About
60 CREDITS. 2 YEARS. UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES.
MCAD’s master of fine arts in visual studies program is a community of makers, thinkers, researchers, and creative professionals working in a mentor-based, interdisciplinary environment. Our four-semester curriculum is designed to expand your thinking, promote experimentation, and develop your practice as you take advantage of the Twin Cities’ vibrant art and design scene.
Students are invited to be strongly self-directed and highly motivated as they set personalized goals and plans to guide each semester in collaboration with their mentor. Students interview mentor candidates from MCAD faculty, the Twin Cities regional community, and beyond (we also support fully online mentorships) which is one element that sets our program apart from others.
All of our in-person, on-campus classes provide accessibility options to our students.
The diverse student body—one with a robust international presence—explores and fulfills social, cultural, and professional needs stretching across practices. Students are encouraged and supported in exploring wide-ranging processes and histories via rigorous studio practice, individual mentorship, and intense discourse. Throughout this process, we are guided by our community agreements and priorities.
Emma Beatrez ’20 in Graduate Critique Seminar
As a wholly interdisciplinary program, students from many different areas take courses together, and there may only be 1 or 2 people working in an area of study at any given time, in addition to many students working across intermedia practices. We expect students to do a great deal of independent research, and to invest in providing feedback to their peers working a variety of visual practices.
MFA Gallery
The program is housed in the MFA Studios and Gallery, which includes individual studios for every graduate student (available summer between first and second year), a large gallery space, a computer lab, classroom space, and more. Graduate students also have access to the full production facilities and exhibition spaces at MCAD.
Scholarships and graduate assistantships are available in addition to other forms of financial aid. To APPLY (annual deadline: February 1), visit our Master of Fine Arts information page at MCAD.edu. If you would like a portfolio review for feedback before applying, please use our submission form.
MFA Fall Show 2020
EVENTS
MFA Fall Show
During the first weeks of the fall semester, students plan and curate an exhibition introducing the new MFA candidates and showcasing recent work from the second-year students. We also host a fall alumni gathering during this exhibition.
MCAD Annual Art Sale
The MCAD Art Sale is the nation’s largest college art sale, and one of the most anticipated art events in the Twin Cities. Since it began in 1997, the MCAD Art Sale has generated millions of dollars for emerging artists.
Roshan Ganu ’20 at 2019 Public Research Presentations
MFA Public Research Presentations
At the end of the third semester, students each give a public presentation of their research completed in the course, Graduation Preparation I. This event is an opportunity for the community to familiarize themselves with our soon-to-be graduating MFA students and their research.
Alejandro Junyao Zhang ’21 thesis installation
MFA Thesis Exhibition
This exhibition showcases the graduating class and provides the setting for all thesis reviews. There is a public reception, and the end of the show overlaps with graduation, so traveling friends and families can see the work.
Minneapolis skyline from the Walker Art Center balcony
THE TWIN CITIES
MCAD is located in the Whittier Neighborhood, and you can learn more about the shops, restaurants (we’re a block away from Eat Street), and attractions in our area at On The Grid.
Selected Museums
- Walker Art Center — internationally recognized multidisciplinary contemporary art center
- Minneapolis Institute of Art [Mia] — comprehensive art museum showcasing the world’s diverse cultures
- Minnesota Museum of American Art — showcases American artists from the 19th century to the present
- Weisman Art Museum — designed by Frank Gehry; offers wide-ranging exhibitions, talks, and symposia
Screenshot from a session of Graduate Critique Seminar 2, Spring 2020
Selected Organizations
- Mizna – the only Arab American lit and art journal in the country
- Forecast Public Art — fosters public art, community-engaged design, and transformative placemaking
- Minnesota Center for Book Arts – largest and most comprehensive book arts center of its kind
- Film North – education, resources, and leadership for film and media artists
- Midwest Comic Book Association – presents the MSP Spring Comic Con and MSP Fall Comic Con
Camilo Aguirre ’20 at Twin Cities Zine Festival 2019
Selected Regional Annual Events
- McKnight Discussion Series — Each spring visiting critics pair with McKnight Visual Artist Fellows for public discussion
- Walker Insights Design Lecture Series — Each spring a series of world-class designers lecture on their practices
- Hellavision Television Network – Participatory events emphasizing improv practices to create animation, film, art, & design.
- Twin Cities Zine Fest — Annual celebration of Twin Cities zine-makers, illustrators, and comic artists.
- Art Shanty Projects — Each winter, using lake ice as a relatively unregulated public space to expand the notions of what art can be.
- The Great Northern – An annual, interdisciplinary, 10-day cultural celebration and investigation of The North in a time of climate change
- Walker Out There Performance Series — Each winter, international performance artists visit for short runs of their cutting-edge work
Peng Wu’s Graduate Critique Seminar III class – Fall 2021
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Since 2013, we have had seven of our international alumni successfully secure O1 visas, a highly competitive honor.
U.S. News & World Report has listed MCAD’s master of fine arts program as one of the top sixty in the nation.
Animation Career Review has listed MCAD’s master of fine arts program as one of the top twenty in the nation for both animation and graphic design.
Best Value Schools has list MCAD’s master of fine arts program in the top twenty in the nation.
View MCAD’s awards, accreditation, and affiliations.
