The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree is the terminal degree for art students in the United States. The master’s degree program in Fine Arts focuses on developing the creativity of the student voice of the author through the completion of ongoing studio and a final thesis. MFA programs are offered in creative writing, film production, photography, craft and design and many other areas related to the arts.
Choosing a Masters in Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs are offered in a number of areas. When choosing a school of fine arts, the applicant must take into account the focus areas that are offered. For example, the master’s programs in fine arts are available in photography, film production, creative writing and many other areas.
A prospective student who wishes to enroll in a master’s program in creative writing will first narrow the options down to schools that offer the desired area. In addition, a student of any creative writing should consider if he or she can major in a specific discipline of creative writing as scriptwriting, drama, fiction, poetry or creative non-fiction . This also applies to students enrolled in an MFA film production program, where several focus areas, such as screenwriting, cinematography, editing or management, are common.
For some prospective students, treating classes can be a problem, due to a full-time job or family responsibilities. Some low-residency MFA programs allow some of the courses to be completed at home through internet software programs and distance learning, such as Blackboard. This is especially common among MFA creative writing programs. However, there are a handful of low-residency MFA programs in interdisciplinary art and studio art.
Funding is also an important consideration for prospective students AMF. Beyond using the federal government as a Stafford loan, there is little support for the MFA students. Students enrolled in MFA film program often have to pay for the development of the film or find contributions for the realization of their thesis projects. Often these hidden costs are not included in the tuition. Some schools do, however, provide tuition assistance through scholarships and grants that allow students to focus on courses and graduate.
Finally, a possible MFA student should consider whether a school has adequate facilities for studio work. Budding artists should have the tools they need to fully explore their chosen medium. A photography student in a Master’s program must have access to a darkroom and stocked editing software. Similarly, students in a leadership program require editing stations using updated software and modern cameras, operational and lighting equipment.