The 60-unit M.F.A. in Art option in Visual Arts emphasizes the experience and value of visual thinking and creative problem solving in art, as well as recognizing the concurrent importance of critical thinking, experimentation, innovation and perception. Graduate students must understand the history and traditions of art and their cultural, political and social relevance. They are encouraged to utilize and interact with the services, facilities and technologies offered throughout the University, as well as those provided by the Department of Art and Design. The program has areas of concentration in Ceramics, Drawing, Illustration, Painting, Photography/Video, Printmaking, and Sculpture. Students will acquire academic and professional knowledge and skills in various art media, concepts and methodologies. Students will produce an academic and professional body of individual and collaborative work suitable for a master of fine arts degree, for the local, national and global marketplace. Students will solve visual problems at an academic and professional level, including understanding/application of the elements of art and principles of design. Students will utilize and apply critical thinking skills to communicate ideas for their intended audience at an academic and professional level in visual, oral, and written formats Students will acquire historical and contemporary knowledge of diverse cultural and aesthetic contexts, including political, visual and material culture. The Master of Fine Arts degree program in Visual Arts is the terminal degree for practicing artists and requires a minimum of 60 units. Students accepted into the program are encouraged to be registered full time, taking a minimum of 9 units per semester.<br><br>CSUN's location within the greater LA basin places our painting program in the heart of the international art world. Easy access to world class museums like LACMA, MOCA, the Hammer, the Getty, and the Norton Simon, as well as close proximity to major gallery districts like Culver City, Chinatown, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica ensure that our students are up to speed on both historical and contemporary aspects of painting, our students see the real thing, up close and personal. Guest artists, field trips, and required gallery excursions take full advantage of the Los Angeles market, and expose students to real world issues that they will face upon graduation. As such, all painting faculty at CSUN are working, exhibiting artists with national and international exhibition histories. As students begin the Painting program, they are introduced to the basic fundamentals of painting. As students progress, the curriculum focuses on historical and contemporary tropes in painting, while maintaining an emphasis on refining skills and critical thinking/problem solving. In the upper division and graduate painting students are introduced critical theory and learn to contextualize their work within the larger context of contemporary discourse. Students explore diverse modes of creative practice while developing a mature portfolio of their own work, outside of assignments. Ultimately, each student will be guided in the development of his/her own individual artistic style.