Art Department

Master of Fine Arts Studio

Application Info
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Fall 2025 Application Deadline: Feb. 1st, 2025

Program Introduction

The Department of Art offers an exciting and new Masters of Fine Arts degree to help advance your practice in representational art. The full time MFA program allows you to develop your own program of study while working with a small group of faculty members. The MFA currently has four specializations: Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Photography, and Sculpture.

The MFA is a two to three-year residential program. Students will have the opportunity to create, apply, and complete projects needed to achieve their goals. The program assists starting a business in art and how to teach others about art.

We have found that students want one of two things while earning their MFA. To teach, or spend more time working on their craft. Utah Tech provides education with both options, thereby preparing students to go in either, or both directions. Students may have the opportunity to teach college level courses to help cover the cost of education.

MFA Costs

Current MFA resident tuition is $370 per credit, non-resident tuition is $800 per credit. Fees are $40 per credit. The degree is 60 credit hours totaling under $25,000 for residents and under $51,000 for non-residents.

Studio Space

Yes, each full-time graduate student is offered a studio space on campus to work on their projects. They also have access to the art building after hours and additional campus resources.

Studio space and Funding

Acceptance Rate

The Art Department will accept up to 8 applicants a year (depending on availability). Students focusing on Representational Drawing/Painting, Ceramics, Photography, and Sculpture have a higher chance of acceptance.

Faculty Mentors

Meet our art faculty members to find out who you could mentor with

View Our Faculty

Application info

Acceptance into the MFA program will be based on the number of seats available and an evaluation of the following information:

  • B.A. or B.S. or BFA from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent for international students
  • 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher in the last 60 credit hours
  • 6 credits of upper division Art History
  • Portfolio
  • 2 confidential letters of recommendation
  • A Letter of Intent

The Applications to the MFA Program in Studio Art are due Feb 1st and must have included all required information to be considered. The current application fee is $50 and the process is simple. Follow these steps:

You will need the following for your application.

  • Official transcripts from each college or university attended (min. GPA 3.0)
  • A letter of Intent with detailed artist statement (clarified on Letter of Intent tab)
  • 15-20 labeled images in a single PDF of your best work (clarified on Portfolio tab)
  • Contact information for  2 confidential letters of recommendation
  • Pay $50 nonrefundable application fee.
  • International students may need to provide additional info as detailed below

Be aware that the program admission committee will more likely admit individuals with a studio art background, which generally includes over 40 credits of undergraduate art coursework, including a minimum of 12 credits in art history.

  1. Apply through the main Utah Tech University Admissions Application at apply.utahtech.edu
  2. Apply for graduate school through the Utah Tech University website by clicking on “Apply for Admissions” at the right-hand side of the main page or https://apply.utahtech.edu/apply/
  3. Create an account if you are a first-time user, or log in if you attended UT in the past two years.
  4. On the new page, click on “Graduate Student Application (Master’s Degrees)” or “Start New Application”
  5. Fill out the appropriate year you plan to begin attending and fill everything out until the page gives you the chance to submit the following forms as a part of the application.
  6. Request official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework. Utah Tech/DSU undergraduates may request the registrar upload their transcript free of charge by emailing records@utahtech.edu.
  7. Upload A letter of intent with detailed artist statement
    • For 2D and Ceramics students: 15 labeled images in a single PDF of the artist’s best work
    • Sculpture: Submit two different views of the same object for a total of 20 images of 10 pieces
  8. Submit the contact information for 2 confidential letters of recommendation

 

 

Letter of Intent and Artist statement.

Compose and upload a letter of intent with artist statement (300-500 words on one page) and include the following:

  • Describe artistic interests and the direction of artwork, preferred area of study, and reasons for seeking entry into this program.
  • Discuss any relevant artistic experiences.
  • State goals relating to postgraduate and graduate education.
  • Describe why this is the right time to begin graduate school, and how this program is a good fit for you.

