Admission to a degree program at CSULB is a two-part process that requires application to and acceptance by both the University and the Department of Art into a specific degree program. (See the detailed information on CSULB graduate application and admission requirements earlier in this catalog.)
For graduate programs, the Department of Art accepts applications for Fall admission only, with applications being accepted January 1 through 31. Application forms are available on the web (www.art.csulb.edu).
Department of Art application materials must be sent to the Department of Art Student Services Office, FA4 – 106. University Application must be made to the CSULB Office of Enrollment Services, Brotman Hall. Call (562) 985-4145 or 1655 to obtain a CSU application booklet, or apply online at www.csumentor.edu There is a $55.00 fee for the University application process. (Do not send the Department of Art this fee; we will send it back to you.)
Some art programs may conduct applicant interviews, in which case they will contact you directly. Acceptance decisions are normally sent out by March 15th.
Acceptance to a degree program in Art: After submitting the Department of Art application materials, those who pass the program review are recommended by the faculty to be admitted as either Classified or Conditionally Classified. A Classified Graduate has satisfied all prerequisites. A Conditionally Classified Graduate has outstanding prerequisites to complete. Acceptance is not complete until the applicant has received both notification of acceptance from the Department of Art and a formal letter of acceptance from the CSULB Office of Enrollment Services.
NOTE: The Department of Art requires a GPA of 3.0 in upper-division (junior and senior level) art prerequisite units for acceptance to our graduate program. All applicants must be accepted by the Department of Art in order to be officially accepted by the University. There is no fee for the departmental application process.
International Students must be accepted by the Department of Art and pass the TOEFL examination (minimum score of 550) before they can be admitted to the University. International students must apply to CSULB through the Center for International Education at (562) 985-5476.
CSU general requirements include: a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution; a grade point average of at least 2.5 in the last 60 semester units taken; and good standing at the last college attended.
An applicant may be accepted if, in addition to having satisfied specific prerequisites set by the Department of Art for each degree concentration, the applicant has satisfied the minimum university standards found in the Admission section of this catalog.
Special Action: In rare and compelling circumstances, an applicant who does not qualify for admission under the previous provisions may be admitted by special action if on recommendation of the appropriate faculty of the department/college concerned and in the judgment of the Associate Vice President for Graduate and Undergraduate Programs or his/her designee there exists acceptable evidence that the applicant possesses sufficient academic, professional, and other potential pertinent to her/his educational objectives to merit such action, as shown through aptitude scores, recent academic performance, and experiential background.
An applicant who has deficiencies in prerequisites for a concentration, but who in the judgment of the Department of Art can meet these prerequisites with additional preparation specified at time of admission, may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate standing. Students who have deficiencies in prerequisites for a concentration, but who are willing to engage in additional preparation to meet prerequisites, are encouraged to apply.
NOTE: Courses taken as prerequisites for a graduate degree may not be counted toward the graduate degree program of study.
Applicants must complete 36 units of coursework approved by the Art Education faculty and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in prerequisite courses.
Applicants must complete 36 units of coursework approved by the Art History faculty and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in prerequisite courses.
NOTE: Art History applicants should have completed at least two years (or a minimum of 12 units) of college-level French or German with an average grade of “B” or better. Students without this preparation are advised that all students accepted for the Art History MA must pass the In-house Foreign Language Exam within the first three semesters of study. (With approval from the Art History faculty, another language may be substituted.)
The Department of Art prefers, but does not require, that Studio Art applicants have undergraduate degrees in art, Application to our graduate programs is competitive and most applicants to the studio programs will have an undergraduate degree in art, many with a BFA in their chosen media. For Studio Art admissions, the part of the application that is given the most weight is the portfolio of work. The Department of Art invites all applicants who feel they have strong portfolios to apply. If faculty feel the application is strong, but the applicant needs additional preparatory work, the Department of Art may admit the applicant with conditionally classified graduate standing, with specific prerequisites stated on a case-by-case basis at the time of admission.
January 1 through 31 prior to the fall term for which the applicant seeks admission, applicant must submit departmental application materials as follows:
Art Education: Department of Art application, statement of purpose, writing sample, portfolio of studio work, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation
Art History: Department of Art application, statement of purpose, writing sample, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation
Studio Art: Department of Art application, statement of purpose, portfolio of studio work, transcripts, and two letters of recommendation
A faculty list is available on the website; contact the appropriate professor if you need particular information on a specific program.
When you formally apply to the University, two official (sealed) sets are required; send one to Enrollment Services and one to the Department of Art.
Transfer units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. With faculty approval, up to 12 post-baccalaureate units from another university may be accepted into the MA degree program and up to 24 units (for example, from a previous MA degree) into the MFA degree program. In the case of an existing MA degree from CSULB with a concentration in Studio Art, up to 30 units may be accepted into the MFA degree.
1. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0, with no grade below a "C".
2. Successful fulfillment of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) by passing the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE), usually completed in the first semester in residence at CSULB and required to be fulfilled prior to Advancement to Candidacy. Students unable to pass the WPE may be able to fulfill the requirement by completing a special GWAR course.
