Photography Schools/MFA [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

jamesklowe

20-May-2009, 01:09

I'm not sure if this is the right place to start the thread..

I'm finishing up my BFA with hon. at Elam School of Fine Arts in New Zealand and i'm looking to do my masters (fine arts) overseas.

First I would be looking into Australia. but would really like to be studying in America.

So far i've just had a look at a few places online- SVA NY (apparently amy stein teaches part time?), UCLA, UCIrvine (my old tutor Joyce Campbell taught there. and a recent friend told me its free?), Yale (long stretch. but i read Crewdson is teaching there). That's the main lot i've looked at plus a school in Helsinki, Finland - Taik which seems to have a pretty good rep.

Can anyone recommend any schools? know what the standard of work is like over there? i'm not sure how my work would stand up against everyone else who'd apply.

Mark Sawyer

20-May-2009, 01:48

Frank Goehlke currently teaches at the University of Arizona in Tucson. I understand he was brought in to establish a large format presence in the photo program. The UA also has the Center for Creative Photography.

PBrooks

20-May-2009, 03:23

Parsons, but it is really late for this year.

J. Gilbert Plantinga

20-May-2009, 03:34

Rhode Island School of Design (Henry Horenstein)
Bard - ICP (Stephen Shore)
Parsons - The New School (currently embroiled in controversy over restructuring)
RIT
Cal Arts
The Art Institute of Chicago

Mark Sampson

20-May-2009, 05:43

IIRC there was a long thread about this same subject a while back- do a search and I think you'll find a lot more information. There are two schools offering MFAs in photography in my town- Rochester Institute of Technology and the Visual Studies Workshop. I have some experience with both of them, but have never been part of either of their MFA programs.

Richard M. Coda

20-May-2009, 06:14

Be careful... the Kool-Aid is tempting to youngsters.

Let me ask you something. Unless you want to teach others how to drink the Kool-Aid, what do you need an MFA for? What will you learn (at great cost) that you couldn't learn elsewhere for less or no cost?

I would suspect that most of the people who hang out here do NOT have MFAs. Personally, I haven't seen much from anyone with an MFA that I liked or thought was good.

Kirk Gittings

20-May-2009, 06:56

I'll bite. I have an MFA and don't regret the investment. Is it necessary? Of course not-there are legions of successful artists out there without MFA's. BUT, it gave me some real quality time to concentrate on and think about my personal work without commercial pressures and it gave me the credentials I needed to teach (allowed me to teach at two of the best universities out there-University of New Mexico and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago) and some credibility with agencies that give out grants.

I wouldn't advise anyone to go deeply in debt to get one, but it can be worthwhile.

FWIW the institution that ranks post graduate art schools has ranked UNM and SAIC as the top two photography MFA programs for many years.

BTW I had an an Australian teaching assistant once at SAIC. For a unique cultural experience I took her to the Outback. She said "what the hell does this have to do with Australia!"

Richard M. Coda

20-May-2009, 07:57

I'll bite. I have an MFA and ...

Kirk, no disrespect was meant to you. You are not included in the group I am referring to... the new crop of "deadpan" photographers, many of whom may have never shot film or black & white. Deadpan used to be funny (Bob Newhart, maybe Stephen Wright)... as these MFA types have commandeered the term (or had it applied to them) it is now depressing. I just wrote a piece on my blog about these MFA types not having "FUN" with photography. Constantly trying to do something (a project) that is un-interesting or change the world.

bdkphoto

20-May-2009, 08:52

I'll suggest ICP, Parsons, and SVA. New York is a fantastic place to study, any of these programs will have great faculty, access, and courses taught by the best in the business. The secondary benefit is NY itself and the opportunities outside the classroom as well.

I think very highly of my colleagues who teach here (I teach at ICP, my friend Thomas is the chair of the photography at Parsons) - all of them are successful professional photographers as well as having a deep understanding of the art of photography. I think each program provides a great balance of art and professional coursework, the difference in the programs are subtle-- in general ICP leans more toward documentary, and "concerned" photography, Parsons leans a bit toward the fashion industry.

sgelb

20-May-2009, 09:04

i hear great things about ICP in general. was at nyph this weekend and met a bunch of folks coming out of there.. some with very interesting work and all with great skills..

20-May-2009, 10:04

http://www.mainemedia.edu/ is another option. Photo education has long been a part of the midcoast maine culture since short lived Kodak Center for Creative Imaging brought people in. Now, the photo bug is supported by a combination of the geography and scenery, the college, and the local art business that revolves around the Farnsworth museum and it's fans.

John T

20-May-2009, 11:19

My turn to bite.

I think the one thing that the “art schools” don’t/won’t teach is how to “enjoy” photography. Photography is an exhilarating, contemplative, personal, gratifying… oh crap, I might as well say it… it’s FUN! Most of these MFAs I see look like they have some psychological issues to work out or they are out to change the world. They’re not having FUN!

from Richard Coda's blogsite

I love this ill-informed and pathetic attempt to negate another person's life and work because the author has an over-inflated opinion of the value and purpose of photography. Why is the investigation of psychological issues not fun? In the same way your blog sounds more like a bitch session rather than FUN-but you obviously enjoy doing it. People enjoy expressing themselves.

I do documentary in order to express my feelings and to try to influence people's opinions. I enjoy the photography, the discussions with people and people's reactions to my work. But according to your complaint, my desire to "change the world" means that I can't be having fun.

Photography mean a lot of things to a lot of people. I enjoy a beautiful landscape as well as a photograph that challenges my perceptions. But maybe this is because I earned an MFA. Through coursework, discussions, lectures and critiques, I learned to see the value of art beyond my own preconceptions. I used to only appreciate work that appealed to me. Now I try to look at photographs with artist intent in mind, as well as trying to go beyond my preconceptions.

I agree with Kirk. An MFA is by no means necessary, but growth is never a bad thing. Some people do great as self learners/doers, while others work better with a mentor. A good education of any kind opens the mind to possiblities rather than closes it to "what I like or don't like". Your time in grad school gives you an opportunity to experiment with your work and then let a group of other artists test your thesis/work.

However, many students go into too much debt. As a international student in the US, you are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to the cost of your education. You generally will pay a higher tuition (UC Irvine isn't free unless there is a special fellowship/grant/scholarship specifically for someone in your situation) and you will have less financial aid available to you (unless there is something in your own country). On top of this is the cost of doing all the photography. I shot and presented more work than I expected. Going back to the blog I quoted above, I had a blast. The challenge of doing work that was tougher than I expected was incredible and it was too easy to do more work because of it.

