Master of Fine Arts in Glass

The School of Art at Illinois State University offers full tuition waivers and graduate assistantships for candidates in the MFA program. The School of Art has approximately twenty-five students working in a multi-disciplinary program within a large university setting. Students emphasize one studio discipline, and are encouraged to explore others, including video, digital, and web-based work. The Graduate Program at Illinois State University seeks to prepare each student for the career of professional artist. Moreover, we support and encourage students in the linked vocations of teaching, curating, arts administration, and gallery administration. All students are awarded a full tuition waiver plus assistantship with stipend each and every semester. These are either Teaching or Administrative assistantships - A student might teach a class, assist in the classroom of one of the painting area professors or perform a number of supportive tasks required for the smooth functioning of the painting area. Individual studio space over a three-year period enables each Graduate student to develop his or her body of work, in preparation for working as an artist outside the institution. Students direct their own working methods with input from professional exhibiting artists on the faculty who guide the graduate curriculum plan. In conjunction with studio work, graduate students will study within the art history area which offers courses on modern and contemporary art theory and practice. Students can elect to work with whomever they chose in the capacity of Independent Study, thereby coming into contact with variable and diverse opinions. Interdisciplinary contact is encouraged, students electing to work in Installation or Performance may work with Faculty in Video, Sculpture, Drawing/Print-making, Photography, or Painting. Finally, graduate students are required to research and compose a written, supportive statement addressing the visual work in the MFA show.