How to Get a Master's Degree in Photography
Whether you're a hobby photographer looking to go pro or a professional considering a teaching career in higher education, a master's degree in photography can be a valuable asset. Earn a master's degree online or on campus and enhance your portfolio as you learn more about the tools and techniques of the trade.
How to Earn a Master's Degree in Photography
Upgrade your skills in the trade you love with a graduate training in photography. This focused master's degree has real relevance to your life and career, and is often preferred or required by hiring managers and clients. Even if you've been away from school for years, a degree can help focus your talent, update your skills, and broaden your net of potential clients.
A master's degree in photography is typically earned in 1 to 3 years of full-time study. Both campus and online photography master's degrees are available in a range of specializations. Follow the steps below and you can be on your way to earning a photography master's degree.
Step 1: Learn Photography Master's Degree Distinctions
The first step toward securing a master's degree in photography is to learn the difference between the different types of degrees you can earn. Choosing one degree over the other could mean more years of school and an entirely different career path. Consider the distinctions between the two master's degree programs in photography:
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA): Setting the standard for academic credential, the MFA is the more popular degree for photography master's degree students. Graduates of MFA photography programs are able to teach photography at the university level. The MFA is a terminal degree, meaning that no higher educational standard can be met. Coursework is generally completed in 2 to 3 years of full-time study.
- Master of Arts (MA): Typically known as a professional degree, the MA requires a lower coursework commitment and is more commonly completed in 1 to 2 years of study. Many of the same MFA requirements stand, often including a thesis exhibition of your work. A photography MA may be appropriate for those continuing their theory education into a doctoral degree, or those wishing to teach at the secondary school level. Some MA graduates may teach in higher education, but the MFA is a more common qualification.
In general, an MFA in photography means more coursework requirements and a longer time commitment, but more credential upon graduation. An MA in photography offers professional training in less time, but doesn't allow for teaching possibilities in higher education. The degree path you choose should be based in part on your future career goals.
Step 2: Pick a Photography Specialty
All photography master's degree programs come with certain coursework requirements. Specialization and coursework elective options allow you to focus your major to your specific needs. Check out a few popular specializations for photography master's degree students:
- Fine Art
- Digital Media
- Studio Art
- Art Education
- Photojournalism/Documentary
- Biomedical and Forensic
While most photography master's degrees offer a general MFA or MA, the coursework you complete allows you to enrich your portfolio, making it more attractive to hiring managers in the field. Whether you aspire to be a portrait photographer, wedding photographer, photojournalist, or educator, it's simple to find coursework with relevance to you.
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Typical Photography Master's Degree Coursework
The specific courses you take help guide your career and shape your future. Coursework varies greatly from school to school and even from semester to semester in one school. Here is a list of sample coursework you might take in a master's degree in photography program:
- History of Photography Seminar
- Photographing History
- Digital Imaging
- Introduction to Critical Thinking: Photography
- Body, Space, and Image
Individual schools often post coursework requirements online, allowing you to easily review potential courses across each of your potential master's degree programs. Some courses offer a more studio-based, artistic level of training, while others focus on theory and history, and still others give students the choice of a mix of the two.
Step 3: Choose a Campus or Online Photography MFA/MA Degree
Before you can begin to create a list of potential schools, it's important to think about the method of education with which you are most comfortable. Campus degrees offer a traditional option, while online degrees present more options for flexibility. The type of degree you choose depends on your learning style, career, family obligations, and location.
- Online Photography Master's: Students of online photography MFA and MA degrees enjoy the convenience of logging onto class from anywhere in the world. The ideal online student should be self-motivated and prefer independent study. See WorldWideLearn.com's list of online master's degree programs in fine arts, including photography.
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Photography
- Illustration or drawing
- Fine art restoration
Or, you may opt for a specialization in an artisan craft such as:
- Jewelry design
- Furniture design
- Ceramics
- Glassblowing and glass art
- Metalwork
- Textiles
- Weaving
- Woodwork, including wood turning
- Papermaking or book arts
Some MFA programs expand the definition of fine arts and crafts with areas of concentration such as:
- Conceptual art
- Interactive zrt
- 3D installation art
- Lighting art
- Electronic arts (typically classified separately among media arts or digital arts)
- Digital printmaking
- Graphic design
With advances in digital media, more and more fine art and craft programs are blurring the line between traditional visual arts and computer technology-enhanced visual expression. Fine art thrives on fresh perspectives and innovation. If you have a novel vision for artistic practice, you're likely to find an MFA in fine art & craft to support and develop it.
