Overview
Reach new creative heights with our M.F.A. degree with concentrations in Studio Art or Design Thinking. Graduate students receive individualized instruction from accomplished artists and art historians. Students benefit from group critiques, studio visits, workshops with visiting artists, and in-depth experiences to solve complex design problems.
Degree Concentrations Offered
M.F.A. with a concentration in Studio Art
Take courses in drawing, painting, watercolor, ceramics, sculpture, photography, animation, video, illustration, and graphic design, and international art history. To develop professional practices, you'll complete courses in studio management, professional writing, and instructional design.
M.F.A. with a concentration in Design Thinking
The Design Thinking concentration is a 100% online, terminal degree graduate program that provides students with in-depth experiences in using the design process to solve complex problems. While enrolled in this graduate program, students participate in interdisciplinary teams using creative and multifaceted design methodologies that address international issues.
Why Study Art at Radford?
- You’ll get excellent and attentive mentorship from faculty.
- We are a small and diverse community of creators.
- We offer affordable and high-quality programs.
- You’ll get opportunities to meet and work with professional artists through the department’s artist-in-residence program.
Careers and Internships
Some possible career paths you can follow with an M.F.A.:
- Exhibiting artist
- Art director and art leadership
- College-level teaching gallery and museum curation
- Studio manager
Opportunities for Art students at Radford
Students gain the ability to further refine and focus their creative voices. They will become responsive, flexible, and independent creatives, makers, and thinkers contributing to visual culture. Art students will develop an understanding of the visual arts through a studio-based curriculum and develop professional practices to pursue work as an independent artist, college instructor, museum worker, or arts administrator.
Admissions Requirements
- A cover letter indicating professional goals and artist statement
- Electronic portfolio with 10–20 recent works in 1 single PDF document (do not to exceed 50MB). At least 50% of images should be of work in your preferred medium.
- B.F.A. degree preferred.
- B.A. or B.S. degrees in art or a related discipline will be considered. Applicants must have at least 12 credit hours in upper-level studios and 6 credit hours in art history. A strong portfolio showing evidence of quality work will be considered.
- Minimum GPA of 2.75 overall.
- 2 letters of reference.
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1 of 5 NASAD accredited art programs in Virginia
Across the nation, fewer than 350 institutions have earned the prestigious distinction of being accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
“I chose the M.F.A. concentration in studio art with a focus in photography at Radford University because I wanted to further explore and enhance my artistic skills–and I wanted to teach at the university level."
