MFA programs in Art

The Department of Art at Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (Cornell AAP) invites applications to the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts and Master of Fine Arts in Image Text. Register now to attend virtual information sessions featuring department faculty and current graduate students where prospective candidates can ask questions and hear more about each program’s offerings.

“The art department offers two distinct programs that share a concern for critical, creative practice and building an inclusive community that reflects our diverse culture and is prepared to both confront and contribute to the world we’re living in today,” says Paul Ramírez Jonas, Professor and Chair. “This generation’s artists face unique challenges and have the potential to engage, intervene, and make meaningful, lasting change.”

The department offers two master’s degree programs: a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts, with an emphasis on studio practice across all mediums, and a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Image Text, which integrates creative writing, contemporary visual media, and design for print and digital publication.

The two-year Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts is a rigorous, inclusive program that supports interdisciplinary and medium-specific practices augmented by access to fields of study across the university. Based in Ithaca, New York, with an additional New York City exhibition and international travel opportunities built into the curriculum, students have access to world-class facilities including fabrication shops, labs, darkrooms, and exhibition spaces for group and solo shows. Private studios, which have recently undergone a complete renovation, are provided for each artist entering the program. Graduate students work closely with faculty and a special advisory committee throughout their time at Cornell. Each year, the department hosts a lineup of established and emerging artists for public lectures and studio visits. Significantly offsetting the cost of attendance, the college offers a generous tuition remission as well as graduate assistantships that provide teaching experience. 

The Master of Fine Arts in Image Text is a low-residency program for artists interested in expanded creative and critical practices in writing, visual art, and design for print and digital publication. This unique 25-month program prepares students to make substantial contributions to the contemporary literary and visual arts. Three five-week summer sessions include workshops and intensive in-person classes with faculty and visiting artists and writers, as well as access to Cornell AAP’s exceptional resources and facilities, including a state-of-the-art Riso studio. During the fall and spring semesters, students work closely with faculty advisors while pursuing independent study and complete an immersive international field course. Throughout the program, students have opportunities to work with the ITI Press. In their final summer session, they produce a collaborative publication released by the press and install a thesis exhibition in New York City with the guidance of an established curator. Substantial partial tuition scholarships are available on a competitive basis. 

Information sessions and application process
Students interested in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts program are invited to attend a virtual open house on Thursday, November 9 from 6–8pm. The application deadline for this program is January 15. 

For students who would like to learn more about the Master of Fine Arts in Image Text, register to attend virtual sessions on the following Saturdays at 12pm: October 28, November 18, December 9, and January 13. The application deadline for this program is February 5.

Please visit AAP’s Graduate Admissions page to apply or reach out to the AAP Admissions team for more information about the process.