The School of Art and Design provides a postgraduate education leading to professional careers in the studio arts, design, art education, and art history. The School offers the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Art and Design with specializations in Ceramics, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Metals, Narrative Media, Painting, Photography and Sculpture; the Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Education (EdD) in Art Education; and the Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Art History.
In addition, the School provides a studio BFA program with majors in Crafts (focusing on Metals or Ceramics), Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Painting, Photography and Sculpture, as well as BFA programs in Art Education and Art History. Combinations of study as dual majors are encouraged. A BA in Art History is offered jointly by the School and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
No matter the discipline, graduate school represents a crucial period in anyone’s professional development. For artists and designers, graduate school is a place to focus ideas and incubate modes of expression before entry into the professional world. Choosing the right institution is critical. An excellent graduate school will cultivate avenues for discovery within a rich landscape for creative possibilities and encourage each student to develop his or her singular perspective. The School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois is such a place.
The University of Illinois provides a climate well suited for developing a professional career in the arts. As a Research 1 institution and as one of the major Big Ten universities, Illinois provides a full range of progressive cultural and intellectual opportunities. The University administration demonstrates strong support for the arts and encourages interdisciplinary work among its faculty and students. Institutional resources contributing to this conducive environment include the University of Illinois Library, the largest public university collection in the nation; the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology; and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, site of some of the most sophisticated technological research in the world.
The School of Art and Design’s history is long and distinguished. The School’s distinguished. The School’s distinguished alumni — luminaries like William Wegman, Bill Stumpf, Richard Greenberg, or Robert Vogele — are currently working and exhibiting in major cities, running the nation’s leading design firms, and teaching at the best universities throughout the world.
For further information about the School of Art and Design and the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois at U-C: www.art.uiuc.edu and www.faa.uiuc.edu.
To request more detailed information on graduate programs please contact Marsha Biddle at the Graduate Office, School of Art and Design, University of Illinois at U-C, 138 Art and Design Building, 408 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, Illinois 61820 USA. 217 333-0642 (v); mbiddle@uiuc.edu. Applications to the MFA programs are accepted once a year. The deadline for applications is January 15, with admission for August.
All applicants to the studio programs in the School of Art and Design must submit a portfolio of creative work. Applicants for MA, EdD, and PhD programs must submit writing samples. They must have earned a baccalaureate or equivalent degree comparable to that granted by the University of Illinois and must submit official records of all higher educational training, including certificates, degrees, and the dates conferred. To be eligible applicants must have achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (A=4.0) by the end of the academic year prior to their admission. International applicants and U.S. Residents for whom English is a second language are required to achieve a TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test or 213 on the computer test. The School of Art and Design does not require the GRE or GMAT exams for admission.
Please contact us if you would like dates and details of next year’s graduate exhibition.
