Program Overview

The VSW MFA program is a full-time, three-year, 60 credit terminal degree program for furthering one’s art practice and professional objectives. In association with SUNY Brockport, SUNY, the MFA courses all take place at VSW, a highly unique environment internationally recognized for supporting dozens of visiting artist projects each year.

Photography, Book Art, and Moving images are at the core of this MFA. Each semester students take a graduate seminar in art historical and critical subjects in addition to studio courses and electives. Classes in collections management, exhibitions management, and guided work assisting with VSW’s curatorial projects are all available. An additional certificate in Art Administration can be earned in association with SUNY Brockport, SUNY’s Public Administration graduate program.

The goal of the MFA is for graduates to complete a thesis that is strong evidence of their own working practice and to be able to speak and write effectively about the work. MFA thesis projects have included solo exhibitions, feature-length documentaries, physical and e-book publications, performances, social practice experiences, curated exhibitions, film festivals, publishing projects, workshops, and other activities.

VSW MFA alumni are working artists exhibiting internationally; educators working at all levels and types of education; directors, curators, and administrators in renowned institutions; creators of programs and organizations that have greatly expanded the fields of photography, book art, and moving images.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Explain the major trends and tendencies in historical and contemporary media art practice in the context of the media arts and visual culture.
• Employ advanced competencies in a broad range of technical skills associated with the production of visual media.
• Articulate the creative skills and decision-making strategies involved in the independent production of artworks and the motivations and cultural consequences underlying them.
• Produce a sustained body of work requiring the technical and creative command of visual media including its preparation, sequencing, installation and public presentation.
• Use libraries, archives, and online data sources to research media and primary arts-related material to apply research creatively to their art production.
• Investigate and draw conclusions about media arts issues and to write and communicate an intelligent and informed position on the nature of art and visual culture.
• Employ professional sills and conduct in an arts organization or arts-related school or business.