Graduate Degrees

Master of Fine Arts - Studio Art

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree at UNL is offered with an emphasis in one the following areas: ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, sculpture, new genres or a combination of two of these areas. Sixty credits are required for graduation, including a minimum of twenty-six hours in the student’s major area, nine hours of art history, sixteen hours of studio electives and nine hours of general electives. Students normally spend three years earning the degree and full time enrollment is required. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree and substantial previous study in studio art. The faculty also recommends at least 15 undergraduate credits in art history and an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5. Applicants whose native language is not English must score at least 550 on the TOEFL exam.

Master of Arts - Art History

The M.A. in Art History is designed as a two-year program of study offering a broad range of courses in Western art history, opportunities for advanced study and experience with independent research. The M.A. program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, balanced between coursework designed to promote coverage of the field, cross-disciplinary explorations, focused research, and a written thesis. M.A. candidates must pass a written comprehensive exam by their third semester and an oral exam on their thesis research. Competency in a modern foreign language is also required. Applicants for the M.A. must apply for special permission to pursue a non-thesis option.

The M.A. is a necessary preliminary degree for the Ph.D in art history, but it is also increasingly a requirement for entry-level employment in such arts-related fields as museums, galleries, auction houses, arts administration, community colleges and information technology. This M.A. program will develop skills in critical thinking and visual analysis applicable to a wide range of professional and civic pursuits and will prepare the student for further study in the field or for an arts-related career.

Applicants will ordinarily have a bachelor’s degree with an art history major or minor, however we recognize that M.A. applicants may come from a wide variety of backgrounds that may require individual structuring of their programs. Those without a demonstrated background in art history may be advised to take undergraduate courses in the department prior to admission to the program or concurrent with their M.A. studies (these classes will not count toward M.A. program requirements). Regardless of an applicant’s undergraduate major, admission to the M.A. program assumes a minimum of a B average in undergraduate work. In addition, the applicant must meet the standards of admission to the Graduate School, and must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

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