Seasons in Michigan

• What to expect and plan for:

• August – October the season changes from summer in
shorts and sandals to light jackets and sweatshirts.
• October- December temperatures get colder and we may
see snow and ice. This is when folks pull out their heavier
coat and layers with warm shoes.
• December- Early March temperatures get colder and can
expect more snow and ice. This is when gloves and hats
are important in addition to warm shoes and a heavy coat.
• March – May Temperature starts to warm up and we get
sunshine and rain.
• May - August warmer temperatures, lot’s of sunshine, and
everyone is ready to spend time outdoors enjoying all that
Michigan has to offer from lakes to beaches, to forests and
hiking trails.
Our Mission
The Master of Fine Arts program seeks
highly motivated students who have the
artistic and scholarly vision to guide us
into equitable, sustainable, and creative
futures. We encourage new and
rigorous forms of artistic expression and
design innovation that transcend typical
constraints to make meaningful
contributions to the world.
The MSU MFA • Culminates in a thesis exhibition at MSU
program provides Broad
students an • Teaching opportunities beginning in your
opportunity to focus second semester
within or across • Generous research, summer, and
disciplines and a Dissertation Completion Fellowships
forum to push • A customizable, integrated and
beyond the multidisciplinary program at a research
boundaries of university, with world-class faculty
existing art and specializing in the arts, humanities, science,
design paradigms. technology, education, agriculture, medicine,
We do so by offering: and engineering
Funding
In the Department of AAHD, all graduate students are fully funded

What do we mean by fully funded?

Graduate students at MSU receive two types of funding: assistantships and

fellowships. An assistantship is employment, either related to teaching or research,
while a fellowship does not involve work. Assistantships offer tuition waivers and
health insurance: students are automatically enrolled in a health insurance plan
with the premium paid by the university. Enrolled students may insure eligible
spouse and/or dependent children residing with the insured. For information on
Graduate Assistantships and health benefits visit our HR website dedicated to
graduate students: hr.msu.edu/employment/graduate-assistants or contact the
Director of Graduate Studies.
Whatever your form of support, the MFA program provides full tuition waivers
that cover ten credits per semester and sixty credits total over three years.
• While funding for the year is guaranteed, students do apply for summer
support, as well as smaller grants and awards throughout the
program. Students compete in any year for the Varg-Sullivan Award for
outstanding national/international exhibitions or publications and, in their
second year, for the AAHD Selma & Stanley Hollander Fellowship, which assists
students in the final year of study.
• For more information about fellowships and award opportunities please visit
the graduate school’s website and the College of Arts & Letter’s website.
 Paid teaching and research positions
Graduate are called Graduate and Teaching
Teaching & assistantships. Graduate assistantships
are an additional educational
Research opportunity for graduate students to
improve their skills in teaching and
research among other activities while
pursuing graduate education.

An assistantship provides you with a

tuition waiver, a bi-weekly stipend, and
health insurance.
Health Insurance and Benefits
Michigan State University is pleased to offer health, dental and vision coverage to graduate
assistants and their eligible dependents. If you have questions about the graduate assistant
insurance plans, please contact MSU Human Resources.

As a Graduate Assistant, you are automatically enrolled in the MSU Graduate Assistant Health Plan
through Blue Care Network (BCN). With this coverage, you’ll have access to quality health care
through hospitals, physicians and affiliated health care professionals in the BCN provider network.
Kresge Art Center
Facilities
Graduate Students have 24-hour access
to most studio spaces after safety
training.

• Ceramics Studio
• Computer Labs & Digital Print Lab
• Galleries & Installation Spaces
• Form From Thought Lab (Electronic Art &
Intermedia Makers Research Lab)
• Metal Shop / Foundry
• Photography Lighting Studio
• Photography Dark Room
• Printmaking Studio
• Screen Printing Studio
• Wood Shop
Graduate Studios
Faculty
LEFT TO RIGHT
Paul Kotula, Alisa Henriquez, Blake Williams,
Ben Duke, Robert Mccann, Zach Kaiser,
Ryan Claytor

Rebecca Tegtmeyer d’Ann de Simone

LEFT TO RIGHT
Jae Won Lee, Chris Corneal, Robert Mccann,
Alisa Henriquez, Peter Glendinning
 LEFT TO RIGHT
Tom Berding, Laura Cloud,
d’Ann de Simone, Kelly Salchow MacArthur

Xia Gao Teresa Dunn

Peter Glendinning
Abhishek Narula Zach Kaiser

Parisa Ghaderi

Adam Brown
Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum
Michigan State University

Designed by renown architect, Zaha

Hadid.
Hosts the Annual MFA Thesis
Exhibition each spring.
Invites artists and scholars from
around the world to exhibit and
speak at MSU.
LAURA BAZYNSKI