I would definitely consider and MFA, but remember that it isn't for everyone. As for the quality of work, you work needs to demonstrate something about you that will spark interest in the grad committee. If your work is excellent, but similar to work that is overrepresented at the school, you might be passed over for someone who is doing work that is fresh and exciting to the faculty. I got in to grad school partially because my portfolio was b/w documentary with a contemporary attitude. (Walker Evans spliced with Frank Gohlke).Some schools emphasize/expect technical quality based on traditional photography standards while others are only looking for context/expression. The only way to find out is to learn as much about the school and professors as possible. But you need to know your work-you will need a solid artist's statement and strong portfolio so that the reviewer will know you.

jnantz

20-May-2009, 16:54

you might also look into mass college of art and the school of the museum of fine arts ..
both are in boston

jamesklowe

22-May-2009, 00:10

andy

22-May-2009, 04:11

be careful about studying under name brand photographers--some of them are great, but many of them don't care about teaching; they are photographers.
yale is nearly unquestioned in its superiority in the art realm.
there are plenty of good options, most of them mentioned, but the important thing is to look at the work of the professors, and the work of the students.
is it like what you want to do? and more importantly, does the student work emulate the professor's work? that could signal an overbearing teacher. it would be a lousy two years to constantly have someone telling you to make photographs like theirs.

the university of georgia in athens has an interesting program, and mark steinmetz lives in athens.

Brian Ellis

22-May-2009, 13:58

thankyou everyone for your recommendations.

if we disregard money for a moment, i'm surprised noone else has mentioned anything about yale? rather. just from people who have finished their masters they are quite highly received. in my books anyway.

i'm checking out schools now but won't start til next year.

as for actually getting a masters- i know its not NECESSARY. but i would like to continue studying for the purpose of working under photographers who i admire and i guess creating better work through critiques and just the general vibe of an art school.

i think working within this post-mod art(school) era is more meaningful and by far more engaging and interesting than nice pictures of sky/trees/sea..

also.. do you have an example of these so called 'dead pan' photographers.
ims orry but i find this anti-artschool comment ridiculous

Not that this means anything but I never hear Yale talked about as one of the great MFA programs for photography. The schools I hear about in that category are Rhode Island, Arizona, New Mexico, RIT, and a couple others that don't come immediately to mind but that don't include Yale. I'm not saying Yale isn't a great program, it may very well be, just that it isn't one that I think of when I think of the great MFA programs for photography in the U.S. While I don't have an MFA I did attend a school with an MFA program for a couple years and taught there for one year so I've kind of been around MFA programs without actually being in one.

Richard M. Coda

22-May-2009, 14:04

I have to agree with Brian.

Yes, Yale does have an MFA program... this (http://jendavisphoto.com/) is what it churns out.

It's up to you... is that the kind of work you want to do?

Kirk Gittings

22-May-2009, 14:10

FWIW, This is the US News and World Report rankings for fine art photography graduate schools. This is the only rankings that the schools I have been associated with take seriously, i.e. schools actually make faculty and program changes trying to raise their rankings. I have never been a full time faculty. So I have never been involved in the ranking process, but I know that it is taken very seriously:

Fine Arts Specialty Rankings: Photography
Ranked in 2008

1 Yale University
New Haven, CT

2 School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL

3 Rhode Island School of Design
Providence, RI

Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY

5 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque , NM

6 California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA

7 San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, CA

School of Visual Arts
New York, NY

University of California--Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

10 Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA

Cranbrook Academy of Art
Bloomfield Hills, MI

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-fine-arts-schools/photography

Jrewt

22-May-2009, 14:37

I have to agree with Brian.

Yes, Yale does have an MFA program... this (http://jendavisphoto.com/) is what it churns out.

It's up to you... is that the kind of work you want to do?

Wait, was that link supposed to demonstrate bad photography? It's not. Why does project based photography make you so sour?? Not everyone wants to shoot a series of snapshots their whole life!!

rdenney

22-May-2009, 15:07

Wait, was that link supposed to demonstrate bad photography? It's not. Why does project based photography make you so sour?? Not everyone wants to shoot a series of snapshots their whole life!!

Seems to me the choice is clear. Go where you'll be appreciated, and where you'll appreciate what you will learn. That's seems like a useful takeaway from Mr. Coda's message.

It also seems to me that an MFA is a specialty degree, unlike a BFA, which should be a good, general education. And when evaluating graduate programs, it also seems to me that one should look at the teacher and the students. Do the students do work that you admire? Do the teachers? If you don't admire their work (for whatever reason), then it makes no sense to study with them, it seems to me.

I suspect someone interested in fashion photography would be more in line for one of the New York schools, such as Parsons, than someone wanting to do landscapes. And a master's candidate ought to already have an idea of what they want to do.

Someone wanting teaching credentials rather than doing credentials has a different formula to evaluate. But it still seems they should stay true to their own vision if for no other reason just to keep from going crazy.

Rick "not a fan of 'it's not art if it isn't innovative' thinking, but that's another matter" Denney

Richard M. Coda

22-May-2009, 15:32

Wait, was that link supposed to demonstrate bad photography? It's not. Why does project based photography make you so sour?? Not everyone wants to shoot a series of snapshots their whole life!!

I don't recall using the word bad. I'll keep my opinion to myself but I think you already know what it is.

I never said project photography was bad either. I said that they devise a project first. My "projects" tend to "evolve" over time.

And, you're right, not everyone wants to shoot a series of snapshots their entire life. Certainly not me. I guess I'm not narcissistic enough.

Ed Richards

22-May-2009, 19:42

Why folks talk about money is that you can easily spend $100,000 on an elite MFA, and then you are starting from scratch. If you want to be a teacher, then that is what you have to do. (With little chance of a job at the end.) If you want to do photography, you might find that that the 100K could be spent more effectively to get into the business. I think there is a crisis in MFA education in the US, in that we have programs geared to turn out teachers in a market that is not looking for teachers. The exploding cost of the degree makes it that much harder.

Darryl Baird

22-May-2009, 21:00

my 2 cents,

an MFA is a means to an end -- both for teaching careers and as a fine art artist (often enough teaching is also a means to support the later). It can provide connections into a gallery scene in larger cities, to curators and collectors, other (soon to be successful?) artists, and your inner capacity to see your work in an intense critical process.

