M.F.A/M.A in Studio Art

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s top graduate programs in the visual arts, the School of Art at Kent State University provides abundant opportunities for graduate students to advance their skills in all areas of studio art. 

We offer the only M.F.A. program in northeast Ohio, and the only program in the state of Ohio to offer this breadth of studio specialties.  Students are encouraged to work across disciplines and techniques in order to develop a body of work that reflects their independent investigations in their discipline. Studio practice is supplemented with art history seminars, visiting artist lectures, summer workshops, and travel study programs to New York City, culminating in a solo MA or MFA thesis exhibition. All of the School of Art studios and classrooms are located under one roof in the Center for the Visual Arts, a 128,000 square-foot facility that had its grand opening in 2016.  

New this year: All newly accepted M.F.A. students will receive a graduate assistantship which includes a full tuition waiver and a stipend! Fully-funded MFA program with tuition remission, yearly stipend, and a sizable contribution to offset the cost of a health care plan offered to all graduate assistants.   

Kent State offers a wide variety of studio art concentrations.  M.F.A. Studio Art students may select from the following:

• Ceramics
• Drawing
• Glass
• Painting
• Jewelry/Metals/Enameling
• Print Media and Photography
• Sculpture and Expanded Media
• Textiles

Degree Information

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art Master of Arts in Studio Art

Highlights of our program include:

• Dedicated studio space for graduate students
• Graduate Assistantships that offer tuition remission and a stipend
• Working with a range of graduate faculty
• Renowned visiting artist program
• Kent Blossom Art Intensives - two-week summer studio intensives with visiting artists
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and tools
• Travel study opportunities every semester to New York City, plus other domestic and international trips offered 
• Access to world-class museums and research libraries 
• School-wide digital fabrication lab (ARTech Studio)

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

FALL ADMISSION: TBA

The admission cycle for fall 2023 is now closed and we are no longer accepting applications.  We invite you to consider applying to our program when the next application cycle opens in August of 2023 for Fall 2024 admission.  Our application deadline for the School of Art is generally in early February, so please be sure to check our website next fall for exact deadlines and ensure that all application materials arrive by that date to qualify for admission consideration.