| GS601 / GS602 Studio Workshop
(9 credits) As the cornerstone of the MFA program at MCA, the Studio Workshop is the self-directed component for the MFA candidate’s production of work. Candidates conduct their own personal exploration of concept and technique in the art-making process under the guidance of the Graduate Faculty. During the course of the Studio Workshop, students are encouraged to consider the social, cultural, and physical context of their work as central to its interpretation. The studio seminar component of the MFA program brings together graduate students to build a common ground and develop a graduate community. This may include trips to galleries or museums, group critiques and critiques with visiting artists, videos, slides, readings, and discussions of contemporary issues. It also serves to develop written materials, such as the artist’s statement, professional applications, and thesis in conjunction with input from other faculty.
GS701 Thesis Preparation
(9 credits)
In the third semester MFA candidates are required to take Thesis Preparation. Thesis Preparation involves all of the components of the Studio Workshop with the additional component of honing in on a specific body of work or method of practice from which the final thesis work evolves.
GS702 Thesis
(9 credits)
Pending successful completion of Thesis Preparation, the acceptance of the Thesis Proposal, and the Advancement to Candidacy Review, MFA candidates are able to move on to the Thesis coursework. The Thesis coursework is the culmination of the candidate's work at MCA. Candidates are required to have an exhibition, a formal oral defense, and submit a written thesis document in which the historical, social, and cultural frameworks of their work are addressed. HU600 History of Aesthetics
(3 credits) The philosophy of art from the Greeks to the modern period is examined in this seminar. The Western philosophical tradition's changing treatment of the artist and the work of art is the focus of analysis and discussion. The metaphysical status of art, theories of expression and representation and the social value of the artist are some of the topics examined through the readings. HU610 Modernism and Post Modernism
(3 credits) Beginning with theories of what constitutes the dominant themes and issues of the modern period, this seminar explores the writers who have come to be associated with post modernism. Issues concerning art and the artist are examined in the work of such thinkers as: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, Derrida, Blanchot, Lyotard, Cixous and Kristeva. HU613 Cultural/Visual Studies
(3 credits) Introductory survey of foundational cultural studies theories and methodologies since 1965. Course will apply theories to various texts (literary, cinematic, visual, musical) so that students move beyond abstractions and toward praxis. Short essays punctuate discussions and comprise final grade. | HU615 Critical Writing
(3 credits) This course is an exploration of writing as an art form. Through a variety of different genres, styles and imaginative composition, students learn to develop writing strategies for communication and expression. HU620 The Artist and the Critic
(3 credits) The place of the critic and art criticism is the central issue of this seminar. Writings by and about artists constitute the reading material. Both historical and contemporary sources are examined. HU623 Cultural/Visual Studies 2 Picture Theory
(3 credits) This is a follow-up course to HU613 and concerns contemporary theories of the visual sign, sign systems, and the critical issues surrounding visual imagery. The course explores the major genres of painting (history, religious, still life, genre, landscape) as a foundation for the discussion of visual semiotics. Other modes and media are explored as the course closes (photography, sculpture, film, etc.). The course asks students to produce a term project (artistic/critical) that engages one or many of the texts discussed in the course. HU625 Mind in Matter: Material Culture Theory, Method, and Practice Simply put, the study of material culture is the study of “things”—human-made or human-modified products. These “things” can include clothing, your grandmother’s heirloom jewelry, a formally landscaped garden, a painting, or the contents of a trash can. Scholars of material culture investigate these cultural products as a way to uncover the beliefs, values, attitudes, needs, hopes and fears of a particular society at a particular moment. This course introduces students to the methodology and theory of material culture studies through readings, discussion, and research. Most importantly, we will interrogate the ways material culture methodology may be used by practicing artists. HU630 Topics in Aesthetics
(3 credits) This seminar is a concentration on particular issues, themes or problems relevant to aesthetic theory. AH631 Modern Architecture
(3 credits) Trends and styles in Europe and the U.S. from Jefferson to World War II are explored, including Art Nouveau, the skyscraper, Wright, California modern, the Bauhaus, and Art Deco. Video and site visits may be offered. Each student will also complete a research assignment that is determined after consultation with the instructor. AH632 Modern Architecture 2
(3 credits) This course examines the developments in Europe and the Americas from the 1930s to the present, including planning concepts. Acceptance of the International Style led to the Postmodern reaction. Appreciation of leaders such as Johnson, Saarinen, Kahn, Pei and Gehry is enhanced by video and site visits. Each student will also complete a research assignment that is determined after consultation with the instructor. HU650 Special Topics: Contemporary Issues in Art
(3 credits) This course investigates the current issues in the art world today. HU655 Special Topics: Modern Cultural Diversity
(3 credits) The seminar focuses on hyphenated-American issues in contemporary art, among which are Native American Indian, African, Asian, Latin American and others. The discussions are based on text book and journal readings of multicultural aesthetics, politics, and history. Oral discussion and short essays make up the work content of the class. |