I have an MFA. It was a means to a teaching career after I'd soured on a somewhat soul-less commercial career. I was in my mid-forties, older than most of my faculty, and determined to land a job against all the odds. I looked at what was being hired in the field and tried to make sure I matched that model.

The list Kirk posted represents the schools that have reputations. I don't always like the work I see coming from those schools, but what I see is that those are very often the people who land the teaching jobs... they are well educated, can usually teach and inspire, have connections that continue to pay dividends. There are many, many good (and unknown) MFA programs in the Midwest (my region) and the West Coast too.

I think the best approach is to evaluate what you already are good at and see if that is represented in the work of grads. Most schools are highly selective and try to balance the incoming portfolios (styles and techniques) to broaden the horizons of everyone. It's a little uncommon to see all the work of a particular school to be represented by similar, derivative works. Also, foreign students are often sought out as they offer cultural diversity.

If I could do it over I'd try RIT, Arizona State (Mark Klett), maybe Mass Art (Morello), and SAIC.

If your goal is teaching, I recommend the book, The Academic Job Search Handbook (http://www.amazon.com/Academic-Job-Search-Handbook/dp/0812220161/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243050905&sr=8-2)

Darryl Baird

22-May-2009, 21:24

John T said:
"...work needs to demonstrate something about you that will spark interest in the grad committee. If your work is excellent, but similar to work that is overrepresented at the school, you might be passed over for someone who is doing work that is fresh and exciting to the faculty."

Couldn't agree more. No grad faculty wants to work with a student who doesn't already have a "voice" -- something they can work with and help to develop. They won't teach you anything. If they think you have promise, but lack some skill or experience you'll often have to take more course work, or research and perfect a process (I did polymer-gravure), before continuing on in the program.

I miss the intensity of grad school, even after 12 years. It's like the best hands-on workshop, but it last two - three years.

jeroldharter

22-May-2009, 21:31

I don't know anything about photography grad school. I looked on the Yale website and they estimate ~$52,000 per year in costs for the MFA program. That is for an art degree. Interestingly they don't advertise ROI or time to payback which I suspect requires a very long life. If money is no object, then spending >$100,000 to take digital pics of hot dog stands might be attractive. (I'm half joking.)

Gordon Moat

23-May-2009, 13:06

Another way to consider MFA programs is what you want after you complete the degree. If you want to teach, almost any MFA program will allow you to meet those qualifications, though the pay levels might not correlate well to the expenses. Another reason, which I think can be better, is the networking opportunity. While studying under a big name might get you some recognition, that will be for them, and not for you. A better way to look at this is whether you would want to stay and work near where you got that MFA. Then getting the degree is a process of building connections for after you graduate.

If you want an MFA to help you get into galleries, then be aware that the prospects for future earnings are generally dire. Gallery artists rarely do well, and in a recent PDN survey it was found that they are generally the lowest earners, even below photojournalists. Sure, there are big names like Gursky and Tillmans, but don't go into an MFA program imagining you will become like them; maybe you will, but the odds are very far against you.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

mrpengun

23-May-2009, 13:54

... Deadpan used to be funny (Bob Newhart, maybe Stephen Wright)... as these MFA types have commandeered the term (or had it applied to them) it is now depressing. ...

I don't care how many people use the term deadpan--Bob Newhart and Steven Wright Will Always be funny. :-)

in a more series note (not serious enough that I've read the entire thread though... I blame the wine), is that more of a problem of "deadpan" as a genre, or as the way institutes teach deadpan and how students pick it up?

Many of the high-profile teachers at Yale produce work I find utterly boring and drab, and so do some of their more recent graduates. Yet at the same time, some students come out with work I can look at for hours. I think any sort of creative education really depends on the way the teachers and students interact.

Brian Ellis

23-May-2009, 16:47

I have to agree with Brian.

Yes, Yale does have an MFA program... this (http://jendavisphoto.com/) is what it churns out.

It's up to you... is that the kind of work you want to do?

It's always nice when someone agrees with me but just to clarify - I didn't say that Yale had a bad program or churned out uninteresting work or make any other value judgements about it. In fact I said it might have a great program for all I know. I just said I didn't think of it as one of the great photography MFA programs. Obviously I don't read U.S. News and World Report.

Andrew O'Neill

23-May-2009, 16:48

Richard, thanks for the link to Jen's site. I really enjoyed her self portrait series.

As far as MFA in photography goes, Emily Carr in Vancouver, Canada has a program.

John T

23-May-2009, 17:12

Brian,

Your use of the word "churns" has a derogatory connotation to it. It sounded like a negative value judgment to me. Yale isn't a factory. Students have to earn their degree.

Richard M. Coda

23-May-2009, 18:39

Caleb:

Richard, ... You take some interesting pictures sometimes. But what are your pictures about? I mean really about.

About? I don't believe that photographs have to be about anything. My photographs (and yes, I do know the difference between 'taking pictures' and 'making photographs') are well thought out, and are usually about the classic properties of photographs... line, tone, form, shape. Some people read WAY too much into art (photography included). I just love looking at well-crafted prints. My color work (which is a recent thing for me) is about color, period. Nothing else.

"Interesting"... hhhmmmm. I've heard that word used in describing my work twice in the past few months. Both times, coincidentally, from MFAs. It's kind of like saying you "have a nice personality" in an underhanded way. Is that how they teach you to handle non-MFA work at grad school?

The link that you provide to us of Jen's work, well that is some of the most interesting and thought provoking work that I have seen today. The self portrait series is heart wrenching and so full of truth and honesty. What kind of human can see no beauty and feel no compassion when viewing that body of work?

Full or truth and honesty? I think she's yearning for something... something she didn't receive as a child. This is about photography, not psychology or sociology. Her work seems like a photographic cross between "The Biggest Loser" and "Big Brother". Not something I would want on my walls. In fact, if I had to choose between a Weston (take your pick, Edward, Brett, Cole, Kim) and Ms. Davis... OK, sorry, I have six Westons on my wall, again, take your pick (they are all represented).

I don't know why you have such a hatred for MFA programs or those photographers that come out of them.

"hatred"? I don't recall using the word "hate" or "hatred". I must have struck a nerve here. I apologize.

You are kind of a d**k for using that link to make your point.

I have not reduced myself to name-calling... but you have. And, as George Carlin said... "Hey Dick, no I don't mean you're a dick. I'm sorry, your name is Dick..."

Jerold:

If money is no object, then spending >$100,000 to take digital pics of hot dog stands might be attractive.

Thank you Jerold.

