May 11, 2024  
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Art, Specialization in 2-D Studio Art, MFA


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Programs

The School of Art offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Design, and Master of Fine Arts. Students pursue course work in MFA two-dimensional studies (painting/drawing, and printmaking), MFA three- dimensional studies (ceramics, glass, jewelry/metals, and sculpture), MFA digital arts (animation, imaging, and interactive media), MA art education, and MA art history and MDes in integrative media.

Within these programs students find a broad range of studio and academic disciplines, united by a deep commitment to technical development sustained by rigorous examination of accompanying contextual and conceptual issues. The School of Art’s MA, MDes,  and MFA programs seek to foster a productive and diverse community of artists and scholars whose shared goal is preparation for careers in the visual arts.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the MFA degree, students in the 2D Studio Art program are expected to be able to:

  • Produce creative works or scholarly projects integrating their knowledge of art history, contemporary artistic practice and their area of 2D Studio specialization.
  • Illustrate a breadth of understanding of various specializations within art or art history.
  • Evaluate their area of research in relationship to contemporary art.
  • Evaluate their area of research in relation to historical theories of art.
  • Organize a professional art exhibition and produce a cohesive body of visual research.

Admission Requirements

Application deadline is February 17 for Fall Semester. Since application reviews may begin immediately after the deadline, we recommend submitting your application and providing all required documents before the deadline.

Documents required in this application system:

  • Transcripts
  • Resume 

All other materials are submitted through a separate application system. Please complete this application and then click on this link https://bgsu.slideroom.com/#/Login to upload the following:

  • Three Letters of Recommendation - recently dated
  • Artist Statement specifying direction of work and influences
  • Cover Letter describing goals, objectives, educational background, personal history, and reason for applying to graduate school at this time
  • Image descriptions including title, medium, size and year
  • Portfolio consisting of recent works, preferably from the proposed area of specialization

Application Requirements

Admissions Categories and Grade Point Average Requirements

International Application Information

Degree Requirements

Curriculum Requirements


Electives (33 credits)


Studio elective (12 hours) Courses may come from the major. This requirement can be satisfied by taking ART 6010 - Contextualizing Practice and Research  every semester. Or select from:
ART 5860 ART 6010 ART 6050 ART 6820 ART 6860 ART 6920 ART 6940(FA82-FA19) ARTC 5000 ARTC 5030 ARTC 5130 ARTC 5230 ARTC 5240 ARTC 5250 ARTC 5330 ARTC 5410 ARTS 5430 ARTC 5440 ARTC 5860 ARTC 6130 ARTC 6230 ARTC 6330 ARTC 6860 ARTS 5110 ARTS 5210 ARTS 5310 ARTS 5410(FA82-FA19) ARTS 5610 ARTS 5710 ARTS 5750(FA82-FA19) ARTS 5760 ARTS 5800 ARTS 5810 ARTS 5910 ARTS 6120 ARTS 6220 ARTS 6320 ARTS 6420(FA82-FA19) ARTS 6620 ARTS 6720 ARTS 6820 ARTS 6860 ARTS 6920

General elective (3 credits)

  • May come from any 5000 or 6000 level studio course at the School or Art. 

Academic Elective (3 credits)

  • May come from any 5000 or 6000 level course at the University

Contextualizing Practice and Research (3 credits)

Art History (6 credits)

  • ARTH 5000 to ARTH 6980

Studio Critique (6 credits)

Culminating Experience (3 credits)


In addition to the 60 semester hours of course work the student must mount an MFA exhibition. 

Minimum Total Credits (60 credits)


Additional Requirements


  • Minimum 3.0 graduate cumulative grade point average
  • Minimum of 18 credits must be at the 6000-level or higher
  • Minimum of  24 credits must be earned at BGSU
  • All requirements must be completed within six years from the end of the earliest course used to fulfill degree requirements.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Graduate Programs