COURSE CURRICULUM

The MFA in Book Arts at The University of Alabama is a structured 60-credit-hour professional studio degree that blends intensive hands-on craft training with historical, theoretical, and creative development in the art of bookmaking, and it is designed for students who want to become advanced practitioners, educators, or professional artists working with books as physical and conceptual art objects. To complete the degree, students must maintain at least a “B” average and spend a minimum of four semesters in residence, ensuring deep immersion in studio practice and mentorship. The curriculum is carefully balanced between required core courses, studio specialization, electives, and a creative thesis project, with a strong emphasis on both technical mastery and artistic exploration.A major requirement is the completion of foundational studio courses such as Elements of Letterpress (BA 520), The Printed Book (BA 521), Elements of Bookbinding (BA 530), Case Binding and Edition Work (BA 531), and Techniques of Hand Papermaking (BA 541), which together build essential skills in printing, binding, and papermaking. Students also complete a Graduate Seminar (BA 592) and a significant Creative Thesis Project (BA 599) worth 9 credit hours, which serves as the culminating artistic work of the program. In addition, students must take at least 6 hours in the history of the book and 3 hours in a historical or theoretical course such as descriptive bibliography or print culture, ensuring that practice is supported by academic and cultural understanding.Beyond the core, students choose 12 hours in an area of emphasis such as printing and publishing, bookbinding, or a “whole book” interdisciplinary track, along with 15 hours of electives that may include advanced studio courses, internships, independent projects, archival studies, printmaking, or related courses from other departments with advisor approval. This flexibility allows students to specialize deeply while still engaging with broader artistic and scholarly perspectives. Overall, the program is highly studio-centered but intellectually grounded, making it ideal for students who want to combine traditional craft, contemporary book arts practice, and conceptual artistic development into a professional-level creative career.