Application deadline: February 1, 2017
Purchase College
State University of New York
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
The MFA in Visual Arts Program at Purchase College, SUNY, is a two-year, interdisciplinary graduate program in studio art. This small and highly selective program, unique in its combination of affordability and access to a wealth of resources both on campus and in the New York City area, fosters the artistic, intellectual, and professional growth of students through a melding of independent studio work and rigorous academic studies.
MFA Visual Arts Program attributes and resources:
–25 miles south of the campus, the vast art resources in New York City play a crucial role in every student’s curricular and extracurricular activities.
–At the end of the two-year program, students present a culminating exhibition at a New York gallery in one of the city’s thriving arts neighborhoods. The 2017 thesis show will take place at Equity Gallery, Manhattan, Lower East Side.
–State-of-the-art facilities and semi-private studios offer a myriad of resources and expertise to students who are eager to explore previously unfamiliar areas of artistic production. The extensive facilities include photography, video, and digital labs, a woodshop and metal shop, and printmaking and letterpress studios.
–Access to the collection and exhibitions of the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College’s campus museum and eighth largest university museum in the country.
–The School of Art+Design Visiting Artist Lecture Series brings to campus noted artists, curators, and critics in combinations of five-week intensive critique sessions and one-day visits. This encourages a rigorous and diverse public conversation for students and the larger creative community. Visiting practitioners, recent and upcoming, include Ann Agee, Doug Ashford, Huma Bhabha, David Brooks, Adam Cvijanovic, David Altmejd, Chitra Ganesh, Barnaby Furnas, David Humphrey, Martin Kersels, Jon Kessler, Catherine Lord, Suzanne McClelland, Carlos Motta, Sarah Oppenheimer, Virginia Overton, Sheila Pepe, Gilad Ratman, Lucy Raven, Amanda Ross-Ho, Raphael Rubinstein, Barry Schwabsky, Michael St. John, Kara Rooney, and Dread Scott, among many others. For a list up upcoming activities click here.
The MA program in Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism and Theory at Purchase College, State University of New York offers a unique, in-depth course of graduate study. The program augments historical and methodological training with an object-based approach, incorporating into the curriculum the collection and exhibitions of the internationally acclaimed Neuberger Museum of Art.
The MA program offers a concentration in curatorial practices, which includes hands-on experience with exhibition projects through coursework and internship opportunities at the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College’s campus museum, as well as at nearby New York City arts institutions. The Neuberger’s collection places it within the top ten university art museums in the United States
Joint MFA/MA degree
Students may apply for a joint MFA/MA degree, the latter in Modern and Contemporary Art, Criticism and Theory, with the art history requirements completed in a third year of study.
Financial assistance
Purchase College’s position in the State University of New York system offers a significant financial advantage. Half- to full-tuition scholarships are available, depending on residency status. Teaching stipends may supplement costs of attendance. Students can expect to pay significantly less than one-half the cost of attendance of equivalent private graduate programs.
About Purchase College
Founded on the principle that artists and scholars are indispensable to each other and to an enlightened society, Purchase College combines professional conservatory programs in the visual and performing arts and distinguished programs in the liberal arts and sciences. Located 25 miles north of Manhattan in Westchester County, the campus celebrates individuality, diversity, and creativity as we encourage students to “Think Wide Open.” At Purchase College, the arts play a special role—liberal education infuses the arts and the arts infuse the campus. Purchase College is part of the State University of New York system.
For application information
Garrett Marino, Associate Director of Admissions: T +1 914 251 6300 / [email protected]
The online application can be found here.
Upcoming exhibitions:
stolen/missing/disappeared
December 1–15, 2016
Reception: Wednesday, November 30, 6–7:30pm
Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery
Hours: Monday–Friday 10am–5pm
Featuring works and projects by MFA graduate students Timothy Atticus, Tal Beery, Kelsey Brod, D. Brian Burns II, Carmelita Diaz, Eliza Evans, Ashley Frato, Melinda Kiefer, Paul Clark Minor, Bridget McGuire, Zoey B Scheler, Sam Spillman, Sophie Treppendahl, Gaku Tsutaja, Charlotte Woolf, curated by Faye Hirsch
2017 MFA thesis exhibitions
Richard and Dolly Maass Gallery
April 5–21, 2017
Reception: Wednesday, April 5, 6–7:30pm
Tal Beery, Eliza Evans, Ashley Frato, Melinda Kiefer
April 26–May 5, 2017
Reception: Wednesday, April 26, 6–7:30pm
D. Brian Burns II, Carmelita Diaz, Paul Clark Minor, Zoey B Scheler
MFA thesis exhibition in NYC
May 11–27, 2017
Opening: May 10, 6–8pm
Equity Gallery
245 Broome Street
New York, NY 10002
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday noon–6pm
