Visual Arts & Design

The Ceramics MFA program at the University of North Texas is accepting applications for Fall 2017. The Deadline for Priority Consideration is January 5, 2017.

Late applications will be reviewed for acceptance, but with fewer opportunities for Scholarships and Graduate Assistantships.  Please contact the Ceramics Area Coordinator, Jerry Austin (jerry.austin@unt.edu), or the Ceramics Lab Technician, Valerie Hancock (valerie.hancock@unt.edu), for more details about the Ceramics program or to set up a tour of the ceramics studios.

While primarily oriented around the functional vessel, a wide variety of approaches to clay are recognized and encouraged, including sculptural and conceptual pursuits.  Our resources are here to assist the graduate student in reaching his or her personal direction in clay.  The ceramics area averages six MFA ceramics candidates and twenty BFA undergraduate majors. 

FACILITIES

Located at Oak Street Hall (OSH), the Ceramics facility is expansive. Graduate students have 24/7 access to the ceramics facilities plus individual private studios. These are 245 sq. ft. private graduate studios at OSH, each equipped with a large sink and a clay trap.

A 10,000 sq. ft. fenced in kiln yard with:

• one wood/salt crossdraft kiln
• two soda kilns
• one barrel arch wood kiln
• two log splitters
• large dry material storage shed
• wood storage racks
• brick storage area
• a brick saw
• an arc welder
• an oxygen/acetylene cutting torch

A 2,000 sq. ft. covered kiln dock with:

• two 24 cu. ft. West Coast updraft gas kilns
• one 40 cu. ft. West Coast updraft gas kiln
• one 24 cu. ft. Olsen updraft gas kiln
• three 16 cu. ft. Olsen updraft gas kilns
• two 12 cu. ft. Olsen updraft gas kilns
• one 6 cu. ft. Alpine updraft test gas kiln
• one 18 cu. ft. updraft gas kiln
• one raku kiln
• three large worktables

An electric kiln room that contains:

• three 7 cu. ft. Olympic digital kilns
• one 10 cu. ft Olympic digital kiln
• one 12.8 cu. ft. Olympic oval manual kiln
• one 7 cu. ft. L&L manual kiln
• one electric test kiln

A clay mixing room that is equipped with:

• three professional model Soldner mixers
• two Venco pug mills
• one Peter Pugger pug mill
• community dry and wet reclaim bins

A glaze mixing room containing:

• metal chemical bin tables
• triple beam and digital scales
• a ball mill
• a spray booth

4,500 sq. ft. of undergraduate lab space with:

• 32 electric wheels
• 13 canvas-covered tables
• and shelving space

Also in the ceramics facility:

• two 20” Brent slab rollers
• one 14” Brent slab roller
• three extruders
• separate plaster space

Plus access to:

• Digital Fabrication Lab in main art building
• Sculpture shop in main art building

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

In its graduate programs, the Collage of Visual Arts & Design strives to develop the competencies necessary for effective leadership roles in art as expected of practicing professionals in the field, college teachers of art, administrators and researchers.  Towards this aim, the resources of the entire school, university, and region are utilized.  The student and major professor plan programs of study for the MFA degree to meet individual interests, needs and professional goals.  With each course counting as 3 hours, the candidate must earn a minimum of 60 hours for the MFA degree.  All courses must be at the 5000-level; 4000-level courses cannot be counted for graduate credit.  Most students earn their MFA degrees in three years.

It is strongly recommended that each graduate student be familiar with the policies and regulations outlined in the graduate catalog.  It is the responsibility of each individual student to meet all requirements of the College of Visual Arts and Design and of the Toulouse Graduate School.

CLAY GUILD

Our active Clay Guild hosts a visiting artist workshop during the spring semester and participates in two sales per year- a Guild sponsored Holiday Sale on campus in November, and two booths at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival in April.  Both sales have become anticipated events that both the university and the community come out to support and shop every year.  The Clay Guild also donates around 300 ceramic pints each semester to a local bar for a biannual Clay Guild Pint Night.  This event is a fun longstanding tradition that the Denton community looks forward to and packs the house for the opportunity to take home one of the handmade pints.

ASSISTANTSHIP OPPORTUNITIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

MFA Applicants may apply for Area Assistantships in Ceramics, the Sculpture Shop, the UNT Gallery, and the CVAD Fab Lab. The Area Assistantship is a non-teaching position for the first year where graduate students will gain experience in their field plus assist the program under the direction of the Lab Tech or Area Coordinator, while earning a stipend to support their education.  Download the form on the CVAD website and submit with your application materials on Slideroom.

During the first semester new graduate students will take a Seminar in University Teaching course.  This course will prepare new graduate students to apply for teaching assistantships.  After the first semester, graduate students may apply for Teaching Assistantships in the Core: Drawing I, Drawing II, Design I, or Design II.  Graduate students may hold up to two assistantships or fellowships simultaneously.  Each appointment will pay a stipend to fund your education.

After teaching in the Core and upon faculty approval, graduate students may apply for Teaching Fellowships in Ceramics.  Teaching appointments in ceramics will vary from beginning to intermediate courses based on availability.

Academic Achievement Scholarship (AAS): This one-year $1,000 tuition scholarship begins only in the Fall semester.  Recipients of this competitive scholarship who are international or non-resident may be eligible for in-state tuition rates during the terms of the scholarship.  If all scholarship requirements are met during the first year of the award, the student may be eligible for a one-year renewal.  See www.tsgs.unt.edu keyword search “AAS” for details.

Tuition Benefits Program (TBP): Graduate students that are enrolled in 9 credit hours (3 courses) and hold a 1/2 time appointment (two assistantship or fellowship positions) qualify for the Tuition Benefits Program. With the TBP, the graduate school waives 2/3 of your tuition and any mandatory fees per semester. The remaining 1/3 of your tuition can be paid at in-state tuition rates. Stipends received from the 1/2-time appointments are ample enough to cover those tuition fees, with some funds remaining to help cover material purchases or living expenses. More information about the TBP can be found here: https://tsgs.unt.edu/new-current-students/tbp-eligibility-criteria-and-requirements

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Detailed information about the application process can be found on our Graduate Studies page.

LINKS

• UNT Ceramics Department on Facebook
• UNT Clay Guild on Facebook
• UNT Clay Guild on Instagram
• College of Visual Arts & Design
• Toulouse Graduate School
• CVAD Assistantships & Fellowships