Ed Richards:

Why folks talk about money is that you can easily spend $100,000 on an elite MFA, and then you are starting from scratch. If you want to be a teacher, then that is what you have to do. (With little chance of a job at the end.) If you want to do photography, you might find that that the 100K could be spent more effectively to get into the business. I think there is a crisis in MFA education in the US, in that we have programs geared to turn out teachers in a market that is not looking for teachers. The exploding cost of the degree makes it that much harder.

Thank You Ed.

Mr. Pengun:

I don't care how many people use the term deadpan--Bob Newhart and Steven Wright Will Always be funny. :-)

in a more series note (not serious enough that I've read the entire thread though... I blame the wine), is that more of a problem of "deadpan" as a genre, or as the way institutes teach deadpan and how students pick it up?

Many of the high-profile teachers at Yale produce work I find utterly boring and drab, and so do some of their more recent graduates. Yet at the same time, some students come out with work I can look at for hours. I think any sort of creative education really depends on the way the teachers and students interact.

Agreed. BOB Newhart, and to a slightly lesser degree... and Stephen Wright will ALWAYS be funny! And I agree with your assessment of Yale photography.

John T:

Just to set the record straight, "I" used the word "churned" and ALL colleges/universities are factories these days.

Sheesh... lighten up. It's only photography! Since January, anyone with an alternative, or dissenting opinion, risks being attacked. I never attacked anyone. I simply asked this young lad from New Zealand why he thought he "needed" an MFA. Doesn't seem too much to ask.

And to all the MFAs who find my stance offensive... where is your work? I freely put my website and blog out there. Some of you do not.

John T

23-May-2009, 19:28

You're right Richard.

I'm sorry Brian for the misattribution.

Darryl Baird

23-May-2009, 19:35

Caleb:
And to all the MFAs who find my stance offensive... where is your work? I freely put my website and blog out there. Some of you do not.

http://www.darrylbaird.com
http://www.re-picture.info

Richard, I don't think you're a dick, which has a sexual connotation. I think you're a blow-hard. Why? Here's the tell-tale quote:

"... something she didn't receive as a child. This is about photography, not psychology or sociology. Her work seems like a photographic cross between "The Biggest Loser" and "Big Brother". Not something I would want on my walls. In fact, if I had to choose between a Weston (take your pick, Edward, Brett, Cole, Kim) and Ms. Davis... OK, sorry, I have six Westons on my wall, again, take your pick (they are all represented)."

simultaneously mean spirited, small-minded, and a braggart to boot. Who made you pope of contemporary photography? .. yer writing a blog... LOL... give me a break. I love Weston too, but he's been accepted (and finished) as an artist (as have all his f/64 and Modernist colleagues) since the late 1930's. Why not move on a little to appear even mildly relevant to 2009.

this hot-air needs to move to the lounge, the original post asked for MFA advice, not contrarian opinions from the uninformed... if you had an MFA, you'd at least have a point of reference that could be considered, but...NOT.

Richard M. Coda

23-May-2009, 19:42

http://www.darrylbaird.com
http://www.re-picture.info

Richard, I don't think you're a dick, which has a sexual connotation. I think you're a blow-hard. Why? Here's the tell-tale quote:

"... something she didn't receive as a child. This is about photography, not psychology or sociology. Her work seems like a photographic cross between "The Biggest Loser" and "Big Brother". Not something I would want on my walls. In fact, if I had to choose between a Weston (take your pick, Edward, Brett, Cole, Kim) and Ms. Davis... OK, sorry, I have six Westons on my wall, again, take your pick (they are all represented)."

simultaneously mean spirited, small-minded, and a braggart to boot. Who made you pope of contemporary photography? .. yer writing a blog... LOL... give me a break. I love Weston too, but he's been accepted (and finished) as an artist (as have all his f/64 and Modernist colleagues) since the late 1930's. Why not move on a little to appear even mildly relevant to 2009.

this hot-air needs to move to the lounge, the original post asked for MFA advice, not contrarian opinions from the uninformed... if you had an MFA, you'd at least have a point of reference that could be considered, but...NOT.

Attacked again. What can I say. OK, you put your website up. Again, I'll take a Weston.

Why am "I" not allowed to have an opinion? Just because it doesn't agree with yours? This is America, isn't it?

jamesklowe

23-May-2009, 20:16

i feel this is getting out of hand. at the same time, i like the debate going on.

regardless, thankyou for all your recommendations. (and thankyou to those who have sent me emails re: yale.)

if anyone is feeling like giving feedback. but keeping in mind my work will probably fit along with this deadpan thing thats happening out of artschool then without heavily ripping it apart i would be quite keen to hear what people have to say

John T

23-May-2009, 20:26

If that is your style of photography, remember that when you assemble your admission portfolio you need to stand out from the pack. You will need a unique aspect to your visual language to make it intriguing to the review committee.

PBrooks

23-May-2009, 21:53

You will need a unique aspect to your visual language to make it intriguing to the review committee.

and in some schools, the students have the first vote as to who gets in.

Andrew O'Neill

23-May-2009, 22:17

Jamesklowe, I'm sure wherever you decide to go, you'll be happy. Good luck with your search!

jamesklowe

23-May-2009, 23:39

hm. im just going to post a few pictures. i have some schools in mind right now but id ont' know where i'd stand with them

if anyone feels like commenting, please be my guest

http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq350/killerwailkillerwhale/racoongreg-2.png

http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq350/killerwailkillerwhale/jameslowe-daisydiana-2.png

http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq350/killerwailkillerwhale/jameslowe-jakeinblack-2.png
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq350/killerwailkillerwhale/jameslowe-jakewithblack-2.png

(the blacks might be weird. they are on the computer i'm at now compared to the one i edit my stuff on)

Gordon Moat

24-May-2009, 00:19

http://www.portfolioday.net/

This is the website for National Portfolio Day. The top art and design colleges get together to review portfolios, talk to prospective students, and hand out brochures. I would suggest attending one, because you will get a better idea of what each offers, and you get to meet some of the instructors.

