramics, fibers, metalsmithing and jewelry, drawing and painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Students interested in these degrees may contact Kate Hunt, chair, division of studio 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.
The School of Visual Arts offers excellent facilities, including a 90,000-square-foot Art Building with classrooms, computer labs, studios, the University Art Gallery, a visual resources library and a 4,400-square-foot workshop. Oak Street Hall comprises photography, ceramics, graduate studios and the Stafford Art Gallery. The Oak Street Annex houses the Print Research Institute of North Texas Press. Scoular Hall houses a computer-aided design lab, fashion design, fibers, and the Texas Fashion Collection, comprising over 10,000 garments. Kendall Hall houses additional graduate studios.
The School of Visual Arts is staffed with more than 52 full-time and part-time faculty who consistently distinguish themselves at regional, national and international levels. One of the six regional centers for excellence in visual arts education, partially funded by the Getty Education Institute for the Arts, is directed by two of the school's faculty members. Additionally, there is an active visiting artists program bringing a broad range of workshops and lectures to the campus each year.
Applicants must meet requirements for admission to the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies. In addition, the School of Visual Arts requires a portfolio review of all applicants for MFA and PhD degrees. The portfolio should consist of 15 to 20 appropriately labeled slides of recent artwork, at least 10 of which should be in the student's major area of concentration. Applicants to the MA programs in art education and art history do not have to submit slides; instead they must submit a recent term paper. Art education applicants should submit a recent sample of academic or professional writing. Applicants to master's and doctoral programs must submit acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination; contact the School of Visual Arts or the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies for standardized test requirements. All applicants should submit a brief statement of objectives and a minimum of two letters of recommendation.
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.
The school offers graduate programs leading to the following degrees:
* Applicants are not accepted to the Master of Fine Arts program in art education or art history without advisement from faculty in that division.
The Master of Arts degree, offered with majors in art education and art history, requires a minimum of 30 semester hours.
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.
A student seeking the Master of Fine Arts must have completed the equivalent of the Bachelor of Fine Arts as offered at UNT. The Master of Fine Arts requires a minimum of 60 semester hours in art.
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.
One doctoral degree program is offered in the School of Visual Arts: the PhD with a major in art and a concentration in art education. In addition to normal admission requirements, the PhD applicant must submit a statement of professional objective, three letters of recommendation, and a copy of a research paper.
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.
All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The "Course and Subject Guide," found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
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