Master of Fine Arts

M.F.A./ Studio Art

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The M.F.A. program at Winthrop University is a full-time studio art program that develops and nurtures the artist's voice. Winthrop's Department of Fine Arts engages artists who can navigate ideas of the contemporary world. The M.F.A. in Studio Art program demands focused research in traditional, interdisciplinary or emerging practices in visual and conceptual art.

This program is determined to progress from very narrow specializations and instead, educate students to move fluidly between different media to create a diverse body of innovative creative work.

Time to completion: 2 years
Total Credits: 60
Format: Campus-based

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Why Winthrop?

Private Studios

M.F.A. students have their own semi-private studio and access to a range of 2D and 3D studio spaces and to the CreatorSpace, the College of Visual and Performing Arts Maker-Space.

Graduate Assistantships

Students have the opportunity to work in the Department of Fine Arts and other areas of campus as graduate assistants and associates.

NASAD Accredited

The Winthrop University M.F.A. in Studio Art program satisfies the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation standards.

MISSION STATEMENT

The M.F.A. in Studio Art is an interdisciplinary studio art program dedicated to the creative development of the studio artist through intensive self-directed study, faculty mentorship, and professional development.

In the ever-changing global experience, Winthrop's Department of Fine Arts acknowledges the importance of developing and nurturing the citizen artist who can navigate ideas of our time...

The M.F.A. Program is about more than being versed in only one discipline. Although a candidate might select from one of the areas of concentration including General Studio, Painting, Sculpture or Crafts, he or she will be expected to address a broad range of possibilities for communicating visually and conceptually within our contemporary environment on campus and beyond.

The M.F.A. Program at Winthrop is about developing and nurturing the artist. It is about creatively, community and collaboration.

The program provides a supportive environment and community for highly-motivated students, who are intent on advanced, independent studies in their field.
The program provides a critical dialogue from instructors who espouse a broad outlook and represent varied points of view.
The program selects students for their creative and intellectual involvement, their creative promise, and their ability to share in the learning process with their peers and the faculty.
The program expects M.F.A. candidates to have already begun to develop an independent and mature direction in their work before beginning the program.
The program expects the M.F.A. graduate to exhibit professional studio competence; to organize, evaluate, and interpret knowledge; to possess the ability to address, explore, and resolve pertinent issues; and to continue a demonstrated commitment to the visual arts.

To find our more about the M.F.A. Program and the Department of Fine Arts at Winthrop University, you may want to schedule a tour with us. You may also want to sit in on a graduate class, meet current M.F.A. candidates, talk to our teaching artists and scholars or see the work that students and faculty are producing at Winthrop. Please do not hesitate to find out more and make an informed decision about your future as an artist in the 21st Century.

For more information about the M.F.A. in Studio Art, visit to the Graduate Studies website including M.F.A. Application Requirements and Required Program.

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Curriculum

Focused on an interdisciplinary approach to the studio arts, MFA students have their own semi-private studios, access to a range of 2D and 3D studio spaces, and access to the CreatorSpace, the College of Visual and Performing Arts Maker-Space. This program is determined to progress from very narrow specializations and instead, educate students to move fluidly between different media to create a diverse body of innovative creative work.

Time to completion: 2 years
Total Credits: 60
Format: Campus-based
Curriculum (MFA - Studio program)

Application Deadline

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art Deadlines:

Rolling admission for Fall and Spring starts.

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Application Requirements

Note: All admission materials must be received by the Graduate Studies office before an application will be reviewed.

Application requirements for the Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art program include:

Submit an online Graduate Studies application for admission and non-refundable application fee.
Have official transcript(s) sent from all institutions you attended for undergraduate and graduate coursework. Transcripts must be sent directly to Winthrop's Graduate Studies office from the issuing institution(s).
Have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
Submit a written statement of purpose reflective of their creative and research goals. As writing and communication skills are vital to a candidate's success, this is an important component of the application. The statement should be 1,000 words or less and indicate how they envision their work developing, how it relates to contemporary art practices, and why it is important to pursue a graduate degree.
Submit a CV or resume.
Have three original letters of recommendation submitted directly from art and design professionals.
Submit a digital portfolio in PDF format containing up to 20 digital images or media files of the applicant’s strongest work. The artwork should demonstrate the applicant’s point of view through bodies of work and/or show the development of an idea over time. All works should be labeled with title, materials/medium, date, and size of artwork. A brief description (150 characters) may also be included, if necessary.
Arrange and participate in an admissions interview with the MFA advisor and appropriate Fine Arts faculty. The MFA advisor's contact information is: Stephanie Sutton, 803/323-3429, suttons@winthrop.edu.

Submit an online Graduate Studies application for admission and non-refundable application fee.
Have official transcript(s) sent from all institutions you attended for undergraduate and graduate coursework. Transcripts must be sent directly to Winthrop's Graduate Studies office from the issuing institution(s).
Have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
Submit a written statement of purpose reflective of their creative and research goals. As writing and communication skills are vital to a candidate's success, this is an important component of the application. The statement should be 1,000 words or less and indicate how they envision their work developing, how it relates to contemporary art practices, and why it is important to pursue a graduate degree.
Submit a CV or resume.
Have three original letters of recommendation submitted directly from art and design professionals.
Submit a digital portfolio in PDF format containing up to 20 digital images or media files of the applicant’s strongest work. The artwork should demonstrate the applicant’s point of view through bodies of work and/or show the development of an idea over time. All works should be labeled with title, materials/medium, date, and size of artwork. A brief description (150 characters) may also be included, if necessary.
Arrange and participate in an admissions interview with the MFA advisor and appropriate Fine Arts faculty. The MFA advisor's contact information is: Stephanie Sutton, 803/323-3429, suttons@winthrop.edu.

Message from the Studio Art Department: Incoming MFA students are required to have a comprehensive background in historical and contemporary movements in studio art, advanced technical skills in at least one studio area, and a strong research background. Admitted students who do not show evidence of these criteria may need additional coursework which could include an additional semester or academic year of study, followed by a portfolio review.

Handbook

M.F.A. Handbook 2020-2021

Beyond Graduation

"Having a small faculty to student ratio was exactly what I was looking for in a grad school, and Winthrop turned out to be perfect in receiving the feedback I needed as a hands-on learner who talks through their thoughts among peers and a committee."

Devann Gardner, MFA ‘22