After that, whether you choose one of those schools or not, I highly suggest visiting the area where you will want to attend a school. Since you are going after a creative degree, quite likely you will want to feel inspired by your surrounding, plus the fact that you will be there nearly two years.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

msk2193

24-May-2009, 05:03

James,
Some interesting posts here. :eek:
I know it is not a MFA, but if you want to work on your photography skills, don't skip over the Rocky Mountain School of Photography's Intensive Studies (http://www.rmsp.com/) program whcih will absorb a full summer, but will do more for you getting to know your camera. Then, with this new knowledge, go on to your MFA!
Good luck.

robert lyons

24-May-2009, 07:44

james,

this thread has produced some interesting responses. in terms of a career in teaching and maybe fine art an MFA can be useful....as such and because there are many people for whom $100,000 plus and a full 2 year commitment is not possible there are some interesting "low-residency" programs ....a new one currently under development and soon to be announced is from the University of Hartford Art School. look at their Design/Illustration Program as a guide to the new photography program being developed....it promises to be challenging,informative, taught by current high profile practitioners in the field and also affordable........allowing students to continue with their life while going thru the program.....

jamesklowe

24-May-2009, 17:12

Gordon Moat

24-May-2009, 18:49

Well, now you have me curious. Other than the prestige of the piece of paper, what do you expect to do with the MFA once you have it?

John T

24-May-2009, 18:51

If he works it out right, a challenging education and refining of his vision.

Gordon Moat

24-May-2009, 18:57

Okay John, fair enough. Then what would one do with that refined vision?

I'm asking because I'm not independently wealthy, don't have a trust fund, and don't have wealthy parents. I do have a BFA, and I managed to get one of my images into a museum last year.

P.S. - I'm going off the premise that if one wants to make a small fortune in photography, then one should start out with a large fortune.
:D

jamesklowe

24-May-2009, 19:23

John T

24-May-2009, 19:23

Gordon,

For some, the MFA is just the next logical step beyond a BFA. By earning that degree you took an educational track that some people think is a complete waste of money. (If you want to make money, get a business degree and just shoot picture because most of the profession is about business.)

But there is value in the BFA that cannot be expressed in dollars. If you had a good program, you learned the craft (technical aspects) of photography as well as learning about how to approach photography so that you could express yourself in the manner that is satisfying to you.

An MFA program (in my opinion-a good one) will challenge your approach and preconceptions about photography. In this way it will force you to question what and why you do what you do. In this way you get rid of the slag (the refining reference) and get a cleaner, purer vision.

Also, the type of photography you do may influence the value of an MFA. If you just produce photography whose value is based on aesthetics, the MFA may not always be the best results. If the photographer is very self-motivated and self-critical, just getting out, shooting and editing your work may be what is needed.

But if one produces a more intellectually based photograph, the MFA program (again, a good one) will force the photographer to constantly re-examine their intent and force them to confront how the photograph communicates to their intended audience.

Gordon Moat

24-May-2009, 20:05

When I neared completion of my BFA, many of those I attended college with wanted to continue to an MFA. The idea was that they enjoyed the BFA process so much, that they wanted that to continue. The reality was that few did that, cost being one reason, and lack seeing a benefit being another. Of course, San Diego State University is not a high dollar school, so money was an issue for nearly everyone I knew.

The reality of creative degrees and creative professions is that less than 10% remain in a creative profession five years after graduation, and less than 5% remain after 10 years. So here I am eleven years later (graduated 1998) and barely 20 out of over 530 fellow graduates are doing any creative work.

I don't know your financial situation, but I would guess that you will need to work for a living at some point in your future. I didn't get a BFA because I envisioned making a fortune; I chose that path because I wanted the challenge. However, I also knew I would be doing commercial work, and I had a clear idea of how I was going to turn my degree into a creative profession. Just to mention this, my specialty was oil painting, and not photography, while I was at SDSU.

You have to be a bit of an idealist to get a BFA, and probably a bit more to get an MFA. I don't think either is a bad choice. What I would warn you about is that if you do not have a clear idea of where you will land after you graduate, then it is very likely you will have some better images, a nice piece of paper, and a load of debt ... but no creative profession. I hope for your sake you have some idea of what you will be doing in five years; idealism needs some balance in reality. Best of luck to you.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

John T

24-May-2009, 20:18

Gordon,

Those are good rational warnings. Most of my fellow grad students with whom I am still in contact, are still in the creative field. Most of them weren't interested in obtaining a degree to teach and, fortunately, they don't. However, the statistic bear out your message. Art is an extremely tough career.

BUT, on a totally impractical and probably dangerous note, in an MFA program you don't have to take general ed. classes. With the exception of a few classes in some programs, it is all about ART!!! :D

Brian Ellis

25-May-2009, 13:12

precisely what john said.
i know it'll be alot of money. if i can get scholarships, the better-

but i'm not wanting to teach after. if it is a means for money, then sure i wil have a crack at it. but it is more for me to produce the work i want to whilst working in the enviroment that fits/under the supervision of my favourite photographers. i don't think i'd get the same experience elsewhere-
maybe an MFA isn't the best option. but if i'm furthering my education i dont' want to do a certificate or something when i already have a BFA

as for what i do afterwards, i have no idea.but at least an MFA might help.

Don't know what you want to do afterwards? No problem. How many people even in graduate school know what they want to do afterwards and, more importantly, actually do it for the rest of their lives? If you want an MFA, can afford the price, and can gain admittance to a good program by all means do it. The fact is most of us don't end up doing whatever we do because of careful plans we formulated in our youth. We end up doing it because of coincidences, chance encounters, and various unpredictable turns that life often takes.

rdenney

25-May-2009, 15:12

About? I don't believe that photographs have to be about anything.

I find it interesting that this particular debate topic comes up often with photography compared to the other arts with which I'm familiar. For example, only non-composers keep asking a composer what the music is about. It is what it is--if it doesn't communicate in purely musical terms, words describing what it's "about" will not help.

The composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, for example, was asked what his shattering Symphony No. 4 in F Minor was about. Most thought it foreshadowed war (it was first performed in 1937). Many called it his "War Symphony" in later years. All that angered him. It was a direct outgrowth of previous works. His response to such questions about what his fourth symphony was about: "F Minor."

As a refugee from architecture school lo these many moons past, I found that most of my architecture professors (at a highly regarded architecture school) were interested in me finding my own vision, as long as it was a vision they understood. If they could not relate to it, they would not acknowledge is as vision at all. "I loved it six weeks ago, but in the end I just couldn't relate to it, man." That's teaching? When it comes to art, probably yes, and that's why students should go to schools where the teachers create the sort of art that moves them. A couple of my art professors rose above that, and their skill was forcing me to see clearly. They did not care how I represented what I saw, or (relevant to this discussion) what I chose to look at, as long as they could see what I was seeing clearly. But they were exceptional in my experience.

