Fine Arts (MFA) Requirements
The Master in Fine Arts program has the objective of helping professional artists to developing their artistic capacities to the maximum in the medium that they have selected as their area of study. The Program promotes the development of students' own style and propitiates creative labor within a framework of conceptual maturity with full awareness of the place, time and space in which it is performed.
Since the Master in Fine Arts program is a terminal degree it aims to develop performance and aptitudes of the highest quality in the graduates.
The curriculum is geared to students who hold a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree or in other disciplines provided the candidates meet the admission requirements established by the Program.
This Program requires a creative project as one of the requirement for graduation.
Students may opt for one of the following specialization: ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.
Students have seven years to complete their study program.
The San Germán Campus is authorized to offer this Program.
Competencies Profile of Graduates
The Master of Fine Arts with a specializations in Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture aims to prepare graduates capable of demonstrating the following professional skills:
Knowledge
Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of:
- the philosophical, political and social theories that influence the rise and development of artistic movements.
- the pertinent technique for their particular area of study and its plastic qualities for artistic expression.
- the techniques for creating, preparing, exhibiting and defending an artistic work which constitutes their creative project.
Skills
- Expand knowledge in the handling of tools, materials and specialized equipment necessary for performing artistic work.
- Analyze, compare and evaluate philosophical and social theories that influence the development of art.
- Evaluate and make decisions regarding appropriate techniques for artistic creation.
- Use new technology, particularly the computer, for creating artistic works.
- Make critical analyses of the theoretical approaches that permit the understanding and appreciation of the expressive qualities of visual arts.
Attitudes
- Recognize theories regarding the relationship between human beings and society and how art serves as a mirror of society.
- Develop their own style that may be perceived in their artistic works within a framework of conceptual maturity.
- Recognize, in a critical manner, the conceptual components that guide and motivate their work so they may be able to present and defend their aesthetic proposal.
- Develop an artistic work with full awareness of the place, time and space in which it is created.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the requirements established in the section “Admission Requirements for Master’s Programs” of this Catalog, students who apply for admission to the Master in a Fine Arts must meet the following requirements:
Artistic Requirements
Submit a portfolio of at least twenty images in electronic format of your works of art for evaluation by a committee.
Academic Requirements and Other Documents
- Students requesting admission to this program will be exempt from taking standardized admission tests.
- Possess a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from an accredited college or university, or
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, have six credits in History of Art and nine credits in the specialization area they apply for, with a minimum grade of B.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum general grade index of 2.50 in the last 60 credits of academic work and with minimum general grade index of 3.00 in the major.
Conditional Admission
In worthy cases, the Admissions Committee of the Program may recommend a conditional admission to a candidate who does not fulfill some of the academic requirements of admission when submitting the application.
Retention Requirement
In addition to the academic progress requirements for master’s degrees, established in the Graduate Catalog, students must fulfill the following retention requirement:
Once the course ARTS 6975 has been approved, students must select the Creative Project Committee.
Graduation Requirements
In addition to the graduation requirements for master’s degrees, established in the Graduate Catalog, students must fulfill the following graduation requirements:
- Have a general academic index of 3.00 or more.
- Approve all courses from the program with a minimum grade of B.
- Have approved courses ARTS 6998_ - Creative Project.
- Have approved the public presentation of the Creative Project.
- Submit to the office of the Program of Plastic Arts two copies of the written description of the Creative Project.
Requirements for the Master of Fine Arts
| Foundation Requirements in Fine Arts |
24 credits |
| Specialization Requirements |
24 credits |
| Prescribed Distributive Requirements |
9 credits |
| Elective Courses |
3 credits |
| Total |
60 credits |
Foundation Requirements in Fine Arts - 24 credits
A. General - 15 credits
| ARTS 5980 | History of Puerto Rican Art | 3 |
| ARTS 6964 | Seminar: Practice, Theory, and Critique of Art | 3 |
| ARTS 6975 | Fine Arts Research, Theory, and Concept and Media | 3 |
Six (6) credits of Creative Project according to the specialization
B. History of Art and Theory - 12 credits
Twelve credits from the following courses:
Distributive Descriptive Requirements - 9 credits
Nine (9) credits selected from the advanced courses in a medium other than the student’s specialization.
Specialization Requirements - 24 credits
Students will select one of the six specializations offered by the Master in Fine Arts. The advanced studies in the specializations should be taken in sequence until six credits per level have been taken.