The Master of Fine Arts program in art, with its emphasis on professional study, is designed for the mature individual who by previous training and study has sufficiently prepared for the undertaking. It is strongly suggested that applicants have a minimum of 12 credits of art history at the undergraduate level. Any qualified student who has graduated from an accredited college that offers a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or bachelor of fine arts in the area of art or the equivalent may seek admission. The School of Visual Arts requires a minimum of 3.00 junior/senior grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) for admission to the master of fine arts program. Exceptions to the minimum 3.00 average may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests.
Letters of Recommendation: As part of the electronic application through the Graduate School Portal, applicants will be asked to provide names and email addresses of three people.
Official Transcripts: As part of the electronic application through the Graduate School Portal, applicants will be asked to provide two (2) official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended, both undergraduate and graduate.
Portfolio: Submit a portfolio for review using the Slideroom web application at https://psu.slideroom.com/ The portfolio should consist of 18-20 examples of the applicants original artwork presented in a digital format.
International applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT). Applicants with iBT speaking scores between 15 and 18 may be considered for provisional admission, enrollment, and, if necessary, remedial course work. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.