C. S. Lewis delved into the subject of defining art in his book An Experiment in Criticism. He complained that too many critics define art in terms of how well it conforms to their expectations, rather than seeking to understand the impact it has on others. Lewis defined art in terms of how it was received, not how it was delivered. If it was received as art, then it was art, no matter who else might or might not have liked it. One problem with much art these days is that we believe it must be tortured to be meaningful, which I find baffling.

We can each have our own vision, and our job is to portray that vision clearly, no matter what medium of art we choose. Having no vision is just as bad as being unable to portray it. But there is no requirement that the vision we have happens to coincide with someone else's opinion of what vision should be. If there are people who receive our work as art, then the art stands on its own, unhelped by where we did or did not go to school. If we believe school will give us the tools to express our vision with clarity, then it's probably worth it. But if we have no vision, school won't help.

That's why I was a refugee from architecture school--my technique was good but I really had nothing in particular to say at the time. As I've gotten older, though, I'm finding my voice.

One final point: It is not the purpose of an undergraduate education to prepare one for the job market. Those studies are wide ranging for a reason. They prepare us to be educated people, and the world needs educated people. Few educated people (assuming their education isn't merely nominal) have trouble finding their way in life, no matter what they choose to do to keep body and soul together. A master's degree, on the other hand, is a job-training degree. It's sole purpose is to teach advanced craft. That's why it doesn't have all those other "BS" courses. It's called a "Master's Degree" for a reason. I learned much more about the work that I do in my master's program, but much more about how I do work in my undergraduate studies.

Rick "jack of all trades, master of none" Denney

venchka

22-Jun-2009, 14:28

Kirk gittings is on the mark. The University of New Mexico. The best of the best of North America is within a few hours drive. You will never lack for subject matter. The school has a fantastic set up, both wet and computer. The weather is nice. The food is great. The people are nice too.

ditzydeezy

30-Jun-2009, 02:05

frankwturner

22-Nov-2009, 21:21

Hi,
I want to ask a similar question but about good photography MFA's outside the U.S. (mainly to save $$ and also because I could use a break from my home country for a bit).
I imagine that such programs are a lot more scarce. I'm open to anywhere, but right now am looking at Concordia College in Montreal. Am very interested in strong programs in Canada, Mexico (I'm fluent in Spanish and Portuguese) and anywhere the U.S. dollar is strong.

How are the programs in Australia and NZ? UK?

And if anyone knows of scholarships/grants for MFA and photography study that would be huge.

RE: ICP in NY, I did some Summer classes there a few months ago and spoke to a lot of the year-long certificate program students. Most were a bit unimpressed with the bang for buck ratio, particularly in the General Studies track and the admissions office is quite disorganized. But there are some great teachers and facilities there for sure and a lot of top working photogs have come out of there, particularly on the PJ side. The program is very easy to get into (they are not doing well financially).

Thanks for everyone's help!!!

Frank
www.frankturnerphoto.com

Kirk Gittings

22-Nov-2009, 22:26

Sorry, but I am not knowledgeable about programs outside the US. I went to graduate school in Canada, but that was over 25 years ago and I have not kept up with current Canadian programs.

Greg Miller

23-Nov-2009, 11:25

there seems to be this giant split with reasons to get MFA's. for me, i'm in it for the experience. to work under someone i admire. and just to be in the location of where it's all going down.

i checked out hartford, sounds pretty good. but couldn't find anything on the mfa in photography despite finding some portfolio websites claiming they had their mfa from hartford.

As an alternative, why not contact photographers that you admire and ask to intern for them? This would give you what you are looking for, but without the tuition. Plus, in addition to refining your vision under this person, you will also get to experience first hand everything about what it takes to run a real business.

J Ney

23-Nov-2009, 12:02

So far i've just had a look at a few places online- SVA NY (apparently amy stein teaches part time?), UCLA, UCIrvine (my old tutor Joyce Campbell taught there. and a recent friend told me its free?),

I graduated from UC-Irvine in 2003 (biology) and the impression that I always got when I was there is that they are much more focused on their science / engineering programs rather than their art/humanities program. Things may have changed since then but I do not think the school is as dedicated to the arts as some other schools.

If you're looking alot at the UC's about UC Riverside? I've heard they have a robust art program.

Kirk Gittings

23-Nov-2009, 16:22

Guys, James has not posted on this thread since May.

I was responding to yesterdays question by a Frank Turner:

Hi,
I want to ask a similar question but about good photography MFA's outside the U.S. (mainly to save $$ and also because I could use a break from my home country for a bit).
I imagine that such programs are a lot more scarce. I'm open to anywhere, but right now am looking at Concordia College in Montreal. Am very interested in strong programs in Canada, Mexico (I'm fluent in Spanish and Portuguese) and anywhere the U.S. dollar is strong.

How are the programs in Australia and NZ? UK?

And if anyone knows of scholarships/grants for MFA and photography study that would be huge.

RE: ICP in NY, I did some Summer classes there a few months ago and spoke to a lot of the year-long certificate program students. Most were a bit unimpressed with the bang for buck ratio, particularly in the General Studies track and the admissions office is quite disorganized. But there are some great teachers and facilities there for sure and a lot of top working photogs have come out of there, particularly on the PJ side. The program is very easy to get into (they are not doing well financially).

Thanks for everyone's help!!!

Frank
www.frankturnerphoto.com

Greg Miller

23-Nov-2009, 19:11

Aaargh. I hate when that happpens. There needs to be a lock on threads that have been idle for more than 30 days...

jamesklowe

23-Nov-2009, 23:20

I'm still here- didn't realise people were still posting in this thread until I got sent a PM.

I've been working down a list of schools I can apply for in the coming weeks.

I've checked out Riverside.. my tutors tell me it'll be a good school, but not necessarily the best location for me (being that i'd be stuck in little riverside..)

Frank: as for the question of MFA's in NZ. I'd really only consider one. Which is the program I just graduated with a PGdipFA from- Elam School of Fine Arts. It's based in Auckland. It isn't a very technical based school, alot of politics happening at the moment. But if it is a conceptual based environment you're after then Elam is pretty good. A well based community with some good (WORKING) tutors who are in the middle of their practices. PM me if you want to know more

Scott Davis

24-Nov-2009, 10:31

Sorry to be riding on this thread, but I'm currently half way through my BFA in photography in Singapore, and I am looking to transfer to the university of New Mexico to finish my BFA.

I know their MFA program is great, but what about their BFA?