CHELSEA MARKUSON
EMILY SOMOSKEY

HECTOR ACUNA
YARETH FERNANDEZ

LILLIAN YOUNG
HANNAH TAMIKO MACKEY
BENJAMIN CAREY
MARCOS SERAFIM

WADE FOLGER MACDONALD

On Campus Housing
• Apartments (single or shared)
• Dorm rooms (single or shared)
• Meal plans
• Can walk, bike, or take the bus to get around
campus
• Convenient and a quick way to build your
community
• Cost varies depending on housing type and
whether or not you have roommates and a
meal plan.
• Family housing is also available on campus.
Requirements and
Application Process
Michigan State University has
an online application system through
the Office of Admissions. To be
considered for admission to the Master
of Fine Arts Degree Program in Studio
Art, an applicant must submit materials
digitally to MSU’s Graduate Admissions
System and Slideroom.
Required Application Documents
• Statement of Intent / Artist Statement: This brief statement provides the applicant an opportunity to discuss their work, the issues they find most
compelling that drive this work, and address sources that inform their work. Please address reasons/goals for pursuing the MFA degree track in the
Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University.
• The personal statement is an opportunity to share biographical information relevant to the review committee to know, but that doesn’t necessarily
fit within the statement of intent/artist statement. Consider biographical information, interests, hardships, your past education experience, and
future educational goals, professional goals.
• Transcripts from your undergraduate institution(s) must be official transcripts (generally sent directly from the institution). A cumulative 3.0 GPA is a
requirement of the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at Michigan State University for regular admittance. We will accept transcripts sent
from the student if they are stamped and or signed officially on the back by the institution.
• Current resume/CV should include academic honors, scholarships, exhibition record, special skills and expertise, and prior teaching experience
• Three letters of recommendation from faculty members or others who are familiar with the applicant’s creative research. These can be sent directly
to the department and addressed to “Master of Fine Arts Review Committee”
• Portfolio of 15-20 images – must be submitted digitally using slideroom.
• TOEFL / IELTS – International Students are required to take an English Language Proficiency exam.
• For more information, please contact artgrad@msu.edu.
MSU Graduate TOEFL
School Admission: Score of 79 with no subscore below 17
Language Note: We do not accept the TOEFL MyBest Superscore

Proficiency IELTS
Requirements Admission: Score of 6.5 or higher

for Admission
The Office for • Our student support services include: • Contact OISS by email:
oiss@msu.edu
• Advising on and facilitating compliance with
International U.S. immigration regulations.

Students and • Conducting orientations and other special

programming that help international
Scholars (OISS) students and scholars integrate into and
adjust to the academic, cultural and social
provides support life of MSU.
• Visit for more information
and resources:
https://oiss.isp.msu.edu/

to Michigan State • Serving as a liaison with U.S. government

agencies, foreign embassies, sponsors and
University’s educational foundations that support
international students and scholars.
international • Contributing to the internationalization of
MSU by providing opportunities for growth
students, scholars through cross-cultural interactions.

and families.
 What to expect from International Student Orientation:

Desire2Learn (D2L) Modules

• Desire2Learn (D2L) is MSU's online learning system. Instructors use D2L to give students access to
course materials, collaboration, submission of assignments, online testing, grades and other
resources. Learning how to use D2L is an important step in getting ready to study at MSU.
• The International Student Orientation D2L modules will consist of:

• Getting to know OISS

Office for
• Immigration and Arrival
• Health Insurance and Healthcare

International
• MSU COVID-19 Mandates and Resources

• Life in the U.S.

Students and
• Next Steps and Resources

• You will receive additional communication from OISS when the D2L modules are available as well
as when they need to be completed.

Scholars (OISS) Orientation Assistants

• You will be assigned an Orientation Assistant based on birth month. Your Orientation Assistant will
be an international or domestic undergraduate student currently studying at MSU. They will be
available to assist with your transition experience, reinforce important messages from OISS, share
personal stories and advice, and support with in-person orientation activities as you arrive and
adjust to campus. You can expect to hear from your Orientation Assistant beginning in May!

In Person Welcome Events

• Beginning the week of August 22, OISS will have International Student Orientation in-person
welcome events. Participation is not required though it is highly encouraged. More information to
come throughout the Summer!
For More Information about MSU MFA in Studio Art Contact:

Tani Hartman, Department Chair

MSU Department of Art, Art History, and Design
hartm236@msu.edu

Zach Kaiser, Graduate Director

MSU Department of Art, Art History, and Design
kaiserza@msu.edu

LouAnne Snider, Undergrad and Graduate Secretary

MSU Department of Art, Art History, and Design
sniderl2@msu.edu