Art, MA
Advance your studio art practice in the medium you love, from ceramics to painting, within a graduate program grounded in contemporary art. Study at your own pace as a working professional and grow as an artist without pausing your career. You can build expert command of your craft and share it in a group exhibition.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
Art master's description
The Master of Arts program in art enables you to professionalize and advance your studio art practice. You develop an expert understanding of how a medium of your choosing can be used in the field of contemporary art, while also leveraging the creativity and problem-solving inherent in art practice to inform the rest of your professional life.
This self-paced program consists of 30 credit hours of coursework and culminates in a practice-based thesis project. The coursework consists of graduate-level studio art and seminar courses. Situated between the Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and the Master of Fine Arts in art, the MA is ideal if you are a local student who has already earned a degree in art or a complementary field. You can enter the program from professions as varied as K-12 teacher and project manager.
In addition to the expansive curriculum, you benefit from the vast resources afforded by a Research I university. You are encouraged to engage with faculty across all disciplines and with renowned researchers from a number of departments across ASU. You also have access to the vibrant community of museums, galleries, businesses and cultural organizations in Phoenix and Tempe.
GI Bill® benefits
This reinstated program is not yet approved for use with GI Bill® benefits.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.
Why study art at ASU?
You study in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the most comprehensive design and arts school in the country, backed by the resources of a Research I university. You have access to the same faculty, facilities and Phoenix-area museum network that serve ASU's nationally ranked MFA program.
With 21 elective hours, you can shape your own curriculum. Your work culminates in a group exhibition in a School of Art gallery, where it will be evaluated by a faculty committee.
Additional details
You join a lively creative community in the School of Art. Through critique, collaboration and professional exchange with MFA candidates and other graduate students, you strengthen your practice and professional network.
Connect with fellow art graduate students by joining The Art Grads, a student organization within the Herberger Institute that is focused on community building, professional development and advocacy.
The Step Gallery and the Northlight Gallery, located in Grant Street Studios in downtown Phoenix's Warehouse District, are part of the School of Art. Work in these galleries is exhibited during Phoenix's First and Third Fridays. These public events connect you to the wider arts community and to Phoenix's museums, galleries and cultural organizations.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours and a portfolio
Required Core (3 credit hours) Electives (21 credit hours) Research (6 credit hours) Culminating Experience (0 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information The culminating experience, a portfolio, is a group exhibition of MA students' work in the Harry Wood Gallery in the art building on the Tempe campus. Students create a small body of work --- two to three pieces --- to enter in this show. The portfolio is evaluated by the student's committee for a pass or fail grade. The 21 credit hours of electives can consist of any lecture, studio, research or seminar class at the 500 or 600 level, or any 500- or 600-level ART or ARA course offered at ASU. Students choose these classes with the help of the graduate program manager and their committee chair to enhance their interdisciplinary investigation.
ARA 589 Writing Art and Design Criticism (3)
ARS 586 Theories of Contemporary Art (3)
ART 592 Research (6)
portfolio (0)
Students complete a total of six credit hours of ART 592. They take one credit hour of this course in each of their first three semesters, with their committee chair or a faculty member from an appropriate discipline. Students take the remaining three credits with their committee chair in their final semester, leading to the culminating group exhibition.
Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Admission Information Admission is a two-step process. Although applicants fill out one online graduate application, they must be admitted to both the MA program and the Graduate College. The portfolio should include a combination of 10 images with a maximum dimension of 1024 pixels and video files smaller than 60 MB each, and should be accompanied by a file list. The statement of intent should be no longer than 1,000 words and describe the applicant's artistic interests, reasons for applying to graduate school in general and the ASU School of Art in particular, and personal artistic goals. The letter of recommendation should be from a professional colleague within or outside the field of art. Applicants should carefully follow instructions for submitting the letter of recommendation to the Graduate College. The resume or CV, portfolio, statement of intent and letter of recommendation are submitted online via SlideRoom: https://asuherberger.slideroom.com/#/Login. Applicants may upload images (.jpg), videos (.mov, .wmv, .flv), music files (mp3) or PDF documents. Applicants should see the program website for application deadlines.
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 04/15 | Final* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 11/06 | Final* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Careers this art master's degree prepares you for
Graduates with an MA in art have employment opportunities with charter schools, art museums, nonprofit organizations and recreational or community-oriented service groups that offer art instruction. A master's degree may lead to increased earnings for art educators in some school districts and enable advancement to administrative positions. School of Art graduates are prepared to initiate creative careers as artists, scholars and educators in the public and private spheres. Graduates can apply the skills derived from this degree to other fields, leveraging the creativity and creative problem-solving that are key to art-making.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Art
|
ART 120
soaadmin@asu.edu
480-965-8521
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
