Art, M.F.A.

School Review Process

Admission to a degree program at CSULB is a two-part process that requires application to and acceptance by both the University and the School 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 School of Art accepts applications for Fall admission only. Application deadlines and links to application forms are available on the web (www.csulb.edu/school-of-art). 

The application for Graduate Admission to the University is available online through Cal State Apply. Official transcripts must be submitted to university admissions via mail or electronically. This set of transcripts will be used to determine grade point average eligibility. Failure to submit transcripts in a timely manner will result in a delayed review of the application. 

There is a fee for the Cal State Apply application. There is no fee for the School of Art’s supplemental Slideroom application. 

Some art programs may conduct applicant interviews, in which case program faculty will contact the applicant directly. Acceptance decisions are normally sent out by the second week of March. 

Acceptance to Degree Program in Art

Graduate applications are reviewed within the School of Art by appropriate faculty. The admissions process for all graduate programs is highly competitive, and only those applicants who are recommended by the reviewing faculty may be admitted. Applicants are admitted as either Classified or Conditionally Classified. A Classified Graduate Student has been recommended for admission, and has satisfied all prerequisites. A Conditionally Classified Graduate Student has been recommended for admission, but has outstanding prerequisites to complete. 

Acceptance is not complete until the applicant has received both notification of acceptance from the School of Art and official notification from the CSULB Office of Enrollment Services. All applicants must be accepted by the School of Art in order to be officially accepted by the University. 

International Students must be accepted by both the School of Art and International Admissions. English language demonstrations are required, though under certain conditions, the requirement may be waived. Please see the International Admissions website for more information. Questions regarding international admissions may be directed to cie-admission@csulb.edu. 

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. 

MFA Prerequisites

An applicant may be accepted if, in addition to having satisfied specific prerequisites set by the School of Art for each degree concentration, the applicant has satisfied the minimum university standards found in the Admission section of this catalog. 

The School of Art requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper-division (junior and senior level) art prerequisite units. 

An applicant who has deficiencies in prerequisites for a concentration, but who in the judgment of the School 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, may apply. 

NOTE: Courses taken as prerequisites for a graduate degree may not be counted toward the graduate degree program of study. 

The School’s Application Requirements

Prior to the fall term for which the applicant seeks admission, applicant must submit the school’s application materials as follows: 

Applicants may contact the School of Art Graduate Advisor for additional information about applying. Additionally, faculty contacts for each of the MFA programs can be found on the school website. 

MFA Degree Requirements

1. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0, with no grade below a “C”. 

2. 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. Studio Art majors participate in a group exhibition in the School of Art galleries and present an oral defense of their work. 

Maintaining Enrollment

If all units for the MFA degree have been completed but the culminating degree requirements have not been approved and/or submitted, registration in GS-700F (0 unit, no credit) through CPIE is required to maintain enrollment until the semester of graduation. Care should be taken not to exceed the University limit of seven years for all masters’ degrees. 

Studio Art Concentration for the MFA

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 and 600 level courses taken at CSULB, including double-numbered courses (400/500).

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 “School of Art Graduate Guidelines” and are available to current students through Canvas.

MFA Core Requirements

MFA Tracks

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. Please note that our Graphic Design track is not currently accepting applicants.