SDSU School of Art, Design, and Art History

Master of Arts (Studio Arts) Degree in Art

The School's Specific Admission Requirements (Part Two of Admissions Process)

The following materials should be mailed or delivered by March 1 for admission for the fall semester to:

Graduate Adviser
School of Art, Design, and Art History
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4805

1. School of Art, Design, and Art History application form (available at http://art.sdsu.edu/site/docs/GradStudio_app.pdf(external link))
2. Statement of purpose addressing your professional goals and reasons for selecting the School of Art, Design, and Art History at SDSU for your pursuit of these goals
3. Artist statement which describes the nature or content of the work shown in the portfolio
4. Digital images of your work. All digital images must be accompanied by a printed thumbnail index. Digital images should not exceed 1024 x 768 pixels, and should be presented either as a collection of JPEG files in a folder along with a caption list, or as captioned images contained within a single PDF or with PowerPoint. Printed digital image samples are encouraged, but must be accompanied by disc in the above stated formats.
5. Current resume
6. Two letters of recommendation from art instructors (or others) who are able to comment on your artistic potential in the area of specialization (letters can be sent separately or included with your application in sealed and signed envelopes)
7. Transcripts—one copy of unofficial or official transcripts for all college- and univeristy-level institutions attended
8. Any other materials required specifically in the instructions by your chosen discipline
9. Return envelope with sufficient postage for the return of your portfolio

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

All students must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing, as described in Part Two of the Graduate Bulletin. In general, students must have completed an undergraduate major in art with a minimum of 24 upper division units, including two semesters of work in the general history of art, before they will be permitted to enter the graduate program. Students must also be able to show that they are adequately advanced to carry out projects which measure up to graduate standards. In studio areas this requirement will be measured by a formal presentation (the Graduate Review) to the emphasis area faculty of a portfolio of examples of the candidate's undergraduate or postbaccalaureate work. The range should be great enough to give the committee a knowledge of the candidate's strengths and weaknesses. A statement of the candidate's objectives in the graduate program should accompany this presentation. If it is determined that the student is capable of doing graduate art work, he/she may be permitted to begin such work even though he/she has not completed an appropriate undergraduate major in art. Those students whose work is insufficiently advanced for classified graduate standing may enroll for courses through Open University, in order to meet the standard requirements. In addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the university, students wishing to be admitted to the art history graduate program with a classified graduate standing must complete the equivalent of the graduation requirements as specified in the current General Catalog (a minimum of 39 units of art history to include Art 593).

Students who do not meet the requirements for admission to the graduate program in art history but meet the requirements for graduate admission to the university, may, at the discretion of the art history faculty, be accepted with conditional standing.

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

All students must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing, as described in Part Two of this bulletin. In general, the student must have completed a bachelor's degree in studio art or the equivalent from an accredited institution, including twelve units of art history, six units of which comprise a survey of the history of global art. A grade point average of 3.25 or better in upper division art courses is required.

Students must also be able to show that they are adequately advanced to carry out projects which measure up to graduate standards. This requirement will be measured by a formal presentation of a portfolio of work to the graduate faculty in the area of emphasis.

Advancement to Candidacy

In addition to meeting the requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Part Two of this bulletin, all students must have (1) completed a minimum of 30 units on the official program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 [B]; and (2) been reviewed by the graduate faculty of the emphasis area and received approval of an acceptable body of graduate work completed since classified standing fulfilling the requirements of the area of emphasis.

Specific Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree

In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the master's degree as described in Part Two of the Graduate Bulletin, all students must complete a graduate program of a minimum of 30 units which includes at least 24 units in art from courses listed below as acceptable on master's degree programs in art, of which at least 16 units must be in 600- and 700-numbered courses.

Specific to Studio Arts (Major Code: 10021)

Those electing studio arts must complete a minimum of 18 units in the area of specialization. Art 694, 760, and 799A are required. Not more than a total of six units in Art 798 will be accepted. A creative project accompanied by a written report is required as fulfillment of Art 799A. In conjunction with this project, each candidate for the degree must present an exhibition of representative graduate work.

This page was last updated at 9:26AM on February 2, 2012