Career Track
The MFA degree prepares graduates for two career paths: teaching and professional practice. The MFA in fine art & craft qualifies you to teach art at the college level as an assistant professor or professor. Most MFA graduates continue developing their craft, pursuing careers as painters, sculptors, professional illustrators, fine art photographers, or craft artisans.
The MFA in fine art & craft can also take you into arts administration or business communications and design roles. For example, an MFA program that specializes in craft disciplines such as woodworking or glassblowing may lead to corporate jobs in design and high-end production. Illustrators may work for publishing companies. Alternate career paths for MFA graduates include:
- Museum curator
- Arts program administrator
- Art gallery owner
- Movie consultant
- Creative director or art director for media publications
- Advertising creative director
- Commercial photographer
- Industrial designer or product designer
- Retail visual display designer
- Product merchandising specialist
If you are unsure which career path to take--teaching, fine arts or artisan practice, nonprofit art administration, or commercial arts--WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource can help you find your way. Use the career planning and assessment tools to determine which career direction best suits your values, interests, and lifestyle.
How to Apply for a Campus or Online MFA in Fine Art & Craft
The most valuable asset in the graduate school application process is a lucid vision of your artistic and professional goals. Each MFA program in fine art & craft offers different specializations, emphases, and facilities, usually in line with resident faculty areas of interest. Finding the school that matches your personal creative profile takes careful research and planning.
This guide takes you through the application process, from choosing a school to completing an application--and beyond. The most critical stage in the application process is finding the right graduate MFA program in fine art & craft. The steps below guide you through your program research, with references to useful online resources for each stage.
Step One: Develop a List of Accredited Programs
Goal: Create a comprehensive list of MFA programs in fine art & craft.
Kick off your quest for the perfect art school by creating a list of MFA programs. Accreditation should be a chief criterion at this initial stage. An important baseline validation of quality, accreditation ensures the academic rigor of the MFA program and the value of your degree. Independent accrediting agencies and academic associations regularly evaluate campus and online MFA programs in fine art & craft to determine whether they meet defined standards. You can find an example of these academic standards at the College Art Association's MFA Standards and Guidelines page. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a database of approved accreditation agencies.
Resources
Online directories and accrediting agency member lists offer good starting points for your research.
The College Art Association, which represents 2,000 university art departments, museums, and professional organizations, publishes the most comprehensive directory of MFA programs, Graduate Programs in the Visual Arts: The CAA Directory. The directory includes 350 schools offering master's and other graduate-level degrees in art.
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), an accreditation authority representing 268 degree-granting art and design schools, features a searchable member list. Search for MFA programs using the keyword function.
The Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) represents 36 leading art schools in the U.S. AICAD's site allows you to view member schools offering the MFA in studio art, fine arts, or a specialized fine art or craft discipline. Specializations represented include: illustration, painting, jewelry and metalwork, glassblowing, furniture design, photography, printmaking, weaving, sculpture, ceramics, and papermaking. The site also offers practical advice for applying to the MFA in fine art & craft.
WorldWideLearn.com features a database of selected online MFA and campus MFA programs in fine art & craft. Search Degrees by Subject to find an accredited school. WorldWideLearn.com enforces high quality standards for its education partners, taking into account accreditation and other factors. Learn more about the accreditation process or browse a list of university partners.
Step Two: Online or On-Campus Format?
Goal: Narrow your list based on your preferred delivery format.
Which program format is right for you? The important decision of educational delivery helps you focus your program research. Decide which type of program meets your needs:
- Online MFA in fine art & craft. Rich multimedia communications technology has extended the online format to graduate fine arts programs. Students complete studio assignments and MFA projects independently and post images of their work for faculty and peer assessment. The quality of digital imagery makes such critique possible, allowing students from anywhere in the world to benefit from the feedback and guidance of established experts in their chosen field.
- Campus-based MFA in fine art & craft. The traditional format for the MFA in fine art & craft remains the on-site program. Campus education has obvious benefits, including close interaction with faculty experts and peers, and access to campus studio facilities and equipment.
The right program for you depends on a range of factors: your personal circumstances, your learning style, and your access to studio supplies and equipment. Online MFA degrees in fine art & craft offer a convenient asynchronous format and access to remote resources, making them ideal for working adults or anyone balancing family and professional commitments. Campus degrees are ideal for people who want to become part of the academic and artistic community.
