Master of Fine Arts | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Master of Fine Arts

Interdisciplinary.
Mentor Based.
Limitless Possibilities.

Situated within Minneapolis’s vibrant art-and-design scene,
MCAD's Master of Fine Arts is a rigorous four-semester program designed to expand your thinking and promote experimentation in your practice. As a diverse, international community of makers, thinkers, researchers, and professionals, students explore social, cultural, and professional needs. 

MFA student standing in front of their artwork

Hear about the MFA experience

As a Master's of Fine Arts student, you will:

  • Work one-to-one with a mentor to establish goals and plans for each semester.
  • Work independently and collaboratively in studios, classrooms, modern creative facilities, and public gallery spaces.
  • Pursue creative work in one or more practices: animation, comic arts, drawing/painting, public arts, experimental video/film, furniture design, graphic design, illustration, installation, paper and book arts, photography, printmaking, sculpture, web and multimedia, and performance.
  • Participate in opportunities in the Twin Cities’ creative community that includes galleries, art centers, regional funders, and nonprofits designed to set you up for success post-graduation. 
  • Become part of the strong, supportive MCAD alumni network.
     
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Class Highlights

This 60-credit Masters of Fine Arts program required classes include: 

  • Criticism and Theory
  • Mentored Credits
  • Graduate Critique Seminar
  • Community and Context
  • Thesis Preparation

After MCAD

There are many paths to explore with a Master's in Fine Arts. Potential careers include:

  • Exhibiting Artist
  • Arts Educator
  • Arts Administrator
  • Graphic Designer
  • Photographer
  • Editorial Illustrator

There are also funded launch programs to help MFA students set themselves up for success after graduation. Opportunities range across galleries, residencies, art centers, and various nonprofits.

  • MCAD / Arrowmount University Fellows Scholarship
  • Soo Visual Arts Partnership
  • Forecast Public Art Design/Illustration Fellowship
  • Rochester Art Center Partnership
  • Wisher Sponsored Residency
  • Mildred’s Lane Fellowship
     

"I initially joined the program because I was at a point in my life where I had no discipline in my studio practice, and I felt no real foundation to the work I made. MCAD allowed me to build confidence in my work again." –Sishir Bommakanti ’18, Freelance Illustrator