Set in the magnificent landscape of the San Bernardino Mountains and in close proximity to Los Angeles’ international art scene, the MFA program at UC Riverside offers an intensive environment of advanced art research and practice for highly motivated students. Our program combines a theoretically driven curriculum that prioritizes studio production. The intimate scale of the program boasts an unusual student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 8 that allows for deeply engaging interactions with the internationally exhibiting faculty members. The curriculum is driven by an explorative and open approach to both traditional and interdisciplinary media where students are encouraged to experiment and pursue their aesthetic ideas in media that most benefits their practice.

MFA students receive generously sized studio spaces (350+ square feet with 12 foot walls), have access to excellent state of the art facilities as well as ample opportunities for teaching assistantships, fellowships and honoraria. During the last three years, all our students have received combined awards that have more than offset the cost of fees and tuition. Given today’s climate of escalated cost of higher education in the arts, this is a significant benefit to our highly focused program.

There are regular peer reviews, lectures and studio visits from internationally recognized artists, curators and critics to broaden and to intensify the discourse. As a leading research university, the students are encouraged to take advantage of the courses in other programs and departments. Expected time for completion of degree is three years with a thesis exhibition accompanied by a written thesis.

Recent visitors to the program include Peter Shelton, Tyler Green, Kerry Tribe, Jim Shaw, Edgar Arceneaux, Jennifer Pastor, Liz Glynn, Rebecca Morris, Madison Brookshire, Stanya Kahn, Conrad Ruiz, Connie Butler, Evan Holloway, Jon Pestoni, Euan Macdonald, and Simone Forti.

Full time faculty: John Divola, Jim Isermann, Brandon Lattu, Charles Long, Lynne Marsh, Yunhee Min, Amir Zaki and a new appointment in early 2018.

Please see our website for more information or contact Graduate Coordinator, Kourtney Brumfield at kourtney.brumfield [​at​] ucr.edu or T 951 827 7878.