I realize this is a rather late-to-the-game response to this question, but I think the answer could be of benefit to plenty of other folks considering a particular school. This was true of my undergraduate experience for the specialty my university was known for, and I suspect it is true on a wide basis-

If you think you might want to obtain an advanced degree from a given institution, DON'T go there for your undergraduate.

It's not that you can't ever continue on, but most faculty at most universities want to see their students go out in the world, broaden their horizons, and encounter new and challenging ideas. If you stay where you are, you'll be studying under the same faculty you studied with as an undergrad. So unless you're some kind of prodigy, the chances are slim to none you can get a Masters or PhD from the same institution where you get your Bachelors. There were a lot of kids at my university (Johns Hopkins University) who went there thinking that getting a BS in Biomedical Engineering or some other pre-Med program would get them a ticket to an MD from Johns Hopkins University. I think in the end the rate of admission for JHU students to the Med school was something like less than half that of admission from any other school, which is saying something, as most of the kids at Hopkins were already some kind of prodigy to begin with.

I saw the same thing when I went to apply for an MFA program - I did extensive work at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore through their continuing education program after getting my Bachelor's degree. When I applied to grad programs, I included MICA on my list to apply to, figuring I would have an easy time getting in because the faculty there were already knowledgeable of the quality of work I could do. I didn't get in, despite having letters of recommendation from the present and past department chairs. So, if you are thinking of going to University of New Mexico to get your BFA, go there because of the program offerings it has that appeal to you at this time.

Kirk Gittings

24-Nov-2009, 10:41

All very true Scott.

frankwturner

24-Nov-2009, 20:26

Thanks for the tips!!

This is a great thread.

If anyone has any other advice re int'l MFA's in photo, lemme know!!

THANKS!!!

Frank
www.frankturnerphoto.com

jamesklowe

27-Nov-2009, 21:50

i forget if this was mentioned in here..

check out www.aphotostudent.com - James Pomerantz is documenting his days as an MFA student at SVA NY

robert lyons

28-Nov-2009, 16:21

Hi, there is a new international limited-residency MFA program beginning in summer 2010 at the University of Hartford Art School. It involves 3 summer sessions and off-premise fall and spring sessions, first year in New York and Berlin/Leipzig. The full website with information will not be up until late December however the faculty is also international-based along with many visiting artists,curators, and gallery directors.....it promises to be an exciting innovative approach for an MFA program. If you want to know more contact me....thanks

robert

r.e.

28-Nov-2009, 20:44

Am very interested in strong programs in Canada, Mexico (I'm fluent in Spanish and Portuguese) and anywhere the U.S. dollar is strong.

I'd suggest that you start a separate thread asking specifically about Canadian schools or schools outside the US. There are a number of people on this forum who are liable to respond, but may not see/wade through this rather convoluted thread. One caution. The Canadian dollar has been rising against the US dollar for some time and many people expect it to hit parity, as it did a couple of years ago, or go beyond parity in the near future. There are fairly strong upward pressures on the Canadian dollar despite the fact that continued rise in the currency is contrary to the federal government's and the central bank's financial policies. If inflation takes hold in the US, this pressure will only intensify.

culprit

4-Dec-2009, 13:19

About? I don't believe that photographs have to be about anything. My photographs (and yes, I do know the difference between 'taking pictures' and 'making photographs') are well thought out, and are usually about the classic properties of photographs... line, tone, form, shape. Some people read WAY too much into art (photography included). I just love looking at well-crafted prints. My color work (which is a recent thing for me) is about color, period. Nothing else.

I think you'd have more credibility if you could demonstrate an understanding or appreciation of the communicative power of photography beyond simple line, tone, form, and shape. Because let's face it: those are the most basic elements of visual design, taught as an introductory course in most art programs in the undergraduate freshman year, never mind the graduate level.

In other words, show that it is your choice to simplify your work to those elements, rather than it being the result of your inability, or lack of desire, to go any further. Otherwise, it's been done to death, and parroting Weston, Adams, or (enter famous and dead large format photographer's name here) doesn't generally lead to new and exciting work.

"Interesting"... hhhmmmm. I've heard that word used in describing my work twice in the past few months. Both times, coincidentally, from MFAs. It's kind of like saying you "have a nice personality" in an underhanded way. Is that how they teach you to handle non-MFA work at grad school?

You say you've never used the word "hate" to describe MFA programs or their graduates. Yet, the context of your comments makes your stance exceedingly clear.

As for Yale - obviously, not all the work coming out of a given program will appeal to everyone's sensibilities, and it's shooting fish in a barrel to pick one example to illustrate your own point or refute someone else's. I would venture to further suggest that entering a discussion with a chip on one's shoulder does not generally lead to intelligent or useful discourse.

robert lyons

5-Dec-2009, 07:26

I am happy to inform you that the new M.F.A. graduate program in photography is finally established at the University of Hartford The program will begin in the summer of 2010. The full web-site will not be up until later in December or early in the new year ....therefore I wanted to share some further information with you. Below is a brief outline about the program.

"The University of Hartford Art School Low -Residency MFA in Photography is an exciting new format in which qualified students can pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography. It differentiates itself from existing programs in that the new program is a limited-residency program. Specifically students attend the program for 3 Summers and 2 Years. Each summer session meets at the University in the USA for an intensive 2 week period, during which students and faculty interact inside and outside the classroom almost 24/7. In addition during the Fall and Spring sessions the class will meet at off-site locations (New York City, Berlin/Leipzig and other sites ) for an intensive 6-9 day period. In the time between official sessions each student will be in regular contact with their Thesis Advisor. This model allows for students who are highly motivated to pursue a higher degree while still continuing with their lives and other commitments-work, family etc. The program is a full 60 credit curriculum of study and allows especially Foreign Students the opportunity to study in the program while still residing in their home countries the majority of the time.

The roster of faculty will include well-known Professors , Curators, Gallerists, and others in the field of photography from the USA, Europe, Asia and elsewhere. The emphasis of the program is for students to produce a strong body of work with an accompanying publication and to inform the students of the pedagogical forms/methods that can be used in teaching photography. Some of the faculty include: Prof. Mary Frey, Dr.Joerg Colberg (of the blog Conscientious), Prof. Doug Dubois, Adam Bartos, Alice Rose George, Helen Van Meene, Alec Soth, Marc Joseph Berg and others. The director of the program is Robert Lyons."

jamesklowe

5-Dec-2009, 17:49

this sounds great robert! i will be applying as soon as it is made available
definitely interested, keen to learn more. so let us know when the website is up

(also, culprit. well said)

Kirk Gittings

5-Dec-2009, 18:02

A good faculty, Doug Dubois in particular, who I have known for many years.

robert lyons

14-Jan-2010, 19:21

The website is finally up......for the new Hartford Art School MFA program......please see it here:

www.hartfordphotomfa.org

Kirk Gittings

14-Jan-2010, 19:34

Looks good Robert. I wish I was 25 and needed another MFA!

