Art (MFA)
Studio Art Emphasis
Refine your talent with East Texas A&M’s Master of Fine Arts degree that prepares you to teach at the university level or pursue other careers in art.
Develop Your Artistic Talents
Expand your ability to create and communicate as a professional artist. Our MFA with Studio Art Emphasis offers an advanced, intensive study that deepens your language of expression. While here, you'll explore a broad range of issues meaningful to your artwork while refining your technical skills. Your exploration may touch upon individual modes of expression, formal elements, experimentation with media and methods, themes and symbols, and the relationships among the visual arts and other disciplines. The MFA is a terminal degree that prepares you to teach at the university level or pursue other careers in art. Many of our students show in professional galleries while in the MFA program.
Careers
Earning your BA/BFA equips you with the expertise, versatility and experience needed to achieve success in a complex and rapidly changing world. Graduates are able to visually demonstrate their specialty and area of emphasis with a collection of high-quality original artworks. Many of our graduates have pursued graduate programs to further refine their skills and knowledge, the educational field and the professional studio practice.
Career Possibilities
- Painter
- Sculptor
- Art educator
- Production Potter
- Commercial Artist
- Art Critic
- Studio Technician
- Curator, Studio Owner
- Resident Artist
- Apprentice/Studio Assistant
- Art Center Positions
- Art Therapist
- Gallery Owner
See Yourself Succeed With a Degree in Studio art
Dedicated Faculty
Engage with exceptional faculty and award-winning artists who challenge your creativity and artistic exploration. Our goal is for you to produce quality artwork that is both unique and engaging in contemporary culture.
Cultivate Your Imagination
Learn the discipline, intellectual curiosity, research methods, technical skills and historical perspective needed to excel in the visual arts. Our program prepares you to succeed in a variety of professions and pursue a life-long appreciation of the visual arts.
Our Facilities
The Wathena Temple Fine Arts Building includes one of the region’s best ceramic facilities and private studios for graduate students. You’ll also find the department’s photography facilities located here.
Nationally Accredited
The Department of Art is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Arts and Design (NASAD). Accreditation ensures that the degrees, curriculum and faculty meet rigorous standards of breadth and quality.
Career Readiness
Thinking critically and communicating effectively. That's what employers are looking for. The College of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts is dedicated to providing you the knowledge and resources for exceling in the workforce.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
A degree in studio art will offer you the opportunity to:
- Work with faculty, staff and students who are united in their goal to inspire creativity and foster critical thinking
- Develop techniques and methods of art-making
- Gain a deeper understanding of historical and contemporary art
- Produce a sustained and cohesive body of work that forms your final exhibition
MFA Program Details
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) with Studio Art Emphasis offers a personalized approach towards earning your degree. Students are initially accepted into the Master of Arts track, allowing you to establish yourself in the program. You can apply for formal acceptance into the MFA program once you have completed no more than 42 semester hours. From there you’ll work with the committee, department head and graduate coordinator to develop a targeted degree plan based on your medium.
Faculty Spotlight
Leigh Merrill
Art has the ability to show us what we don't expect to see – to challenge and remind us of the potential around us.
Joseph Daun
Chad Smith
Internship opportunities
Internship experience provides the foundation employers are often looking for. Although not required for your degree, internships are an important part of your education experience. These are just a few of the companies that partner with Student Career Preparedness and offer opportunities for East Texas A&M art students.
Course Delivery
Enhance your creativity by becoming a part of our competitive program. Our MFA degree uses traditional face-to-face instruction at our main campus to concentrate on your specific skills. You’ll receive one-on-one instruction with studio visits from our renowned faculty as you develop your skills.
Please check the schedule of classes for locations and times. Locations and times are subject to change.
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.
Admission
Your Path to Becoming a Lion
Deadline
- Application and Admission consideration is only open for Fall semesters.
Graduate Step 1 Part 1
- Create an account or login if you already have one
- Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
- Select “School Search” and select Texas A&M University-Commerce
- Choose the semester you wish to begin
- Select “Art, MFA” as your “Program.”
Domestic Application Fee 395064
- Pay the $50 application fee.
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100
Your Graduate Coordinator
- Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428
We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
Request one signed letter of recommendation on letterhead from a professional who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program. That individual should:
- Email the letter to your graduate coordinator or
- Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores
If you are unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests, and goals in no more than 500 words. Please mention why you applying for the MFA program.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Provide the following material;
- 20 images, clearly labeled with your name, title of piece, medium, dimensions and date completed
- Examples of sites for building a portfolio include Squarespace.com and Blogger.com
Send portfolio to the Graduate School and Laurel Jay Carpenter, Graduate Program Coordinator.
You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.
Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to East Texas A&M University:
- TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
- IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
- PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
- Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)
*Scores must be less than two years old.
Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted
- Official sponsor statement
- Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $26,025 USD which is less than 1 year old
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
Deadline
- Application and Admission consideration is only open for Fall semesters.
Graduate Step 1 Part 1
- Create an account or login if you already have one
- Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
- Select “School Search” and select Texas A&M University-Commerce
- Choose the semester you wish to begin
- Select “Art, MFA” as your “Program.”
International Application Fee
- Pay the $75 application fee
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Provisional Status
After you submit your application, you may be granted provisional status, which means you can enroll in one semester of courses. You will not be eligible for financial aid until you submit all of your documents and are accepted into the program.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100
Your Graduate Coordinator
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.
- We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.
Request one signed letter of recommendation on letterhead from a professional who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program. That individual should:
- Email the letter to your graduate coordinator or
- Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores
If you are unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests, and goals in no more than 500 words. Please mention why you are applying for the MFA program.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Provide the following material;
- 20 images, clearly labeled with your name, title of piece, medium, dimensions and date completed
- Examples of sites for building a portfolio include Squarespace.com and Blogger.com
Send portfolio to the Graduate School and Laurel Jay Carpenter, Graduate Program Coordinator.
You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.
Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to East Texas A&M University:
- TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
- IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
- PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
- Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)
*Scores must be less than two years old.
Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted
- Official sponsor statement
- Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $33,601 USD which is less than six months old
See the Office of International Program's “Confirmation of Financial Resource” for more details.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
- Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
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We are here to help!
Contact Us
- Department of Art
- 903.886.5208
- [email protected]
- 2005 University Drive
- Commerce, TX 75428
