COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Fine Arts degree at Sacramento State requires the completion of 60 semester units, designed to provide a comprehensive and immersive professional education in the visual arts. Students begin with 18 units of basic core courses, which include Art Theory and Criticism (ART 206), Contemporary Art (ART 212), and a sequence of four Graduate Seminars (ART 222A-D) to build critical analysis skills, theoretical knowledge, and engagement with contemporary art discourse. The studio core consists of 18 units, including Mentored Individual Studio Practice (ART 201A-C), Graduate Studio and Critique (ART 207), and Intensive Graduate Studio and Critique (ART 208), which focus on developing advanced technical skills, personal artistic vision, and professional studio practice. Students are also required to complete 9 units of elective courses, selected from a wide variety of studio and teaching-related options, including drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, new media, video art, photography, and teaching practicum, allowing them to tailor their studies to their individual interests. An additional 9 units of graduate studio electives provide further opportunities to refine studio skills and pursue specialized projects under mentorship. The program culminates with a 6-unit culminating experience, composed of a thesis (ART 500A) and an exhibition (ART 500B), in which students synthesize their work, concepts, and research into a professional-level presentation. This structure ensures that graduates develop both technical mastery and conceptual depth, preparing them for professional careers in the visual arts, academic positions, or further study at advanced levels.