For 2D and Ceramics students: 15 labeled images in a single PDF of the artist’s best work:

  • 1st page with your name and desired specialization
  • 1 image per page with no distracting background; paintings/drawings/photos should have no visible borders or backgrounds
  • Image’s longest side should be 2400 px
  • Bottom left corner of each page should provide the following information: title, material used, size, and year created.
  • Place all 16 pages in a single PDF document for submission. PDF should be no larger than 20mb

Sculpture: Submit two different views of the same object for a total of 20 images of 10 pieces:

  • 1st page with your name and desired specialization
  • 1 image per page (with no distracting background)
  • Image longest side should be 2400 px
  • Bottom left corner of each page should provide the following information: title, material used, size, and year created
  • Place all 21 pages in a single PDF document for submission. PDF should be no larger than 20mb

International students only

All international students and any applicants educated outside the United States must demonstrate proficiency in Standard American English. The following link lists additional information needed to supplement an international application.

International Graduate Student Admissions

FAQs

What are UT MFA studio art expectations?

Students are required to create a minimum of twenty cohesive exhibit/market ready art pieces a year. They must also apply and exhibit in a minimum of four shows per year.

Why a Masters of Fine Arts instead of a Doctorate?

The Masters of Fine Arts is a terminal degree, meaning it is the equivalent to a Doctorate Degree and additional education is not required.

What is a Masters of Fine Arts degree?

It is a 60 credit hour program and is considered to be a professional degree. Most Master degrees are 30 credit hours, like a Masters of Art. Because an MFA is double the credit hours it can take two to three years to earn the degree.

Why a Masters of Fine Arts at Utah Tech?

The Art Department focuses on representational art and a realistic approach in rendering form. The 60 credit hours taught at UT include instruction on how to start and manage an art business. It also includes instruction on how to teach art courses. These courses are in addition to art creation, theory, and history courses.

Graduation Requirements

You must take 39 credits in your specialization, and 21 credits in additional coursework (60 credits). To graduate, you must earn a B- or better in each class, with a cumulative 3.0 GPA. You must also fulfill institutional requirements, such as applying for graduation. The Graduate Thesis Committee will help ensure your graduation readiness.

What are the required courses?

Required Specializations (39 cr):

  • ART 6200R Ceramics
  • ART 6300R Drawing & Painting
  • ART 6400R Photography
  • ART 6500R Sculpture
  • Additional Required courses (21 cr)
  • ART 6010 Entrepreneur I
  • ART 6015 Entrepreneur II
  • ART 6020 Teaching I
  • ART 6025 Teaching II
  • ARTH 6800 Art History Seminar
  • ARTH 6900 Art History Theory for Thesis Research
  • ART 6990 Thesis Exhibition

What are MFA Specializations?

Specializations are like undergraduate emphases, they are based on a focused study, usually determined by media. UT currently offers four specializations: Ceramics, Drawing & Painting, Photography, and Sculpture.

How can I learn more about course content and course rotation?

Course descriptions are located in UT’s catalog. Course rotations are posted on the MFA website and handbook. Some courses not listed in the rotation are scheduled between you and the program director.

Are classes offered online?

All courses are taught in person, also known as face to face, we currently do not offer any online coursework.

Will I be required to write a master’s thesis?

Yes, there are two parts to the MFA thesis. One is a written thesis that is 5000-8000 words. The second is a series of art pieces that will be exhibited in a group show. Both of these parts are finished while taking ART 6990.

Do you require a GRE or similar graduate readiness exam?

No. You are not required to submit a standardized exam score.

Program Learning Outcomes

After the completion of this program, students will demonstrate the ability to:

  1. Apply mastery of skills, techniques, tools, materials, conceptual ideas, and research methods to their chosen field of concentration, resulting in a showcase.
  2. Support artistic practices to produce evidence of an effective business product and understanding of teaching methods.
  3. Cultivate an exhibition record through strong local, regional, and national exhibition history.
  4. Apply contemporary and historical art theories to a body of work that is communicated through written and/or oral means.

Related Resources

MFA Studio Art Handbook

Contact

McGarren Flack

MFA Program Director

Email: McGarren.Flack@utahtech.edu

Phone: 435-652-7979

Office: N. Commons 108