Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art - Photography

The Department of Art and Art History offers an MFA program where students can specialize in diverse disciplines and create engaging artworks as they prepare for a career as a visual artist and educator. Since its inception in 1972, the program has launched numerous artists into creative careers across the globe. Enrollments are modest by design, allowing students to have designated studio space and to work closely with faculty. The MFA degree requires 60 hours of coursework in graduate studio classes, seminars, art history, critiques, and electives. All coursework must be successfully completed within six years of entering the studio graduate program. Graduate students present public lectures and exhibitions during their studies, culminating with a written thesis and exhibition.
The primary studio art facilities are situated on Woods Quad. Sculpture and Ceramics are located in the Bureau of Mines building complex. The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art is located in Garland Hall and features a program of changing exhibitions of contemporary art. The gallery is an active collecting institution dedicated to contemporary works on paper and photography. The Sella-Granata Art Gallery in Woods Hall presents a changing schedule of shows including student work as well as other academically focused exhibitions.

All new graduate studio art students enter the MA program. Applicants to the graduate MA program in studio art must satisfy admission policies established by the Graduate School of The University of Alabama. The Graduate School does not require the MAT or GRE for admission to the graduate program in studio art. Each studio applicant must submit a comprehensive portfolio of work directly to the Department of Art and Art History, this portfolio should include a minimum of 20 works of art in the proposed major. (Request graduate program application packet for detailed submission instructions). It is recommended that a prospective graduate student hold a degree in art, having maintained at least a ''B'' average in art. Additional courses may be required of the applicant, which would make acceptance into the program conditional. Residency is required of all studio art students.

Each international applicant must hold the equivalent of a U.S. four-year bachelor's degree from an accredited institution to be eligible for graduate admission. While individual departments may have more stringent requirements, bachelor degrees from Bologna Accord certified institutions are considered to meet this criterion. We do also consider Indian three-year degrees to be equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree.

TOEFL : The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 79 on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT).
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): The minimum score for admission to a degree program or for non-degree admission is 6.5.
TOEFL paper-based score of 550 and above