Master of Fine Arts in Art

Application Deadline February 1st
Application Fees Waived for Fall 2022
Graduate School

About the Program

Whether you are a student looking for the next level of creative study or a working artist, attending graduate school is an act of self-investment. Our program is a 60 credit 3-year Masters of Fine Art in studio art that offers the freedom for both specialization and interdisciplinary experimentation. Supported by excellent faculty and facilities in Ceramics, Sculpture, Photography, Printmaking + Book Arts, Painting/Drawing and Design, our MFA is designed to encourage independent research and creative risk-taking.

Students are provided with private or semi-private studios and 24/7 year-round access. Our small program size of 12 - 15 graduates offers a high faculty to student ratio and individualized attention with visiting artists, lecturers and critics. Graduate Assistantships are awarded to each student, travel and workshop funding is available, and our curriculum provides an opportunity for students to teach as an Instructor of Record in a range of discipline-specific studio classes.

We are a 682-acre mountain campus located in Cullowhee, NC, 50 miles west of Asheville, and situated within the ancestral homelands of the Cherokee people, 20 miles from present-day Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian communities of the Qualla Boundary. Our piece of Central Appalachia is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

For more information, please contact:
Tom Ashcraft, MFA Director, tdashcraft@wcu.edu or 828.227.7210

   

Highlights

• Inter-disciplinary + Traditional Study
• Studio Space with 24-hour Access
• Assistantships and Financial Aid
• National Visiting Artist Program
• Well-Equipped Facilities
• Beautiful Location

Visiting Artist Program

Recent visiting artists have included:

  

Virtual Open House

Thursday, November 17, 2022: 5-6pm

Join us at one of our upcoming virtual Graduate School Open House events on Zoom! You'll have the opportunity to learn more about Western Carolina University,  understand the Graduate School application process, and meet key program representatives.

Register Today

Request more info!