Lisa Bryson, Inaudible Scream

Drawing
MFA

Offered as: 
On-campus
Graduate

Drawing is a way of thinking.

The MFA in Drawing is a 60-credit, 2- to 3-year program of study for students who wish to further their interest and investigation of drawing as a contemporary art medium. The MFA degree is the credential that signifies the artist's capacity to work independently in a discriminating, distinctive, and professional manner.

The program provides an educational context where drawing is considered a core activity related to other disciplines, and also an end in itself.

MFA candidates can pursue their own goals, investigate contemporary concepts, hone technical skills, and advance personal vision through intense, focused individual studio activity. The faculty consists of experienced studio artists who work with the graduate students on a regular basis to further the development of their work.

In addition to the studio experience, the students are required to take courses in art history, critical theory, philosophy, and a broad complement of university offerings in order to cultivate  their intellectual and aesthetic maturation.

UMassD advantages

Pursue your MFA at UMassD

  • Assistantships: provide stipends, tuition waivers, fee reductions
  • Exhibition opportunities: local, regional, and on campus
  • Faculty: involved in scholarly, creative, and professional projects
  • Individualized attention extended to every student
  • Interdisciplinary projects and committees are encouraged
  • Location: an hour from Providence, Boston, and Cape Cod
  • New Bedford: an active downtown arts community
  • University education: access to faculty in other fields
  • Visiting artists: enrich your artistic and professional development
  • Visual Resources Center: more than 150,000 archived images

A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.

Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth

University requirements for graduate admissions

  • Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
  • Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
  • Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
  • Resume
  • Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts. 
  • Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
  • International students: official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical, and Public Policy. 
  • All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration. 

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

  • Portfolio of 20 images representing your artwork, process of thinking, implementation of concepts, and studio production. The portfolio is the equivalent of the entrance examinations which other academic areas often require. Submit your portfolio to: SlideRoom.
  • 2 letters of recommendation. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.

Program deadlines

Drawing faculty

Anthony Fisher
Anthony Fisher
Elena Peteva
Elena Peteva
Suzanne Schireson
Suzanne Schireson