MFA in Visual Art

Ideal for students with substantial experience in making art and a working knowledge of art history and visual culture. Graduates emerge from this flexible MFA program with an elevated artistic practice, attuned to who they are as artists.

Application Info

Upcoming Application Deadline:

Winter 2025 Semester – October 1, 2024 (final deadline Nov. 1)

Summer 2025 Semester – April 1 (final deadline May 1)

Applications for Winter 2025 are now open! APPLY NOW.

Residency Dates & Locations

Winter: January 3 – 11, 2025
Valencia, California
Summer: June 24 – July 2, 2025
Valencia, California

Each semester begins with a nine-day residency packed with events to encourage students, faculty and visiting artists to collaborate and learn from each other. Students are paired with faculty advisors to develop a customized study plan to direct and inspire their Masters in Visual Art.

Connect with Admissions!

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INFORMATION SESSIONS

Join us to learn more about our low residency MFA programs and the application process. In this session we will discuss:

Overview of VCFA programs
What does low residency look like at VCFA?
What is expected in a typical semester?
What is residency?
Learn more about our faculty mentorship model
First steps for preparing your application
Financing your MFA overview
Q&A

Visit the event page to learn more and RSVP.

Questions? Please email [email protected].

MFA in Visual Arts at VCFA

This two-year MFA program allows students to become more attuned to who they are as artists through the support of their artist-mentor. Throughout the program, students participate in critiques, lectures, research groups and student presentations that shape their studies.

Low-Residency Explained

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Semester Work

Humberto Ramirez

Faculty, MFA in Visual Art

Luis Jacob

Faculty, MFA in Visual Art

Parastoo Anoushahpour

Visiting Faculty, MFA in Visual Art

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Program Faculty

As internationally known active artists, critics, and teachers, MFA in Visual Art faculty members bring a wide array of interdisciplinary perspectives and integrate a unique blend of context and experience into the educational process.

Visiting Artists

Each residency features a new group of distinguished visiting faculty and artists–learn more about them here.

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Nadia Martinez, 2022 MFA in Visual Art

We recently interviewed current student Nadia Martinez on her choice to come to VCFA, and what her experience has been like in the Visual Art...

Allison Beaudry, 2020 MFA in Visual Art

Allison sat down with us in January 2020; below are edited excerpts from our conversation.

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Alumnx Stories

Our students and alumnx inspire us every day with their exhibitions, publications, screenings, performances, and teaching, bringing the magic of VCFA out into the world.

Notable Alumnx Profiles

Jane Pincus, ‘93

Jane Pincus is one of the founding members of Our Bodies Ourselves; a co-author of the original Our Bodies, Ourselves book; and one of four filmmakers who created the film ABORTION AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS 1970.

The film saw a limited release in the 1970s, but for Pincus, reproductive justice became “a passion of my life.” Pincus went on to become a founding member of Our Bodies Ourselves and co-wrote the original Our Bodies, Ourselves book. “It’s been part of the fabric of my life for the last 50 years,” says Pincus.

Judith Walgren, ‘16

Judith Walgren is a Pulitzer Prize winner in Photography, a full-time faculty member at Michigan State University, and a recent Director of Photography for the San Francisco Chronicle.

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“Try something new, see a new perspective, and challenge yourself. It’s a time for growth.”

– Naomi Even-Aberle | 2019 MFA in Visual Art

MFA in Visual Arts FAQs

What is an Artist-Mentor?

Artist-Mentors are prominent, contemporary artists and educators who are contracted to work with students in person during the semester. With a network of over 1500 Artist-Mentors in the US and Canada, the program ensures that every student, regardless of home location, will study with a committed, professional artist each semester.

Are you a prospective artist-mentor? Click here for more information about the position.

What happens during residency?

Each semester begins with a nine-day residency where we welcome students, faculty, and visiting artists to campus. Composed of student exhibitions, individual and group critiques, faculty and guest lectures, and a thematic symposium, residency is an exciting week that prepares students for the semester.

How do the exhibitions work?

Upon arrival, students spend the first days of residency installing their artwork in the VCFA galleries, with support from the Exhibition Team. Public receptions, well attended by the broader Vermont arts community, are held for both the new/returning-student and graduating-student exhibitions respectively. Students do not typically make work while on campus, as residencies are time for the critiques, feedback, and crucial dialogue that sustain their practice off campus.

So, I bring my artwork to campus?
Yes. Whether commercially shipped, loaded into a car, or packed into a suitcase, the artwork also travels to residency. Students graduate from the program prepared for the logistics of transporting their work to all of the national and international exhibition opportunities that come their way.