Art

Department Chairperson and Graduate Program Director: Cory Knedler, M.F.A.

Department of Art
Warren M. Lee Center for Fine Arts, Room 179
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: 605-677-5636
www.usd.edu/fine-arts/art/

FACULTY

Professors:

John Banasiak, M.F.A., Art Institute of Chicago. Specialization: Photography.
Johntimothy Pizzuto, M.F.A., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Printmaking.

Associate Professors:

Philip Michael Hook, M.F.A., University of Missouri - Columbia. Specialization: Foundations Coordinator/Painting/Drawing.
Young Ae Kim, M.F.A., Savannah College of Art and Design. Specialization: Graphic Design.
Cory Knedler, Chair and Graduate Program Director, M.F.A., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Printmaking and Art Education.
Christopher Meyer, M.F.A., University of Montana. Specialization: Sculpture.

Assistant Professors:

Andrew Leventis, M.F.A., Goldsmith College, University of London. Specialization: Painting.
Sarah Sik, Ph.D., University of Minnesota. Specialization: Art History.

Instructor:

Michael Hill, Specialization: Ceramics.

DEGREE

Master of Fine Arts, Plan A only 

SPECIALIZATION

Graphic Design
Painting
Photography
Printmaking
Sculpture

Program Description

Areas of specialization available to students in the Master of Fine Arts program include Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, or Sculpture. The Master of Fine Arts degree is a professional, practice-oriented terminal degree program representing the highest level of achievement in visual arts studio disciplines. The degree represents significant creative and intellectual attainment and indicates advancement to professional status. The M.F.A. is designed for mature graduate students who desire to teach at the college/university level and/or for those individuals who wish to pursue a career as a professional artist.

The purpose of the degree program is to prepare students for professional practice directed toward two-dimensional, three-dimensional and mixed media works of art. The application and transmission of knowledge about works of art and their interrelationships with each other and with other aspects of culture is also stressed.

The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredits the M.F.A. degree program. In addition to courses in support of the major areas of study, graduate-level courses are offered to any qualifying student of the University in the areas of arts administration, art education, art history, book arts, ceramics, design, drawing, gallery management, graphic design, papermaking, photography, and in specialized seminars.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. Completed Graduate Application form found at: https://usd-web.usd.edu/apps/grad-app/login.cfm and a non-refundable application fee of $35.
2. One official transcript verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree and previous graduate credit (in English or with translation) must accompany an application. Official transcript of all academic work at the undergraduate and graduate levels are required for international students. The USD Graduate School and/or academic departments retain the right to require an Educational Credential Evaluators/World Education Services (ECE/WES) evaluation for a student if such an evaluation is deemed necessary.
3. An undergraduate degree in Art or other related discipline from an accredited institution with an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.7 on conferred degree and/or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, based on a 4.0 scale, on all graduate coursework is required for full admission. Each graduate program may admit students on provisional status per university policy.
4. Applicants with degrees from countries other than the United States who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited American college or university are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score. For all other applicants, a minimum score of 79 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) or 550 on the Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT), a minimum IELTS score of 6.0, or a minimum PTE score of 53 is required for graduate admission. Applicants from or who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from these English-speaking countries (UK, Australia, Canada [except Quebec], Ireland, or New Zealand) are not required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score if their academic records indicate that English was the classroom language for the majority of their schoolwork.
5. Applicants are required to submit a statement of purpose in which the applicant expresses interests, intentions, and expectations for wanting to attend graduate school generally, and more specifically, in the MFA program at the University of South Dakota.

Additional Program Admission Requirements:

6. Three (3) professional letters of recommendation are required from professionals associated with the applicant’s work and abilities.
7. Current Professional Resume.
8. Artist statement supporting the applicant’s work.
9. Art Portfolio: twenty digital images of original artwork by the applicant (five of the 20 slides must be of original drawings).

Subject to faculty approval, those who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis.

Application deadline

Applications are accepted throughout the year, preferably prior to February 1. Admission is dependent upon openings for additional students (program capacity: 10-15 students).

Additional Requirements

The Master of Fine Arts degree program is a 60-credit terminal degree that involves 3 years of intensive study. In addition to meeting all graduation requirements of the Graduate School, M.F.A. candidates must satisfy all degree-program requirements, including the passing of a preliminary oral examination, presentation of a comprehensive thesis exhibition, completion of a final oral examination, and the passing of the written Art Theory and History Exit Exam. M.F.A. degree candidates must meet all requirements set forth in the M.F.A. Degree Program Guide.

Financial Aid

Teaching or research assistantships, including reduced tuition are awarded on a competitive basis and are available to the majority of M.F.A. students. For additional information and a copy of the M.F.A. Degree Program Guide, contact the Department of Art at 605-677-5636.