Full and part-time graduate programs in studio art and design

New Jersey City University has extended the deadline to apply to the fall 2021 semester.  

New Jersey City University (NJCU) has competitive and affordable MFA and MA programs where students are given the much-needed space, mentorship, and guidance to grow as artists.  

Graduate assistantships and scholarships are available. Faculty mentors are generous, and study is individualized and flexible. Courses required for the MA or MFA degrees are scheduled in both daytime and evenings. We offer both full and part-time flexible enrollment options. 

About ​New Jersey City University
New Jersey City University is located in Jersey City, NJ just minutes away from New York City, giving students access to the world’s premier museums, art galleries, design studios, agents, curators, critics, and art collectors. Our proximity and professional connections to NYC offer a global perspective and opportunities for career development.

The MFA and MA program at NJCU is a dynamic curriculum that offers an intense and close relationship with faculty and colleagues in a state of the art facility. Our faculty work with students on an individual basis, providing a consistent guide as they proceed through their studies. One-on-one and group critiques are the core evaluative methodology of the program along with an intense study of art historical practice and contemporary theory. 

In the dedicated Visual Arts Building, MFA students are provided with separate semi-private studios in Painting/ Drawing, Jewelry/Metals, Sculpture, Graphic Design, and Illustration. Photography and Printmaking both have new equipment and facilities for graduate student use. All of the disciplines provide the latest digital technology: computers, scanners, printers, CNC Router, and 3D printers, specifically reserved for graduate students in MFA studios.

We are currently accepting applications for admission to fall 2021.

MFA with concentrations in: Ceramics, Graphic Design, Illustration, Jewelry & Metals, Painting/Drawing, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture 

MA with specialization in: Communication Design, Design and Crafts, Fine Arts 

Master of Fine Art (MFA) program
The MFA program at NJCU is a 60-credit degree track that engages the innovative, intellectual, and expert potential of each candidate. Graduate MFA students focus on independently directed studio art practices in Studio I–IV courses, guided by a primary faculty mentor. Two additional thesis advisors join the primary mentor to complete the student’s thesis committee. Throughout the program, work in progress is discussed and assessed in four Master Critique courses. These courses are instructed by professional guest artists and change instructor and topic each semester to cover a range of current and relevant topics. Art History and Contemporary Art Seminars along with graduate elective courses are part of the program requirements. Ideas and information gathered in these production and critique courses aid in directing the candidate toward his/her thesis project, which is completed in the final 2 semesters. All MFA Candidates are provided a semi-private or private studio space.

Master of Art (MA) in Studio Art program
The MA program at NJCU is a 39-credit degree track that engages the creative and intellectual potential of each candidate with a focus on increasing skills and knowledge within the fields and production of art and design. Graduate students in the MA program focus on directed practices within a series of studio art courses and under the guidance of a primary mentor. Work is assessed within each course leading to a final thesis report completed in the final semester. Art history and contemporary art seminars along with graduate elective courses are part of the program requirements. Courses are scheduled in both daytime and evenings and the program offers the flexibility of either full or part-time enrollment. NJCU Art Teaching Certification Program can be paired with MA study for certification of K-12 teaching in New Jersey.

Contact: Ashley Lyon, Graduate Coordinator, alyon [​at​] njcu.edu