Scott A. Sullivan, Associate Dean
Dianne Taylor, Director of Graduate Studies
Graduate Faculty: Austin, Berry, Blow, Butt, D.J. Davis, R. Davis, Doherty, Erdle, Falsetta, Fisher, Gleeson, Heinlen, Jessup, Ligon, McCarter, Nacke, Newton, O'Rourke-Kaplan, Pensyl, Phelps, Platt, Sargent, Scaggs, Schol, Selle, Shuemaker, Sprague, Sullivan, Taylor, Tedeschi, Walker, Youngblood.
The School of Visual Arts, with more than 1500 undergraduate and 125 graduate students, is the nation's largest visual arts program at a public institution. It is also one of the most comprehensive, offering degrees in thirteen majors: art education, art history, ceramics, communication design, fibers, fashion design, interior design, metalsmithing and jewelry, drawing and painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The school offers the BA, BFA, MA, MFA and PhD.
The School of Visual Arts maintains a comprehensive range of professional-level programs in the visual arts for those whose primary interest is art, and who intend to make some phase of the scholarship or production of art their life's work. To achieve this, the School of Visual Arts is staffed with faculty dedicated both to quality teaching and to professional achievement as artists and scholars.
Career opportunities for graduates include employment as professional artists and designers, art teachers, professors and administrators. Career options also include work in art museums and galleries and in art-related positions in business and industry. Library holdings in art include major reference tools and microforms, such as the Marburger Index and Index Photographique de l'Art en France, and comprehensive holdings in art history. Proximity to museum libraries in Dallas and Fort Worth provides access to additional resources.
Graduate students may apply for individual studios. Teaching fellowships and assistantships are available. Internships for graduate students may be arranged in communication design, fashion, interior design and museums.
Prospective applicants for graduate degree programs must obtain admission forms from the UNT graduate dean and information from the School of Visual Arts. Admission deadlines are as follows:
Students seeking the MA in art history must have completed the equivalent of the Bachelor of Arts with a major in art history as offered at UNT. Art history majors must complete a reading examination in French or German at the beginning of graduate work and must pass a written examination in art history prior to beginning the thesis. The MA in art history requires 21 hours to be taken in art history,
Students seeking the MA in art education must have completed at least 48 semester hours of art and art education at the undergraduate level and hold a valid teaching certificate in art. Of the 30 hours required for the degree, 12 hours are in art education; 6 hours in aesthetics and criticism, art history or studio; 3 hours in an elective; 3 hours in research methods; and 6 hours of thesis.
The MA in art education has a non-thesis option with 6-9 credit hours of course work in lieu of thesis. Students may complete a 6 credit hour tool subject instead of the foreign language requirement. Students should consult the graduate adviser for specific course selections. Museum education certification is available for the non-thesis option of the MA degree in art education with 12 hours of art education, 6 hours internship, 6 hours of museum education, 9 hours in art history and 3 hours in research methodology.
Students may pursue majors in one of the following: art education, art history, ceramics, communication design, drawing and painting, fashion design, fibers, interior design, metalsmithing and jewelry, photography, printmaking or sculpture.
Studio majors must complete 21 to 30 semester hours in a major studio area, 9 to 15 semester hours in a minor studio area, 3 hours in research methods (ART 5350), 12 hours in art history of which 6 or more semester hours must be in at least two different 5000-level seminar courses and 6 hours of problem in lieu of thesis (ART 5920, 5930). The candidate also must mount an exhibition of work.
Art education majors (MFA) must complete 15 semester hours in professional courses in art education, 18 hours in a studio field, 6 hours in a minor, 3 hours in research methods (ART 5350), 12 hours in art history of which 6 semester hours must be 5000-level seminars and 6 hours of thesis (ART 5950).
Art history majors (MFA) must complete 33 semester hours in art history, 18 hours in studio,
All majors must devote 6 semester hours of credit to a written thesis or a creative project and descriptive paper, according to the field of specialization. Each candidate with a major in a studio area will prepare an exhibition of work of a quality suitable for presentation to the public.
All graduate students on the MFA track are required to participate in graduate reviews every semester they are enrolled in a studio course. Students must participate every semester until they pass and are admitted to candidacy.
The PhD with a major in art is designed for individuals who desire to pursue university teaching as a career and requires 60 hours beyond the master's degree. The program consists of a 15-hour doctoral core, 15-18 hours in the teaching field,
The PhD with a concentration in art education consists of an 18-hour doctoral core, 3-6 hours in research methodology, 9-12 hours each in an art specialization and a minor area, 12 hours of dissertation and the remaining hours in electives.
A foreign language or tool subject also is required for both PhD degrees.
Doctoral degrees are conferred in recognition of advanced preparation of a higher order as shown by (1) the satisfactory completion of a prescribed period of study, (2) the ability to function at a professional level in the designated area of major, (3) the preparation of a dissertation demonstrating ability to undertake a problem with originality and independent thought and (4) the completion of examinations showing a satisfactory grasp of the field of specialization and its relation to allied areas. The candidate must earn a minimum of 60 hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree or 90 hours beyond the bachelor's and must complete the doctoral residence requirement, together with the admission requirements, and qualifying and final examinations prescribed by the school.
For additional information concerning doctoral study in art, write to the School of Visual Arts.