Resources
Focus your program research by delivery format using WorldWideLearn.com's search resources. The Online Degree Programs and Campus Education direct you to MFA programs sponsoring your preferred format. The campus degrees by location search points you to programs in your local area.
Step Three: Explore Academic Programs
Goal: Compare the academic programs of schools on your list.
The most critical phase of your school research is academic program exploration. Discover the unique specialties and resources available at the different schools on your list.
Take into account the following factors as you explore your options:
- Faculty areas of expertise
- Specializations
- Curriculum and course requirements
- Studio facilities, including access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology
- School-sponsored arts organizations, publications, and events such as art shows
Because the Master of Fine Arts is above all an opportunity to learn from the masters in your fine art or craft discipline, faculty expertise should top your priority list. Campus-based MFA students may also want to examine studio facilities closely, especially in craft disciplines that rely on sophisticated equipment (glassblowing, woodworking, etc.).
Resources
WorldWideLearn.com takes some of the legwork out of program research by matching you with schools that meet your preferences. Fill out an online form indicating your academic program criteria, and the system matches you with the on-campus or online MFA degrees in fine art that meet your specifications. An academic counselor or school representative may contact you to answer your questions about the program, and may put you in touch with professors who share your artistic interests.
School Web sites offer access to detailed program information about the MFA curriculum, facilities, special programs, links to faculty and student work, and faculty bios.
Campus visits give you the most information about the program and allow you to make connections with faculty and peers. After you've narrowed your list, plan to visit your top several schools in person.
Step Four: Evaluate Program Quality
Goal: Evaluate programs and choose six to ten schools to which to submit your application.
As you're exploring academic programs, you'll have the opportunity to evaluate program quality as well. In this final stage, focus your list of schools by weighing their relative merits.
Factors to consider include:
- Reputation
- Selectivity
- Job placement statistics
- Career support resources
- Financial aid resources
As you evaluate schools, take into account your own competitiveness as a candidate as well. The top MFA programs are highly selective, admitting only a handful of applicants each year. It's a good idea to apply to a range of schools representing both dream programs and safety schools well within your reach.
Resources
Rankings offer an easy resource for gauging the reputation of a fine arts program:
- U.S. News & World Report sponsors a general ranking of the best graduate schools in fine art
- The Princeton Review features a focused assessment of MFA programs, with separate rankings for fine art and art studies, illustration, ceramics, and many other fine art and craft specializations
School data give you a detailed picture of academic quality as expressed in job placement statistics, selectivity, and academic resources. You can also find information about graduate student demographics and career support services.
Preparing for an MFA in Fine Art & Craft
After you've settled on a list of schools that match your requirements, you're ready to complete the application process. WorldWideLearn.com's Education Resources Guide offers information to help you prepare for the MFA in fine art & craft, with resources for online learning, financial aid, and more.
MFA application requirements are relatively standard, and include:
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in a related field
- Portfolio of your work
- Personal essay
- Academic transcripts
- Academic or professional letters of recommendation
Financial Aid
You'll find a range of resources to help you pay for the MFA program in fine art & craft. Sources of funding include:
- Federal and private student loans
- Private and academic grants
- Scholarships
For more information, visit the WorldWideLearn.com resource page on graduate education funding.
The Insider's College Guide for Working Adults offers a comprehensive guide to applying for and completing a college degree, with special resources for returning students.
Joining the Academic Community
Whether you choose an online or campus MFA in fine art & craft, you're joining an elite community of committed artists and artisans. The MFA program offers a range of opportunities to deepen your craft, both through the mentorship of expert practitioners and through interaction with your peers. By charting your course to the MFA now, you're setting yourself up to take full advantage of these resources and become the artist you want to be.
Sources
- Academy of Art University Online, Master of Fine Arts in Fine Art Online
- Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD)
- California College of the Arts, Fine Arts
- College Art Association, MFA Standards
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD)
- Notre Dame University, Master of Fine Arts Degree in Studio Art and Design
- The Princeton Review, Arts and Architecture Graduate Program Rankings
- U.S. Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs
- University of Cincinnati, Master of Fine Arts
- University of Texas Fine Arts Career Services, A Career Guide for Studio Art Majors
- Yale University School of Art, MFA Program
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