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Current Student Calendar

First Year

During the first year of your MFA studies, you will become acquainted with graduate student life, dive into your area of study, and do some experimenting.

At the end of the first year or at the end of the semester that you complete 18-21 credit hours, you must pass a qualifying review conducted by the entire faculty in the Department of Art & Design. The faculty members in your discipline evaluate first-year portfolios to determine whether or not you may continue in the MFA degree program.

Date/Time Your To-Do List Details PDF

Mid-August

Welcome Orientations

For ALL first-year grads including TAs and non-TAs

 

Mid-January

Mandatory MFA Meeting

Topic: MFA Qualifying Review

 MFA-FYR-Program-Review

End of March

Submit Materials for
1st Year Qualifying Review

Email to Grad Secretary: Statement of Intent, Resume, & Thumbnail Image List

 

Beginning of April

1st Year Qualifying Review Oral Presentation

 

ReviewForm.pdf

End of April

Form Graduate Committee 

 

FORM-GRADUATE-COMMITTEE.pdf

Beginning of May

First Graduate
Committee Meeting

 

1ST-GRAD-COMMITTEE-MEETING.pdf

Second Year

Your second year is filled with more discovery and collaboration. You work closely with your graduate committees to research, define, and develop the direction of your graduate work and to outline your academic plan of study.

Date/Time Your To-Do List Details PDF

Mid-August

VPA Welcome &
Mandatory MFA Meeting

Topic: Electronic Plan of Study

 

September

Second Graduate
Committee Meeting

 

2ND-COMMITTEE-MEETING.pdf

October 1st

File DRAFT version of EPOS

 

Instructions for Electronic Plan of Study.pdf

November 1st

File FINAL version of EPOS

 

Instructions for Electronic Plan of Study.pdf

December

Third Graduate
Committee Meeting

During Quiet Period or Finals Week

3RD-COMMITTEE-MEETING.pdf

January 31st

Schedule MFA Exhibition

See Gallery Coordinator

MFA Exhibitions

February 1st

Last Date to submit DRAFT of EPOS

   

February/March

Fourth Graduate Committee Meeting

Report on progress of work

 

March 1st

Last date to submit FINAL of EPOS

   

Mid-March

Thesis Workshop

Mandatory for formal thesis graduate students

Thesis Workshop Registration

April/May

Fifth Graduate Committee Meeting

 

5TH-COMMITTEE-MEETING.pdf

Third Year

Your third year of study focuses on research and production of your MFA exhibition and thesis/non-thesis written work.  Upon completing your studies, you present a public gallery talk about your research.

Date/Time Your To-do List
Details PDF

Mid-August

VPA Welcome Meeting

 

 

August

Follow Graduate School
Key Dates

 

Graduation Dates & Deadlines

September

Sixth Graduate Committee Meeting

Report on progress of work and writing

 

Mid-September

First Draft of written component
due to committee chair

 

1ST-DRAFT-WRITTEN-NOTE.pdf

November

Seventh Graduate
Committee Meeting 

Report on progress of work and writing

 

December

Complete Mandatory MFA
Graduation Candidate Form

Due by Friday of Quiet Period

Mandatory-MFA-Graduation-Cand-Form.pdf

Early January

Graduate School Deadline for receipt
of FINAL EPOS for May Graduates

 

Graduation Dates & Deadlines

Mid-January

Mandatory MFA Meeting

Topics: Thesis Prep, Candidate Status, EPOS
Corrections Exhibition Guidelines, Exit Checklist

 

End of January

Second Draft of written component
due to committee chair

   

January/February

Eight Graduate Committee Meeting 

Report on progress of work and writing

 

February 15th

Last Day to declare candidacy for May Graduation

   

Mid-March

Final Draft of written component to ENTIRE Graduate Committee

   

March/April

Notify Graduate Secretary of Oral Defense Date 

Two Weeks before Exhibition

NON-THESIS-OPTION-NOTE.pdf 
THESIS-OPTION-NOTE.pdf

April

Oral Defense with ENTIRE Graduate Committee

Last week for exhibition is the week before dead week-second to last week of classes

 

April/May
(Friday of
Finals Week)

Deadline to deposit final
MFA documentation

Images, written, component, keys,
EXIT Checklist due to A&D Graduate Director

Exit-Checklist.pdf


Note for ALL Third Year Graduate Students:

Follow these MFA Exhibition Guidelines  carefully to be sure to prepare and complete all aspects of your MFA Exhibition.

Other important deadlines can be found on the Graduate School Calendar.

Check the Graduate School Key Dates reference for a quick guide of deadlines.

 

Note for Non-Thesis Option Third Year Graduate Students:

Please see the MFA Non-Thesis Guidelines for details on completing the written component of your requirements.

 

Note for Formal Thesis Option Third Year Graduate Students:

The MFA Thesis Guidelines are outlined in this document.  Please follow it closely.

Please be sure to register for one of the Mandatory Thesis Workshops in October or March if you have not attended one already.  The Graduate Secretary can help you register. 

Refer to the Deposit Requirements to make sure that you have met all of the thesis requirements.

 

Helpful Current Student Links