The Department of Art and Art History offers a Master of Fine Arts Graduate Program. This is an intensive, studio-based program offering artists the opportunity to develop a practical and theoretical understanding of their art practice in the context of a challenging and supportive faculty of studio artists, art historians and art educators. Students may specialize in the areas of painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, and digital & integrated practice. The program is normally two years in length. Through seminars, classes, committee meetings and critiques, an environment is created which enables self-examination, change and growth. Artistic experimentation as part of the search to locate one's practice within a wider art historical and critical context is encouraged.

The Master of Fine Arts Degree is offered in studio art. Candidates are required to take 18 credit units of course work in addition to a thesis exhibition and seminar. Candidates should anticipate a minimum of two years to complete the program, taking half of the required course work each year and maintaining an active studio practice throughout the program. Studio facilities are provided for first and second year participants.

Candidates in the University of Saskatchewan MFA Program come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have varying degrees of experience and engagement in the wider arts community. The University of Saskatchewan does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, disability, or sex in any aspects of its operation.

Admission Requirements

Candidates must have a BFA degree, or its equivalent, with acceptable standing upon entrance to the program. Please review the Admissions Requirements found on the College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS) at the following link: https://grad.usask.ca/programs/studio-art.php#Admissionrequirements

How to Apply

For September admission, complete applications with all supporting documents must be received by January 10th. Late applications and documents will not be considered. In the event, January 10th is not during the regular work week such as being on a Saturday or Sunday, the complete application will be due the immediate following Monday.

Please note that our MFA program in Studio Art does not have teaching faculty nor resources for design or architecture students. Other Graduate programs may be more suitable

All applications for admission must include the following to be uploaded to your online application:

• On-line application for admission http://grad.usask.ca/programs/studio-art.php

• A non-refundable application fee of $120 (in Canadian or equivalent US funds), which is payable online through the online application process

• Three letters of reference - Suitable referees should be:

  • someone who is well-acquainted with you,
    
    
  • able to attest to your potential for graduate studies,
    
    
  • academic in nature.
    
    
  • professional references are only accepted in situations where work and/or teaching experience is relevant.

  
  Contact your references before applying to confirm their availability and willingness to write a reference letter for you. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application before the MFA program’s application deadline to give your referees sufficient time to provide their assessment and letter of reference.

• Statement of intent - a 500-word statement of intent that is focused on describing the artistic research that you would like to pursue during your MFA.  For more information about what you statement on intent should include, please click here https://grad.usask.ca/programs/studio-art.php#Applicationprocess   then click ‘Statement/Letter of Intent’ 

• CV (resume)

• Portfolio of 20 images combined as one pdf document (less than 3 MB in size); labelled with the following information directly on each image: media, size, title and date of work

• Transcripts from all post secondary institutions attended

• Test results of proof of English language proficiency from applicants from non-English speaking countries (eg. TOEFL, IELTS). Click here for details

• NEW ADDITION: Video Introduction Profile

  As part of our online application process, we ask that Master of Fine Art applicants provide a PDF page listing an online link to a 3-minute pre-recorded video on Vimeo.com or Youtube.com. You are asked to present yourself in the video and respond to the prompts listed below. Your answers will help to give us a more complete sense of your art practice and your interest in the MFA Studio Art Program at the University of Saskatchewan.

  • Describe briefly your visual art practice, your proposed focus of artistic research, and how your art practice is contemporary art.
    
    
  • Outline how a MFA Program may inform your artistic development, and describe your expectations.
    
    
  • Share with us why you chose to apply to the Master of Fine Art Program in Studio Art at the University of Saskatchewan.

Contact Information

Graduate Program Co-Chairs
Cameron Forbes
cameron.forbes@usask.ca
jake moore
jake.moore@usask.ca

Application Admin Support
Anna McKenzie
asg.gradapplications@usask.ca
 
Program Admin Support
Nadine Penner
asg.graduateprograms@usask.ca