Develop your unique talents by focusing on a plan of study in Ceramics, Jewelry, Painting, Printmaking or Sculpture, with supplemental studies in art history, theory, criticism and contemporary practice.
Your faculty advisor will work with you as you complete 30 hours of studio coursework in your areas of specialization plus an additional 30 hours of graduate-level work. You will mount a major studio exhibit and complete a required residency before earning your MFA degree.
The faculty and facilities of PennWest’s nationally recognized Art Department ensure you both develop your artistic skills and find ways to market them in the creative economy.
Our alumni boast a record of excellence throughout the U.S. in the fields of art practice, academia and arts administration. All are prepared for lifelong research and routinely exhibit and publish their work in their specific field of study.
PennWest Edinboro has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) since 2007. The University recently celebrated its 100th anniversary of education in visual art and art education.
U.S. News & World Report names PennWest Edinboro's Master of Fine Arts degree one of the best in the nation. GradReports ranked Edinboro's MFA program #1 in 2020 based on tuition, median salaries and achievement.
Immerse yourself in an exciting, artistic environment. Visiting artists provide inspiration, student organizations offer support, and studio facilities enable you to develop your own personal aesthetic.
You'll receive funding through a full graduate assistantship with stipend and partial tuition waiver.
Access to your own studio where you can develop your artistic talents.
60
Face to face
Location:
Edinboro
Celebrate your creative spirit and your passion for handcrafted objects by enrolling in one of the nation's best master's degrees in Ceramics. It's right here, as part of PennWest Edinboro's Master of Fine Arts program.
This concentration is built on the University's solid foundation of excellence in the arts. You will be surrounded by other like-minded artists in a multidisciplinary, highly supportive environment. You'll have the opportunity to consider Ceramics from a variety of perspectives, from traditional to contemporary. You'll also participate in intimate graduate seminars in art history, theory and criticism and contemporary practice.
If you're passionate about expressing yourself through one-of-a-kind jewelry, functional hollowware or sculptural objects, PennWest Edinboro's intensive concentration in Jewelry Making and Metals can help you discover your unique artistic style.
You'll explore materials and techniques as you challenge yourself as an artist, creative thinker and maker. You'll have the opportunity to work with a variety of materials and develop new skills and techniques. Along the way, you'll participate in intimate graduate seminars in art history, theory and criticism and contemporary practice.
Explore the rich tradition of painting with guidance from an array of accomplished faculty. In this concentration, you’ll study both traditional and contemporary approaches to painting, and have the opportunity to develop your unique skills while you explore alternative media in selected studio electives. You will also participate in intimate graduate seminars in art history, theory, criticism and contemporary practice.
Upon completion of this degree, you may practice as visual artist, teach painting or visual arts at the college level, serve as an arts administrator, or work in an art gallery or museum.
Are you excited by the sense of community a print studio offers? Would you like to develop your voice within various printmaking media? Would you like to gain experience with fine art publishing? PennWest Edinboro's rigorous MFA program with its concentration in Printmaking can be your steppingstone to success.
You'll have the opportunity to personalize your program, exploring new techniques and image making strategies, while you also participate in intimate graduate seminars in art history, theory and criticism and contemporary practice.
Perhaps you want to work as a studio artist, become part of a theatrical or stage crew, or a fabricator in a manufacturing, business or museum setting. The Sculpture concentration will shape your future. This program will equip you with all the tools you need to become a successful maker, thinker and doer in the field of sculpture.
You'll have the opportunity to explore a range of traditional and contemporary approaches and work with different materials, such as wood, metal, Styrofoam, bronze, wax and plaster. To round out your education, you'll also participate in intimate graduate seminars in art history, theory and criticism, and contemporary practice.
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What Can I Do with an MFA Degree?
With a Master’s in Fine Arts, you will bring many skills to the workplace. Couple your creative talents with your discipline, attention to detail and ability to communicate with various audiences and you’ll find success in most businesses. Depending on your concentration, PennWest Edinboro’s MFA arms you with the toolset you need to succeed as an artist in your own studio, become a teacher of the visual arts, work in the field of advertising and communications as an art director, graphic designer or illustrator, or become a curator or administrator in a museum or gallery.
Priority Admissions Deadline: February 1
Extended Deadline: April 1
PennWest’s three campuses, California, Clarion and Edinboro universities, have been delivering award-winning online programs for more than 20 years. You’ll graduate with a degree from Pennsylvania Western University, completely supported by the expertise and community of learners on our brick-and-mortar campuses.