3. Successful completion of an Advancement to Candidacy review. Reviews generally occur when a student has completed between one third and one half of the units required for the degree, and require the submission of a complete list of coursework for the degree. Additional advancement requirements:
If all scheduled units for the MA or MFA degree have been completed but the final written component has not been approved and submitted, registration in GS-700 (1 unit, no credit) through University Extension is required in order to maintain in enrollment until the semester of graduation. Care should be taken not to exceed the University limit of seven years for all masters’ degrees.
Additional information may be found in the “Department of Art Graduate Guidelines,” given to each student accepted into a master’s program.
32 approved units to include:
Transferred units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of 70% of units applied to degree must be 500/600 level courses taken at CSULB. Undergraduate coursework applied to degree must be upper-division (300 or 400 level). Undergraduate courses may not be used as substitutes for any course specifically required by course number for degree. All double-numbered (400-level/500-level) courses applied to degree must be taken at the 500 level. All coursework applied to degree must be approved.
39 approved units to include:
Transferred units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of 70% of units applied to degree must be 500/600 level courses taken at CSULB. Undergraduate coursework applied to degree must be upper-division (300 or 400 level). Undergraduate courses may not be used as substitutes for any course specifically required by course number for degree. All double-numbered (400-level/500-level) courses applied to degree must be taken at the 500 level. All coursework applied to degree must be approved.
Graduate-level or upper-division courses in other CSULB departments may be approved as course substitutions with approval of student’s Thesis Committee.
Advancement to candidacy is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the Writing Proficiency Exam and an approved qualifying paper, and satisfying foreign language proficiency requirements.
39 approved units to include:
33 approved units to include:
Transferred units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of 70% of units applied to degree must be 500/600 level courses taken at CSULB. Undergraduate coursework applied to degree must be upper-division (300 or 400 level). Undergraduate courses may not be used as substitutes for any course specifically required by course number for degree. All double-numbered (400-level/500-level) courses applied to degree must be taken at the 500 level. All coursework applied to degree must be approved.
60 units of approved graduate units.
Transferred units are allowed on a case-by-case basis. A minimum of 70% of units applied to degree must be 500/600 level courses taken at CSULB. Undergraduate coursework applied to degree must be upper-division (300 or 400 level). Undergraduate courses may not be used as substitutes for any course specifically required by course number for degree. All double-numbered (400-level/500-level) courses applied to degree must be taken at the 500 level. All coursework applied to degree must be approved.
At least 39 units must be in studio courses. No more than 3 units of ART 693 (teaching internship) may be applied to degree.
Students are admitted into discipline-specific tracks. All students take a core of 21 units. Each student takes an additional 39 units of approved coursework according to the track into which the student was admitted.
Additional information, expectations, recommendations and guidelines for each track are included in the “Department of Art Graduate Guidelines” given to each student accepted into the MFA Concentration, and available upon request to applicants.
6 units of graduate-level Art History.
9 units of ART 694 (Graduate Studies: Directed Studio) taken with members of student’s Project Committee beginning four semesters prior to completion of degree, or semester prior to advancement, which ever comes first. (Student must continue to enroll in 3 units of ART 694 per semester for all semesters between advancement and semester of MFA project.)
6 units of ART 699 (Graduate Studies: MFA Project) taken in the final semester with members of student’s Project Committee.
In addition to the MFA Core requirements, each MFA student takes 39 additional approved units according to the following discipline-based tracks into which students are admitted. NOTE: All 597, 598 and 599-numbered courses are studio-oriented variable-topic graduate courses, each with a discipline-specific focus, but with specific topic and structure varying from term to term.
Ceramics Track:
Drawing and Painting Contemporary Practices Track:
Drawing and Painting Figurative Track:
Fiber Track:
Illustration/Animation Track:
Metal Track:
Photography Track:
Printmaking Track A:
Printmaking Track B:
Printmaking Track C:
Sculpture/4D Track:
Graphic Design Track:
Wood Track:
This certificate is primarily directed toward graduate students in Art History and the visual arts, but does not exclude students in other fields. The specifically tracked course of study has an emphasis placed primarily on contemporary art.
A student may pursue the Certificate in Museum Studies as a program of study in itself, or in combination with a program of study directed toward the achievement of one of the department’s degrees. A student may, with approval of both the Museum Studies Program and the student’s Project or Thesis Committee, count up to 15 units of coursework toward both the degree and the certificate.
Admission to the program is by permission of the Museum Studies faculty and the head of the Art History Program. Applicants wishing to pursue the Certificate Program in Museum Studies should apply for the desired degree program during the regular Department of Art graduate application window of January 1 through 31, and should indicate interest in pursuing the Certificate Program in Museum Studies concurrently.
Applicants wishing to pursue the Certificate Program in Museum Studies separate from a degree program should contact the Department of Art Graduate Advisor.
Requirements
A total of 30 units to include:
