Mfa Degree – Build your career with your creativity

MFA Degree – Build Your Career with Your Creativity The MFA degree is also known as the master of fine arts degree. This terminal degree is sometimes awarded as a Master of Arts (M.A.). The MFA degree can focus several different areas, depending on one’s talent or interest. Typically the curriculum focuses on applied arts like graphic design, architecture or performance arts like theater and music, or visual arts like as film and painting.

Some of these concentrations include: Drama, sculpture, art history, art, still life, painting, drawing, printmaking, visual communication (video, film), performing arts (drama, acting, theater, dance), visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, graphic design, and other areas of study. This of course depends on which school one enrolls in, as well as the undergraduate that one may already hold.

In order to apply for acceptance to a fine arts graduate program, potential students should hold at least a bachelor degree, but some colleges would not require students to have a degree in a related field although this is typically advantageous particularly in the cases of competitive programs. Many graduate programs would also require a portfolio or performance audition as one of the requirements for application consideration.

Overall the focus of the master of fine arts degree is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their advanced abilities and conceptual development, as well as to provide them with formal aesthetics in their art specialty field. The one thing that all these MFA degree programs require is a portfolio, major work, or performance.

Given the broad nature of the MFA degree as illustrated above, the degree requirements are likely to vary greatly from program to program. Coursework consists primarily of applied and performing requirements, often culminating in a portfolio, presentation, or performance.

1 | www.online-graduate-school-programs.com

Online MFA programs may extend between one and three years or more depending on program structure. The fact that the degree is a terminal degree means that it is considered the highest degree in the field. For those who wish to extend their studies to the doctoral degree level, they may chose to do so in other areas, particularly in the United States. One reason one may wish to do this is if they wish to get into research or college level teaching, although this route is not as common for the arts.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that about 62% are selfemployed or freelancing, others hold positions like college instructor, photographer, museum curator, graphic artist, artist, designer, illustrator, film and stage actor, musician, film producer, and other titles. BLS projections indicate that competition for positions is expected for salaried and freelance jobs in arts specialties. Nonetheless, employment of artists and related workers is expected to grow by 12% between 2008 and 2018.

Likewise the range of income is also broad, with data showing incoming ranging from around $30,000 to over $100,700 depending on one’s specialty and area of employment. Certain cities and states tend to attract artists and others with an MFA degree, for example California (Los Angeles and San Francisco), New York City, Chicago, and Boston.

2 | www.online-graduate-school-programs.com