Jim Ewins

14-Jan-2010, 20:05

Get a job doing something else - get a feel for the real world, then get a job in different photographic disciplines - you may then understand what a BFA is worth to you ans to others. A degree is no guarantee of ability or performance - but government types like to hide behind them.

rphenning

15-Jan-2010, 18:03

It seems like a lot of people are recommending Chicago Institute of Art. I am going through the process of looking at art schools and just got in touch with Seattle I of A. Not to ask a question that has been answered, but why would someone recommend the Chicago campus over Seattle? I am interested in a BFA in Photography...and obviously am into using film. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kirk Gittings

15-Jan-2010, 22:55

It is comparing apples to oranges. SIA appears to be a commercially oriented program. see this from their site.

"The Art Institutes schools offer a broad range of programs including: Audio Production, Computer Animation, Culinary Arts, Culinary Management, Fashion Design, Fashion & Retail Management, Graphic Design, Industrial Design Technology, Interactive Media Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation, Photography, Restaurant Management and Video Production."

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a leading fine art program. See my earlier post about the rankings of fine art programs if that is what you are looking for. For schools that just do commercial I can't speak to that-for a combination of art and commercial, I like Columbia College in Chicago.

rphenning

15-Jan-2010, 23:40

Ah, got it. Thank you Kirk.

culprit

20-Jan-2010, 08:41

The website is finally up......for the new Hartford Art School MFA program......please see it here:

www.hartfordphotomfa.org

While an interesting option for people unable to leave their full-time jobs or other commitments in order to become full time students, I continue to have my doubts about so-called "limited residency" programs. One of the main reasons for even being in an MFA program is the opportunity to eat, sleep and breathe art practice with a group of like minded individuals for two straight years. Limited residency seems to defeat that purpose.

Also, I find it a little hypocritical that the Hartford program requires all applicants to already have a B.A. or B.F.A. when at least one of its own faculty apparently doesn't (but instead has a Ph.D. in astrophysics). Do as I say, not as I do?

Dvenosa

20-Jan-2010, 20:49

This MFA is all I ever asked...unfortunately I need 2 more years in college to get my BFA.

culprit

21-Jan-2010, 08:57

This MFA is all I ever asked...unfortunately I need 2 more years in college to get my BFA.

Allow me to clarify: I am not saying that people without a bachelor's degree should be able to get into the Hartford MFA program. A master's degree should require a bachelor's degree as a logical order of progression. However, if you look at the top programs in the United States, the majority of them don't require a formal art background. They evaluate their applicants based on portfolio, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and finally, interview. At the most, they may require a certain number of credit-hours of upper level Art History and other related courses (for example, School of Visual Arts and the University of New Mexico). But as long as you have a bachelor's degree, in any field, from an accredited institution, you are a qualified applicant.

Hartford faculty member Dr. Colberg, an astrophysicist by formal training, has proven his own merits in the field of art photography critique without requiring a specific piece of paper to do so. Why not hold your applicants to the same standards?

I think the reputation of any program ultimately comes from both the quality of its offerings and achievements of its graduates. And to turn away potentially great candidates just because they have a B.Sc. or other non-B.A. or B.F.A. degree is a little shortsighted, and even unfair in this particular situation.

Kirk Gittings

21-Jan-2010, 10:10

This sure seems like something you should address to them. It is their ballgame and their ball.

Let me share some experience. I don't have an undergraduate degree in art and that prevented me from applying to some graduate art programs. I had a strong portfolio and exhibition record. Some would not have considered me at all without an art degree. Some would have let me in but required me to do some makeup work. So be it. It is their program and they can set the rules as they like. Some programs like UNM appreciate people of diverse backgrounds and prefer a student body of art graduates and people with other backgrounds. They believe that mix creates a richer community for art making. That is the kind of program I believe in and I went to (UNM and then the University of Calgary). Photography in particular is a very social art. If I didn't have an art degree now I would go to a program that appreciated that fact. Where I teach part-time now The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of those schools.

As per Dr. Colberg and Soth (who I also believe does not have a graduate art degree-but I could be wrong). They have made up for that lack of a graduate degree in art through their life's work. Few people reach that kind of academic recognition without going through the program and such people make faculties very interesting and stronger IMO. When I was at UNM Beaumont Newhall ran the PHD program in Photo History. He did not have a PHD, but no one would argue his qualifications. There are quire a few low residency graduate programs out there now and more to come. I'm sure one of them might suite you better.

Dvenosa

21-Jan-2010, 13:39

@culprit

What I said is that Im in the middle of the road of getting my BFA(equivalent, I study in Brazil). I have been in college for 2 years but I need 2 more years to complete my undergraduate. And I think this MFA is limited, so, by the time I get my BFA this program will probably be gone.

culprit

22-Jan-2010, 08:58

As per Dr. Colberg and Soth (who I also believe does not have a graduate art degree-but I could be wrong). They have made up for that lack of a graduate degree in art through their life's work.

Well, that's sort of my point, isn't it? Why not let your applicants prove themselves through their own merits, instead of requiring a specific sheet of paper?

There are quire a few low residency graduate programs out there now and more to come. I'm sure one of them might suite you better.

No thanks - based on the work I've seen, I'm of the opinion that "low residency" programs are a waste of time, but that's really for another discussion. I was just making some observations.

robert lyons

25-Jan-2010, 19:55

Actually to clarify, the Hartford Photo MFA program will entertain applications from any candidates with BA, BFA, or BS...or their equivalent (depending on their home country). This requirement is due to the fact that all MFA programs at accredited Universities must be sure that the the students enrolled have the correct prior degrees in order to be able to offer them an MFA in a 60 credit program.

In terms of faculty I see no reason why a member should have an MFA rather than some other degree, and or be distinguished in their field......I do not believe that all other teachers in MFA programs held MFA degrees in order to be teachers in the program(ie. Harry Callahan, Aaron Siskind, Jerome Liebling, Minor White, etc) and many others who have taught in MFA programs in the past) though the shift since the 1980's has been towards hiring individuals with MFA degrees.

culprit

7-Apr-2010, 01:07