Oregon College of Art and Craft (OCAC) recently announced two new graduate programs.
The Master of Fine Arts in Craft and Material Studies - Low Residency advances the creative practice, materials knowledge, and academic achievement of independent, self-motivated artists, makers and designers—particularly those with established professional lives, family or community commitments that present geographic challenges to furthering their careers through traditional curriculum.
An integral part of the existing MFA in Craft: Critical and Innovative Practice, students in the Craft and Material Studies program alternate between vigorous on-campus experiences in our exceptional OCAC studios and a self-directed, mentor-based studio practice in their home communities. The seven-term curriculum is an intensive, individually tailored program, matching comprehensive investigations through local resources with the expertise of full-time faculty, a dynamic MFA cohort, and an extensive list of visiting artists. Regular online meetings with our OCAC faculty and peers augment the educational experience, providing graduates with new insights and methods to invigorate their individual studio practices and profoundly invest in their creative voices and professional aspirations.
The MFA in Industrial Design is ideally suited to individuals who imagine a self-producing and self-sustaining future. Through inquiry and collaboration, students engage in deep dialogue with faculty to realize ambitious projects. Our faculty mentors each student’s growth through a hands-on education that advocates for intelligence derived from the material making of objects and products. The program involves human-centered research, sustainable practices, start-up business knowledge, digital and fabrication skills, deep materials knowledge and experimentation, model and making skills, and a willingness to get lost in the process before the solution is found.
MFA/ID students balance personal research with studies in the innovative and professional methods of Industrial Design. The process of focused experimentation and analysis provides each student with the creative and intellectual foundation for discovery. The faculty, a globally-trained and agile group of creative thinkers, designers, artists and makers, values Industrial Design as a way of thinking, and invites curious-minded students with a level of maturity in creative thinking to join us.
About OCAC
OCAC is a leading, uniquely small, mentor-based college where students are individually guided to become successful artists and professionals in the fields of creative practice, business, and industry. Students work in small classes with renowned faculty, artists-in-residence, and fellow students to explore innovative, cross-media approaches to making, experiential learning, and conceptual thinking. Located in Portland, Oregon, our community reflects the ethos that values the hand-made, locally sourced, and ethically entrepreneurial. OCAC is a place where ideas are realized.
Facilities
Our studios, furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, allow students to perform the newest techniques and processes while building on traditional techniques that have been in use for centuries. A photo tour provides an inside look at the amazing array of tools, materials, machines and implements that are available on campus.
Mentor-based
OCAC’s low student-to-faculty ratio provides the opportunity for a mentor-based approach, which allows students to expand their creative process, interests, and goals while working closely with our experienced faculty.
Interdisciplinary
MFA students have access to eight well-equipped studios on campus, including Book & Print, Ceramics,
Digital FabLab, Drawing & Painting, Fibers, Metals, Photography, and Wood. In our highly intensive and open community of diverse makers and thinkers, students are encouraged to develop their vision by selecting and integrating materials, forms and ideas that transcend specific media.
Financial support
OCAC provides access to generous tuition support for our students through scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs.
