The Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts offers both the Master of Arts in Art
and the Master of Fine Arts.
Master of Arts in Art
The Master of Arts in Art is the intermediate level graduate program for students,
who may specialize in painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture. It allows for
concentrated study over an extended period of time under personal and intensive guidance
of the graduate Art faculty and with an assigned major professor. The purpose of the
program is to present students with theoretical and practical knowledge to make art
approaching professional quality. The M.A. in Art is offered for students who are
intent on pursuing a terminal degree in art such as the M.F.A. It also aims to meet
the needs of art teachers in secondary schools who wish to deepen their knowledge
of their field. At ten credits per semester, completion of the program normally takes
three semesters (including independent study during the summer).
30 credit hours of course work
The M.A. requires a minimum of thirty credits, of which fourteen credits must be earned
in the following: two consecutive semesters of the M.A. Seminar, a course in both
modern and contemporary art and the M.A. Exhibition course. Studio courses can be
selected by the student with the approval of the major professor. After the completion
of nine to fifteen hours of course work students must apply for candidacy.
In the candidacy review the full graduate art faculty examines the student’s work
and knowledge and grants or denies candidacy. The examination may be repeated only
once, within the period of one semester.
The program culminates in a thesis exhibition and an oral defense of the exhibition.
The thesis exhibition is presented on campus. Full documentation of the exhibition
is required before the degree is granted.
Master of Fine Arts
The Master of Fine Arts is the accepted terminal degree for studio artists. It is
the purpose of the M.F.A. program to develop students who have superior competence
in their studio area, knowledge of a spectrum of studio procedures, proficiency in
the history of art and an understanding of the responsibilities of the artist or the
artist-teacher. The program is designed for students of high qualifications who wish
to prepare themselves as professional artists and for positions in senior institutions.
It requires the completion of the Master of Arts program from University of Dallas
or other colleges and acceptance by the full graduate art faculty. At ten credit hours
per semester, completion of the program normally takes three semesters as well as
two summers of independent study.
30 credit hours of course work
The program requires a minimum of thirty hours beyond the Master of Arts. The following
courses are required: two consecutive semesters of M.F.A. Seminar, two graduate courses
in art history and the M.F.A. Exhibition course. All other courses are selected with
the approval of the major professor.
The M.F.A. Exhibition is a professional exhibition on or off campus. Presentation
of full documentation of the exhibition including an artist statement is required
for the granting of the degree.
The oral examination is administered by the full graduate art faculty. Students entering
the program with an M.A. from another institution have their work and knowledge examined
by the faculty after completion of nine to fifteen hours of study.