27.2 Programs of Study
27.2.1 THE MASTER OF FINE ARTS DEGREE
The program provides two years of advanced training for creative development
in the student's chosen field of specialization. This would include the
refinement of technical and manipulative skills, but with special concern
for the interrelationship between technique and creative statement. Fields
of specialization within the M.F.A. program are Painting/Drawing, Sculpture,
Printmaking, and Multi-Media.
Students with a B.F.A. degree from the University of Windsor are encouraged
to seek their Master's degree elsewhere.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the requirements set forth in 1.3 and 1.6.1 for admission
to the College of Graduate Studies and Research, applicants for admission
to the Master of Fine Arts program must satisfy the following particular
requirements:
(a) have an honours B.A. with a major in Visual Arts or Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree from an approved college or university; an applicant with
a general B.A. with a major in Visual Arts may be admitted with the stipulation
that deficiencies will be made up;
(b) present twenty slides of recent work for evaluation by the
departmental graduate acceptance committee;
(c) have attained at least a B standing in undergraduate art
courses;
(d) have six courses in art history;
(e) present transcripts of all university- and/or college-level
work;
(f) present three letters of recommendation.
2) An applicant who has graduated from a recognized professional institution
may be required to apply for entry into a special program prerequisite
to admission into the M.F.A. program.
3) Students who are deficient in any of these requirements may be asked
to register in appropriate undergraduate courses in order to satisfy the
requirements.
4) Applications for admission to the Master of Fine Arts program should
be complete by February 10 for Fall admission; applications received after
that date may not be considered.
Program Requirements
1) Ten to twelve courses are required including Thesis (27-797):
(a) four courses in a studio area of concentration;
(b) two to four additional courses which may be taken within or outside
Visual Arts;
(c) one seminar on contemporary issues (28-660);
(d) one Art History Seminar (28-656) or Directed Individual Studies
course (28-600);
(e) Graduate Seminar (27-596);
(f) Early in the second term of their first year, students must participate
in a first year M.F.A. group exhibition. This exhibition will be evaluated
by faculty members to determine the advisability of a student continuing
in the program.
2) Thesis: The thesis will consist of an exhibition of a body
of original creative works within the candidate's field of concentration.
The thesis will be planned with, and executed under the direction of the
candidate's principal faculty advisor. This final exhibition should be
regarded as the equivalent of the scholarly thesis of an academic discipline.
3) Committees:
(a) Guidance Committee: Each student will choose a guidance
committee, approved by the Visual Arts Graduate Program Committee, at the
beginning of the second term of his or her Master's program. This committee
will meet with the student periodically throughout the time required to
complete the M.F.A. program and to assess his/her work and progress through
the program.
(b) Thesis Defence Committee: This committee will assess the
student's thesis exhibition, conduct the oral examination, decide if the
M.F.A. degree should be awarded and determine the thesis grade. The thesis
committee will be constituted as follows: a member of the graduate faculty
appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research serving as a non-voting
chair, the student's principal advisor and two additional faculty members,
one of whom will not have been a member of the student's guidance committee.
In addition a professional artist or artist-educator not from the University
of Windsor or the Windsor area will be chosen as an external member of
the committee. The student will choose the last three members of this committee
with the approval of the Visual Arts Graduate Program Committee and subject
to the approval of the Executive Committee of the College of Graduate Studies
and Research.
4) Examination and Thesis Requirements:
(a) a solo exhibition of the completed creative thesis acceptable to
the student's thesis committee;
(b) a written and photographic documentation of the thesis to be retained
by Visual Arts;
(c) a formal oral defense of the thesis before the student's thesis
committee.
5) Residence Requirements: The M.F.A. program will require a
minimum of two academic years (four terms).
Transfer credits will be evaluated and may be accepted.
Work on an M.F.A. degree should ordinarily be completed within three
consecutive years after a student's enrolment.
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