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Fall 2026 Graduate Catalog
Art, Studio, MFA
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 Return to: Master’s Programs
Degree Awarded: Master of Fine Art in Studio Art
The Graduate Program in Studio Art at Stony Brook University is a three-year, terminal MFA degree in creative practice centered on intensive studio work, critical inquiry, and the development of ambitious bodies of art. MFA students are supported by individual studio spaces at the Innovation and Discovery Center (IDC) and by extensive production facilities at the Staller Center for the Arts, including sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, digital art, sound, and interdisciplinary fabrication labs.
Graduate students approach studio work as a form of sustained artistic research, a laboratory for inquiry, combining material experimentation, conceptual rigor, and critical dialogue. Through rotating faculty studio visits, critiques, and seminars, students develop ambitious bodies of work while situating their practice within contemporary theoretical and historical discourse.
Our proximity to New York City’s museums, galleries, foundations, and artist networks offers extensive opportunities for research, exhibition, internships, and professional engagement. Campus galleries, including the Lawrence Alloway Gallery and the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, provide structured opportunities for professional exhibition experience.
Current areas of artistic research and curriculum include:
● Painting, drawing, printmaking, and expanded print practices
● Sculpture, ceramics, installation, and material experimentation
● Photography, video, and moving image
● Media art, computation, physical computing, and artificial intelligence
● Sound, performance, and public art
● Social practice and interdisciplinary research
As a small and selective program within a major research university, we offer intensive faculty mentorship, structured critique, and integrated teaching experience. Graduates pursue careers as artists, educators, curators, and cultural practitioners, and have secured tenure-track academic positions, major fellowships, and professional appointments in cultural institutions nationally and internationally.
MFA in Studio Art
The MFA in Studio Art is a three-year, 60-credit terminal degree centered on sustained studio research and critical inquiry. Working in individual studios, students conduct independent artistic research, create ambitious bodies of work, and present their artwork regularly in structured critiques and faculty studio visits. The curriculum integrates graduate studio courses, seminars, liberal arts study, and a structured teaching practicum within a major public research university. Exhibition practice is central to the program: students complete group and solo presentations culminating in a thesis project that includes a solo exhibition, participation in the MFA group thesis exhibition at the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, and a written thesis. Students are not admitted on a part-time basis. The degree prepares artists for professional practice, academic careers, and leadership roles in contemporary art and cultural institutions.
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Admission Requirements
Application Website Admission to the MFA in Studio Art is determined by the Studio Art Graduate Faculty, with final approval by the Graduate School. Admission is for the Fall semester. Applicants must meet Graduate School standards, including a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (B average) and English proficiency requirements where applicable. The program seeks applicants with substantial preparation in studio art practice. Ordinarily, candidates will hold a B.A., B.F.A., B.S., or equivalent degree with significant coursework in Studio Art. Applicants are also expected to demonstrate background in art history, theory, or criticism sufficient to support graduate-level study. In cases where preparation is uneven, the Graduate Faculty may recommend supplemental coursework prior to or during the program. Admission decisions are based primarily on the strength of the applicant’s artist portfolio, statement of purpose, prior academic preparation, and demonstrated potential for sustained studio art research at the graduate level. The Following should be submitted directly to the Art Department: Artist Portfolio Application Instructions: The below listed application materials for the MFA in Studio Art should be emailed directly to the Department of Art graduate program admissions email: GradArt@stonybrook.edu. Please include your full name and MFA in Studio Art Application in the email subject line. You can send up to 25 MB in attachments. Please ensure that your file sizes are adequately set for this inbox limitation. Artist Portfolio: 20 visual images, slides or pages, that represent your best and recent artwork in a presentation format, packaged as a PDF document (Max 25 MB). The Artist Portfolio should include image captions stating the artwork title, media/materials, and date of production (no artwork older than 3 years please). Short project descriptions (max 100 words each) can be included within the Artist Portfolio document, or a separate image captions text document may be attached. Video and durational media should be hyperlinked and playable online within a web browser (Website, Google Drive, Vimeo, YouTube, etc.). Statement of Purpose / Artist Statement: A statement between 500 and 1000 words on your artwork and creative studio art research, current directions, aims and objectives in pursuing graduate study. Resume / CV: Curriculum vitae including contact information, education, academic achievements, art exhibitions, professional experience, awards or recognitions. Degree Requirements
The MFA in Studio Art requires successful completion of 60 graduate credits over three years of full-time residency. Students are not admitted on a part-time basis. Degree requirements include graduate studio coursework, seminars, liberal arts study, a structured teaching practicum, regular participation in critiques, and a sequence of group and solo exhibitions leading to the thesis project, which consists of a solo exhibition, participation in the MFA group thesis exhibition, and a written thesis. Course Offerings
Graduate Studio Art Courses: Course Requirements
The student will be required to complete successfully 60 credits of graduate work, as outlined in the list of courses below. No graduate studio course may be taken for more than three credits per semester. - At least nine graduate studio courses 27 credits
- ARS 550 - In Process Critique 3 credits (per semester) This course serves as the core graduate studio critique seminar and is normally taken each semester during residency. It may be repeated and counted toward studio credits.
- Two semesters of ARS 580 - Visual Arts Seminar 3 credits Additional enrollments are encouraged when offered. 6 credits
- Three graduate liberal arts courses, e.g., Art History and Criticism, English, Philosophy, etc. 9 credits.
- ARS 531 - Graduate Teaching Practicum 1-3 credits (should be taken for 3-6 total credits, see Teaching Requirement)
- ARS 532 - Thesis Project 1-6 credits
Liberal Arts Requirement
Students are required to take three or four graduate liberal arts courses (in Art History and Criticism, English, Philosophy, Music, History, Writing, Anthropology, among others). Demonstrations of Studio Proficiency
All M.F.A. candidates must demonstrate proficiency through sustained artistic research and the development of a cohesive body of artwork within the context of contemporary studio art practice. Proficiency is supported and assessed through continuous enrollment in ARS 550 - In Process Critique , regular meetings with the student’s faculty advisor, and midterm and final critiques conducted by the Studio Art faculty each semester. In the third year, the student’s thesis committee evaluates the body of artwork in preparation for the thesis exhibition and oral defense. Teaching Requirement
All graduate students complete a structured teaching practicum as part of the MFA degree. Students first observe and assist a faculty member for a minimum of one semester under ARS 531 - Graduate Teaching Practicum (3 credits). Through this mentored experience, students develop pedagogical skills and demonstrate readiness for instructional responsibility. Based on faculty evaluation, students may continue to teach either as instructor of record for an undergraduate course or as a teaching assistant, earning an additional three credits under ARS 531 - Graduate Teaching Practicum. Beyond these six credits applied toward the MFA degree, additional teaching assignments associated with stipend support are considered part of the student’s funding responsibilities and do not carry additional academic credit. Final Year and the Thesis Project
In the final year of the program, MFA candidates complete a solo thesis exhibition, normally held at the Lawrence Alloway Gallery and they participate in the annual MFA group thesis exhibition at the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery. The thesis project also includes a written thesis and spoken defense that articulate the conceptual, material, and critical aspects of the student’s artistic research and thesis in relation to the contemporary field of studio art. |
Return to: Master’s Programs
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