COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Photography is a 60-unit graduate program designed to develop advanced creative practice, critical analysis, and professional skills in photography. A major portion of the program, 24 units, is dedicated to graduate seminars and critiques within the area of concentration. Students repeatedly enroll in ART 208 Graduate Photography Critique, which must be taken five times, allowing for continuous evaluation, feedback, and refinement of their artistic work. In addition, students complete ART 281A, an interdisciplinary critique and presentation seminar, along with two additional courses chosen from options such as ART 208, ART 260 Special Tutorials in Art, or ART 281B Interdisciplinary Critique Seminar, further supporting experimentation and cross-disciplinary engagement.The program also includes 6 units of seminars focused on contemporary art theory and criticism, specifically ART 282A and ART 282B, with the latter fulfilling the GWAR requirement. Students must complete one additional 3-unit course in either museum and gallery operations or artists teaching art, helping prepare them for careers in exhibition management or art education. A requirement of 6 units in upper-division art history ensures a strong understanding of historical and cultural contexts, while ART 200W Professional Writing in Contemporary Art develops essential writing and communication skills.Students complete 12 units of electives, allowing flexibility to explore specialized interests or complementary disciplines. A 3-unit special study course, ART 298A, focuses on planning the final MFA project. The program concludes with a 3-unit culminating experience, ART 298B, in which students produce and present their final creative work. Overall, the program emphasizes sustained critique, theoretical grounding, and independent artistic development, preparing graduates for professional careers in photography, teaching, and the broader contemporary art field.