Review Process

MFA Program in Fine Arts students are required to undergo three formal committee reviews.

Reviews are scheduled to last approximately one hour. The review takes place in the student's studio or another predetermined space on campus.

The review schedule will be posted outside the Graduate Office at least one week prior to the reviews.

Review Results

The following are the three possible review results:

Pass
Re-review
Leave of absence

The review form and results will be submitted by the Graduate Office to the student in written narrative form within a week of the review. The student’s main advisor will communicate the committee’s decision to the student immediately following the review.

Students who do not pass their review are required to complete a re-review within the first two weeks of the following semester. Students who do not pass the re-review are asked to take a yearlong leave of absence from the program, and undergo a reentry review at the end of the following semester.

A student who fails the reentry review is asked to leave the program immediately. If the student later wishes to re-enroll in the program, the student must go through the regular admissions process via the Enrollment Services Office.

Advancement Review

Advancement reviews are scheduled for late March / early April in the first year of study.

The review committee will be composed of the student’s main advisor, the D&P II Seminar instructor, and a Graduate Office representative. Students have the option of inviting a second Studio Practice instructor to the review.

The review form will be composed by the D&PII instructor.

Candidacy Review

Candidacy reviews are scheduled for late October / early November in the student's second year of study. The review focus will be on the thesis abstract and the student's work.

The review committee is composed of the student’s main advisor, thesis instructor, and a Graduate Office representative. The review committee for Fine Arts / Visual Criticism Dual Degree students is composed of the student’s main advisor, the thesis advisor (if the student elects to take the Thesis Seminar in the fall), or the Visual Criticism advisor. Students have the option of inviting a second Studio Practice instructor to the review.

The review form will be composed by the thesis instructor.

Final Review

This final assessment will focus on the quality of the thesis exhibition proposal and the written thesis. The review committee will be composed of the student’s main advisor, thesis advisor, and a Graduate Office representative. The review committee for dual-degree students is the same as described above. Students have the option of inviting a second GSP instructor to the review.

Review committee members must receive a final draft of the student's MFA thesis (or an abstract of the Visual Criticism Thesis) and a Thesis Exhibition Proposal at least one week prior to the review meeting.

Students must pass this review and submit to the Graduate Office the Thesis Exhibition Proposal form signed by each member of their committee before the deadline in order to graduate and participate in the Thesis Exhibition.