Graduate Calendar 2000 - University of Guelph

Fine Art and Music

Faculty
MFA Program
Courses

Disclaimer

Director School of Fine Art and Music
Mary Cyr (201 Zavitz Hall, Ext. 8452)
(E-mail: mcyr@arts.uoguelph.ca)

Graduate co-ordinator
Suzanne M. Lake (409 Zavitz Hall, Ext. 4840)

Graduate secretary
Patricia MacPherson Law (204 Zavitz Hall, Ext. 3988)
patlaw@arts.uoguelph.ca

Graduate Faculty

James Carl
BFA Victoria; Dip. Beijing, McGill; MFA Rutgers - Assistant Professor

Suzanne M. Lake
MFA Concordia - Professor

Jean Maddison
Dip. AD Coventry College of Art, England; MFA, Royal College of Art (England) - Assistant Professor

Monica Tap
BFA and MFA, NSCAD - Assistant Professor

Laurel Woodcock
BFA Concordia, MFA Nova Scotia College of Art & Design - Assistant Professor

Additional Faculty in Art History
Susan Douglas
BA Western, MA Carleton; PhD Concordia - Assistant Professor

Hendrik J. Horn
BA British Columbia, MA, PhD Yale - Professor

W. Chandler Kirwin
BA Princeton, MA, PhD Stanford - Professor

Gerta Moray
Dipl“me de Langue et de Civilization Fran‡aise Lyon, MA Oxford, Postgraduate Diploma Courtauld, PhD Toronto - Associate Professor

Associated Graduate Faculty

Margaret Priest
MA RCA London - Professor (retired)

Special Graduate Faculty

Mary Cyr
BA, MA, PhD California (Berkeley) - Professor and Director

Patrick J. Holland
BA Victoria (Wellington), MA Auckland, MA, PhD McMaster - Associate Professor

Peter Johnston
BFA Queen's, MFA Guelph - Sessional Instructor

David Moos
BA McGill, MA, MPhil, PhD Columbia - Wichita State University

Daniel O’Quinn
BSc, CHS, MA Western Ontario; PhD York --Assistant Professor, “SLAPSIE”

Donna Pennee
BA, MA Guelph; PhD McGill --Associate Professor, “SLAPSIE”

Edward Phillips
BA Amherst, MA, MPhil, PhD Yale - Associate Professor

Reinhard Reitzenstein
Dip., OCAD - Artist

Tony Sherman
Dip. Painting, Bynam Shaw (England); MFA Royal College - Artist

Stephen Schofield
BFA York, MFA Concordia - UQAM

Ron Shuebrook
BS, MEd Kutztown (Pennsylvania), MFA Kent State (Ohio) - Ontario College of Art and Design

Howard Spring
BFA, MFA York, PhD Illinois

Ann Wilson
BA, MA, PhD York --Associate Professor, “SLAPSIE”

Mary Woodside
BA, BMUS McGill, AM, PhD Chicago

MFA Program

     The MFA program in the field of studio art offers specializations in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and alternative practices. Though emphasizing studio practice, the program includes courses in art theory, criticism, history and pedagogy. A thesis exhibition is also required. The objective of the program is to prepare students as professional artists and artist-teachers.
     The MFA is intended to represent a high level of professional competence and personal originality in the informed practice of a studio discipline. In response to the numerous and divergent approaches to the making of visual art, the MFA program provides an individually oriented education that is primarily concerned with the development of independent studio work while encouraging a critical awareness of the cultural context and its ideological complexities.
     In addition to their intense involvement with studio practice, students will be required to demonstrate their pertinent knowledge and judgment about the visual arts in presentations, discussions, and written papers within the required coursework.

Admission Requirements

     Admission to the master of fine arts program in studio art may be granted on the recommendation of the School of Fine Art and Music to:

the holder of a BFA degree (honours equivalent), or an honours BA (or its equivalent in fine or visual arts);
or
in exceptional cases, the holder of a degree in another field who has completed a minimum of six one-semester courses in fine or visual art; or
a student who has satisfied the requirements for transfer from the provisional-student category.

Specific Application Materials for Admission. Each applicant must submit the following:

A slide portfolio of 20 recent works or other documentation of artwork.

A single-page statement that outlines the applicant's career objectives and reasons for wishing to study in the University of Guelph's master of fine arts program in studio art.

Letters of reference from two studio professors. The applicant must have taken a significant proportion of coursework from at least one of the professors. An acceptable alternative to one such letter may be from the department chair on behalf of the department in which the applicant has studied, or from a professional in the field who is familiar with the applicant's abilities.

     It is highly recommended that applicants complete at least eight semesters of courses in art history, cultural studies, or related areas prior to applying. Serious interest in, and substantial familiarity, with contemporary issues in the visual arts is expected.

Degree Requirements
     The MFA degree at the University of Guelph requires the attainment of a professional level of studio practice, and a sophisticated awareness of contemporary discourse in visual arts as well as a detailed knowledge of the selected field of specialization. Each degree candidate will complete a thesis. The MFA thesis consists of an exhibition, a brief supporting paper, and an oral examination.
     The following are some of the specific degree requirements for the MFA degree in studio art (The complete MFA degree regulations are to be found in the Degree Regulations section of this calendar):

Minimum Duration.
The minimum duration is at least four semesters of full-time study.

