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The School of Art and Design provides graduate education culminating in a Master of Fine Arts degree in Art. This program aims to deliver fundamental theoretical knowledge, technical skills, and creative development needed for professional careers and academic teaching in visual arts. Degree candidates work closely with committed faculty who specialize in diverse research areas spanning art history, ceramics, exhibition design and curation, furniture design and woodcraft, graphic design, interactive media, interior architecture, jewelry and metalsmithing, multimedia arts, painting and printmaking, photography, sculpture, and socially-conscious art and design.
The 60-credit MFA program typically spans three years, incorporating professional seminars and cross-disciplinary critiques that facilitate deeper exploration culminating in a thesis exhibition. This final presentation features original creative work defended orally and supported by a written document. MFA students are held to rigorous standards of excellence and innovation in their artistic practice.
The School boasts extensive facilities with dedicated studio spaces and cutting-edge equipment. Nearby cultural resources include the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, San Diego Museum of Art, Stuart Collection, and Timken Museum of Art, which showcase both contemporary works and historical global art, along with specialized research libraries. These venues are easily accessible by public or private transport. The region also features numerous community college galleries and commercial exhibition spaces offering diverse artistic programming.