Tuesday, November 10, 5PM CST
Virtual
The University of Chicago's Department of Visual Arts invites you to attend a virtual open house for our MFA program. Register here for the opportunity to meet with faculty and staff and learn more about our two-year program.
MFA application deadline: January 5, 2027 at 11:59am CST.
Program overview
The University of Chicago offers a Master of Fine Arts degree through the Department of Visual Arts (DoVA), located at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago, IL.
Focused on making, DoVA is one of the many knowledge communities at the University of Chicago, one of the world's great research institutions. We propose that the production of art is a mode of inquiry, and we aim to stimulate and challenge both graduate and undergraduate students, encouraging the development of independent and rigorous thought as expressed in the visual arts. Our faculty—diverse in their pursuits but all grounded in making—are engaged in critical discourses national and international in scope and deeply invested in their own work. Our students benefit from this dialogue and are encouraged to pursue areas of overlap with the many other disciplines represented at the University, including history, art history, science, philosophy, aesthetics, theater, music, and creative writing. DoVA also hosts a lively visiting artist program through the Open Practice Committee (OPC), and the University of Chicago provides an exceptionally rich intellectual environment of lectures and workshops across all areas of study.
The two-year MFA program is distinguished by its focused attention on the pluralism of today's art making practices and its commitment to building conversations that bridge DoVA and other areas of study at the University of Chicago. Students work in sculpture, photography, painting, installation, performance, video, and new media. We admit students based on the quality of their portfolio, taking into account their interest in and capacity for engaging with an interdisciplinary program within a major research university. We work closely with students to develop their practice and equip them to leave the University with the tools to support a lifetime of art making — encouraging them to explore not only the artistic concerns central to their work, but also the theoretical, social, and historical issues that intersect with and inform it.
Program summary
–Two-year program open to all media
–Admits up to eight students each year
–All MFA students receive a studio space, most with natural light and an adjoining shared workspace
–MFA Visual Arts open house at the University of Chicago
–Students work closely with all faculty through required studio visits and critiques
–Students may take up to six courses outside DoVA and have access to the full range of the University of Chicago's academic resources
–Students may gain teaching experience through Teaching Assistantships and the BA/MFA mentoring program
–The program culminates in a group exhibition in the Logan Center Gallery, a written thesis abstract, and a final review
Faculty: Mari Eastman, Matthew Jesse Jackson, Laura Letinsky, Geof Oppenheimer, Julia Phillips, Tongji Philip Qian, Jason Salavon, Catherine Sullivan (Chair), and Anna Martine Whitehead
We welcome inquiries from prospective students at any stage of the process. To apply or learn more, visit dova.uchicago.edu or contact us at dova@uchicago.edu. Applications for the 2027–28 academic year are due January 5, 2027 at 11:59am CST.