Art and Design Department

College of Arts and Humanities
Ellensburg
Randall Hall, room 100
Mail Stop 7564
509-963-2665

www.cwu.edu/art
See website for how this program may be used for educational and career purposes.

Faculty and Staff
Chair
Gregg Schlanger, MFA

Professors
Keith Lewis, MFA, jewelry and metalsmithing
Gregg Schlanger, MFA, sculpture

Associate Professors
Ellen Avitts, PhD, art history
David Bieloh, MFA, graphic design
Maya Chachava, MFA, painting
Stephen Robison, MFA, ceramics

Assistant Professors
Marcus DeSieno, MFA, photography
Rachel Kirk, MFA, foundations and drawing

Staff
Jeff Cleveland, department maintenance
Heather Horn Johnson, gallery manager
Gwendolyn Bruce, secretary senior

Department Information
The art and design department offers two graduate degree programs for students wishing to study visual art beyond the baccalaureate level. Each degree requires that candidates complete coursework in art concepts and criticism, art history, studio area of concentration, electives, and a creative thesis project.

The 45-credit, master of arts (MA) program offers students advanced study in the various studio areas. The MA is intended for students who desire graduate-level training in art and helps prepare them for various arts-related careers and for further advanced studies in art.

The 90-credit master of fine arts (MFA) is a terminal degree program providing students with professional levels of competency and experience in studio art. The MFA program qualifies students for careers as teachers in higher education, as professional studio artists, and for other studio-arts-related vocations. The following studio art concentrations are offered at Central:

Ceramics
Drawing
Jewelry and Metalsmithing
Painting
Photography
Sculpture
Wood Design

Policies and Procedures
Departmental policies and procedures regarding graduate study are fully described in the departmental “Graduate Handbook.”

Application and Admission: In addition to the university guidelines governing admission to graduate degree programs, the following specific guidelines apply to both the MA and MFA programs:

A. Acceptance is primarily based on the student’s potential as evidenced by a portfolio, previous coursework in art, goals consistent with departmental resources, and other experiences relevant to art making. Applicants may be asked to have a telephone interview with a faculty member in their area of studio concentration before being admitted to a program.

B. Applicants are required to submit 20 examples of their recent work in the form of digital images on a CD (please follow digital images format directions below) and a printed image list. This documentation should represent the depth and breadth of the applicant’s work. Students are strongly urged to visit the campus and arrange a personal interview with faculty members in their major area of concentration and with the art department chair prior to submitting an application. Consistent with the above criteria, applicants with undergraduate degrees in disciplines other than visual arts are encouraged to apply. The digital portfolio CD should be mailed directly to the Department along with copes of all application material.

Digital Images format: Dimensions of digital images should be 1920 pixels x 1920 pixels at 72 dpi. File format should be baseline JPG. The canvas background color should be black. If your image is horizontal there would be black horizontal bands on the top and bottom. If your image is vertical there would be black vertical bands on the left and right. Please include an image list to correspond with files names. Files should be named yourlastname001.jpg, (Your last name, the image number and the file extension). Submit your digital images on a CD (images only, do not embed in PowerPoint or Keynote).

Image List: Please include an image/work list. List the work submitted (numbered to correspond with digital images if you are submitting a CD). Include title, date completed, medium and dimensions.

Transfer of Credits: The general provisions for the transfer of credits are set forth under the catalog heading, “Master’s Degree Guidelines.”

Residence Requirements: Students must be in residence three consecutive full-time quarters (excluding summers). All studio credits, except those approved under the transfer of credit provisions, must be taken in residence. For these purposes, residence may include credits taken in travel study, internship programs, or other study taken elsewhere but listed on the approved course of study.

Graduate Committee: A committee of at least three faculty members will be organized by the student during the student’s first quarter of residency. The members of this committee will be chosen in consultation with the student’s committee chairperson. The chair of the committee, in consultation with the student, will schedule a meeting at least once each quarter. More frequent meetings may be scheduled. The purposes of these meetings are:

•   To determine that the student is making satisfactory progress in the degree program
•   To evaluate the student’s studio work
•   To identify problems and to offer solutions.

A first-year review will consist of an evaluation of the student’s work, completed or in progress, including review of non-studio coursework. MFA/MA candidacy is contingent on successful progress in the following areas: studio work, knowledge of art history, and understanding of contemporary theory and criticism. Additional coursework may be required at the graduate committee’s discretion.

Further details regarding the graduate committee process are provided in the graduate handbook.

Graduate Assistantships: Teaching or staff assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. Assistants are granted by the dean of Graduate Studies and Research based upon the recommendation of the department chair.
Studio Space: Shared or individual studio workspace is provided to graduate students as available and will be allocated by the chair of the art department.

Studio Project: In order to successfully complete ART 700, Studio Project, the MFA/MA candidate must present a cohesive body of work completed in the last year of study as evidence of mastery in their area of concentration. This studio project is developed in consultation with the student’s graduate committee and presented as a public exhibition. The studio project also requires students to present a written document that supports their body of work.

The written document must meet thesis format standards as required by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Final Oral Examination: Upon completion of the studio project, the student will discuss and defend the project and the accompanying written document in an oral examination conducted by the graduate committee. Upon successful completion of the oral examination, the graduate committee will confer and render a determination of the success of the student’s project.

Programs

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

Master of Fine Arts in Art

Courses

Art (ART)