The MFA Program in Painting and Printmaking is highly selective and is presently limited to fifteen participants, it fosters intensive studio practice in the areas of painting, drawing, printmaking, and digital media. The program is ranked among the top ten best graduate painting programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, the MFA in Fine Arts with a concentration in painting or printmaking requires 60 credit hours and is usually completed in two years of full-time study. Most of these credit hours are in studio areas and are augmented by related courses in specialized academic fields. A graduate seminar meets weekly and addresses topics related to contemporary art and theory. Two required semesters of art and critical theory are presented in a course that surveys the major themes of contemporary art criticism.