MFA计划提供了严格而苛刻的教育环境，以满足积极进取的学生的需求。参加者是根据表明高度艺术个性，成就和承诺的作品选出的。考生应体现出在大学环境下工作和学习所需要的知识好奇心和广泛兴趣，并为他们提供最好的服务。该非中等专业课程提供要求苛刻的课程，并鼓励在当代理论，批评和更广泛文化的启发下，对媒体进行实验性和创新性整合以及跨学科的艺术创作方法。这个小计划促进了同仁之间以及与知识社区中的教师之间的亲密互动，并通过助学金和本科课程的独门教学在最高学术水平上提供了丰富的艺术教学经验。两年内，学生必须在斯坦福大学居住
The MFA program provides a rigorous and demanding educational environment appropriate to the needs of strongly motivated students. Participants are chosen for the program on the basis of work that indicates high artistic individuality, achievement, and promise. Candidates should embody the intellectual curiosity and broad interests appropriate to, and best served by, work and study within the University context. The non medium-specific program provides a demanding curriculum and encourages experimental and innovative integration of media and interdisciplinary approach to art-making informed by contemporary theory, criticism and broader culture. The small program facilitates intimate interaction between peers and with the faculty in an intellectual community, and affords a wealth of professional experience in teaching art at the highest academic level via teaching assistantships and solo teaching of undergraduate courses.