Prescribed Studies.
   A total of 10.0 credits is required for the completion of this program. In addition to individually oriented studio courses, students are required to complete four MFA seminars; two graduate art history, theory and criticism courses; and two teaching practicum courses.
  A maximum of two courses outside the School of Fine Art and Music may be substituted for courses in art history, theory and criticism. The courses selected must be acceptable to the school and the Dean of Graduate Studies for graduate credit. All 12 "substantive" courses comprise the candidate's prescribed studies, in which the student must obtain an overall average grade of at least 'B-' standing.

Additional Courses.
In addition to the prescribed studies, the student may undertake to achieve satisfactory standings in ancillary courses supportive of the special discipline. These courses may be at either the undergraduate or the graduate level. The standings obtained in them will not affect the average grade of the prescribed studies.

Exhibition/Paper.
Each degree candidate must present an exhibition, performance, or showing of their studio work, as well as a brief critical paper of approximately 1,000 words that articulates the aesthetic, historical and technical issues pertinent to their artwork. The submitted studio work must demonstrate a professional level of competence and a significant aesthetic investigation, as approved by the candidate's master's examination committee.

The Master's Examination.
At the time of the exhibition, the MFA candidate will be expected to successfully complete a final oral examination devoted chiefly to the MFA exhibition with reference to the supporting critical paper. This is a school examination identified as the master's examination.

School Regulations.
In addition to meeting the university's MFA regulations regarding thesis format, the candidate must submit appropriate visual documentation of the MFA exhibition as well as the supporting critical paper to the director of the School of Fine Art and Music for inclusion in the school's archives.

Courses

Course/(Credit Value)	Term	Course Description
FINA6510 Introduction to Graduate Studio* (1.5)		A qualifying open-studio course to determine the student's interests and level of performance. The student will come in contact with a variety of faculty and may choose to work in a number of areas during this period.
FINA6515 MFA Studio I* (1.5)		Sustained work at an independent level under the supervision of the chair of the student's advisory committee. Prerequisite: FINA6510.*
FINA6530 MFA Teaching Practicum I* (0.5)		This course will give the MFA student supervised teaching experience in a studio discipline. In addition, a seminar component will consider theoretical and practical issues relevant to the teaching of studio art. Prerequisite: admission to the MFA program.
FINA6531 MFA Teaching Practicum II* (0.5)		Continuation of teaching practicum under the guidance of a faculty member. The practicum seminar will consider theoretical and practical issues relevant to the teaching of studio art such as educational goals, course and curriculum planning, academic evaluation, health and safety policies, and appropriate materials and equipment. Prerequisite: FINA6530.*
FINA6540 MFA Seminar I* (0.5)		Examination of critical issues in the visual arts relevant to studio practice.
FINA6545 MFA Seminar II* (0.5)		Continuation of issues examined in FINA6540. Prerequisite: FINA6540.
FINA6610 MFA Studio II* (1.5)		A continuation of FINA6515. Prerequisite: FINA6515.
FINA6615 MFA Studio III* (1.5)		A continuation of FINA6610. Prerequisite: 1306610.*
FINA6640 MFA Seminar III* (0.5)		Continuation of FINA6545. Prerequisite: FINA6545.
FINA6641 MFA Seminar IV* (0.5)		Continuation of FINA*6640.
MFA Exhibition And Supporting Critical Paper		Upon completion of coursework, MFA candidates will mount a major exhibition, performance, or showing of their studio work that demonstrates a professional level of competence and a significant aesthetic investigation. A brief, critical paper will be written that discusses the aesthetic, historic, and technical issues pertinent to the exhibited artwork.
Additional Courses
FINA6550 Selected Topics in Fine Art* (0.5)		Seminar in a fine art topic in a subject to be specified by the instructor. Prerequisite: admission to the MFA program.
FINA6551 Seminar in Art Theory and Criticism* (0.5)		Selected topics in art theory and criticism with particular relevance to studio practice. Prerequisite: admission to MFA program and permission of instructor.
FINA6552 Seminar in Canadian Art* (0.5)		Selected topics in Canadian Art. Prerequisite: admission to MFA program andpermission of instructor.
FINA6554 Seminar in Nineteenth Century Art* (0.5)		Selected topics of the period. Prerequisite: admission to MFA program and permission of instructor.
FINA6555 Seminar in Twentieth Century Art* (0.5)		Selected topics of the period. Prerequisite: admission to MFA program and permission of instructor.
FINA6650 Individual Study in Art History* (0.5)		Students will pursue special study under the guidance of a faculty member with appropriate expertise. Prerequisite: approval of the co-ordinator of the MFA program.
FINA6651 Individual Study in Contemporary Art* (0.5)		Students will pursue special study under the guidance of a faculty member with appropriate expertise. Prerequisite: approval of the co-ordinator of the MFA program.
FINA6652 Individual Study in Art Theory and Criticism* (0.5)		Students will pursue special study under the guidance of a faculty member with appropriate expertise. Prerequisite: approval of the co-ordinator of the MFA program.

The Office of Graduate Studies has attempted to ensure the accuracy of this on-line Graduate Calendar. However, the publication of information in this document does not bind the university to the provision of courses, programs, schedules of studies, fees, or facilities as listed herein. Other limitations apply.