Photography Schools/MFA

[jamesklowe]

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]

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]

All very true Scott.

[frankwturner]

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]

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]

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.]

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]

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]

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]

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)