Printmaking, M.F.A.

About
Admission
Program Requirements
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Courses

About the Program

The Printmaking program at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture is a two-year, 60-credit program leading to the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree. Tyler Printmaking, a leading program for mentorship and critical thought in the discipline, is ranked seventh in the nation among M.F.A. printmaking programs by U.S. News & World Report.

Tyler offers M.F.A. students access to state-of-the-art facilities; private studios; world-class faculty in a wide range of disciplines, all practicing artists themselves; leading visiting artists; opportunities to attend New York Print Week and other national conferences; the resources of a large public research university; and a welcoming and supportive community of artists, educators, and thinkers. Tyler M.F.A. students take advantage of faculty and alumni relationships in the art world and the school’s location in Philadelphia, a vibrant art center with a strong printmaking tradition, to grow their creative practices and businesses.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 4 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-time status is required.

Interdisciplinary Study: Students explore a broad range of approaches to the field, including digital print media, large-scale printmaking, photo processes, 3-D installation, and traditional printmaking disciplines. M.F.A. students are encouraged to stretch their study into other disciplines. Through Art History classes, electives, and seminars, students are engaged in emerging topics in the field and the broader art world.

Study Abroad: M.F.A. students may elect to spend one of the two years of the program at Temple University Rome, a home base for immersive artistic, academic, and cultural exploration for Tyler students since 1966. As space is limited, faculty approval is required.

Accreditation: This degree program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Areas of Specialization: The Printmaking area encompasses facilities for silkscreen, lithography, and etching. M.F.A. candidates work with faculty who are actively exhibiting professional artists. The faculty encourage the exploration of advanced printmaking techniques that include color and photo-etching, metal engraving, mezzotint, photo-lithography, viscosity color printing, woodcut, and full utilization of the computer as an image-creating tool.

Job Prospects: The M.F.A. program prepares graduates for careers as professional artists and educators.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: M.F.A. courses are restricted to matriculated students.

Financing Opportunities: In addition to federal student aid, teaching assistantships and fellowships are available on a competitive basis to support Tyler M.F.A. students.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: January 6

Applications are evaluated together after the deadline date.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members, gallery directors, and/or curators familiar with the applicant's academic and artistic competence. The letters should be submitted with the application at https://apply.temple.edu/Tyler/, along with the statement of goals and resume.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: 40 undergraduate studio credits and 12 art history credits are required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A baccalaureate degree and a portfolio specific to Printmaking are required. Official transcripts from all universities/colleges attended, whether or not a degree was awarded, must be sent to the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Graduate Admissions Office, 2001 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6016.

Statement of Goals: Approximately 500 to 1,000 words include your interest in Tyler's program, your research goals, your future career goals, and your academic and artistic achievements.

Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 79
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53

Portfolio: As a Master of Fine Arts applicant, you must submit a portfolio that consists of 20 images representative of the immediate direction of your work. Portfolios are to be uploaded at https://temple.slideroom.com, as instructed at the website. SlideRoom requires an additional fee for this service. Original work, slides, CD-ROMs, catalogs, photographs, books, and/or binders are not acceptable substitutes for the SlideRoom portfolio and will not be reviewed or returned.

Resume: Current resume required.

Transfer Credit: Upon approval of the department chairperson and the Vice Dean, up to 9 credits of graduate work may be transferred into the M.F.A. program as Art History or Studio electives. Only credits received within five years of the transfer request are eligible. No decisions are made concerning transfer credits until students have successfully completed 15 matriculated credits at Tyler. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 9.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 60

Required Courses:

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Project and Seminar Courses
ART 8001	Graduate Professional Practices	3
ART 8701/8702	Graduate Seminar in Printmaking (4 terms) ¹	12
ART 8783/8784	Graduate Projects in Printmaking (4 terms) ¹	12
Art History Courses ²		12
Studio Electives ³		21
Total Credit Hours		60

Courses are sequenced to be taken in the Fall and Spring terms. The sequence is repeated a second year for a total of four courses taken over four terms.

Of the four required courses, two must be Art History Seminar classes chosen from a range of graduate offerings (5000 to 5800 or 8000 to 9980).

Course descriptions can be viewed on the Class Schedule. Please note that taking any course under the 5000 level for graduate credit requires prior approval from the studio area head.

Culminating Events:
Thesis Exhibition:
An approved thesis exhibition, written statement of working philosophy, and slide and/or CD portfolio are required at the final review in order to meet the M.F.A. requirements. The thesis exhibition should be the fruit of the two years' studio research and practice in which the student engaged. The student defends her/his thesis exhibition to the review committee. The committee then evaluates the exhibition as pass with distinction, pass, or fail.

Courses

GAD 5000. Graduate Design: Special Topics. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course focuses on topics in design not covered in the regular course offerings. Topics may include, but are not limited to, Environmental Design and Signage, Type Design, Promotion Design, etc. Classroom instruction and assignments will include projects appropriate to the specific topic being offered. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
Degree Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Degrees: Master of Fine Arts.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5001. Graduate Design: Design Workshop. 3 Credit Hours.

Students work on projects for the Tyler Design Incubator. This includes project development and management, research on topics specific to entrepreneurial design practice, and assigned tasks for Incubator activities and events. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5002. Graduate Design: Hybrid Design. 3 Credit Hours.

Students work on large assignments that have components in both print and interactive media. Instruction in the advanced use of software applications for print and/or interactive media is a significant part of the course. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5003. Graduate Design: Art Direction. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on concept development with an emphasis on image making and image editing in a variety of forms including book publishing, advertising and signage. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5004. Graduate Design: Packaging. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on package design for a variety of products. Students work with concept, surface design, typography, materials and the physical construction of three-dimensional forms. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5005. Graduate Design: Publishing. 3 Credit Hours.

Students work on large-scale publications with a strong emphasis on the development of typographic formats and the inventive use of illustration and/or photographic imagery to create periodicals and/or books that are functional, conceptually sophisticated and visually distinctive. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5006. Graduate Design: Corporate. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course students develop two large scale identities that include logo design, stationery and collateral materials in a variety of forms that can include booklets, brochures, posters, advertising, signage and/or packaging. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5007. Graduate Design: Interactive. 3 Credit Hours.

The focus of this course is interactive design for a large-scale website. This project will involve in-depth exploration of interface design, navigation, audio, digital animation and organization of information. Includes instruction in intermediate through advanced programming skills and the use of video composition. A strong grasp of the fundamentals of interactive design is required. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5008. Graduate Design: Authorship. 3 Credit Hours.

This course encourages students to express perceptions and positions on current issues and events through large-scale projects. Parameters of assignments are generated by individual approaches, challenging each student to engage in decision making to develop unique content and form. The work from this class expands the boundaries of the design discipline beyond traditional client-based practice. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5010. Graduate Design: Special Topics. 3 Credit Hours.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5011. Graduate Design: Design for the Public Good. 3 Credit Hours.

Students work on a wide variety of projects for arts and educational groups, social welfare and environmental organizations, and other clients in the nonprofit sector. Projects done in the class will actually be produced — either in print or, in the case of web sites, posted online. Students will be responsible for production preparation and supervision for course projects which could include identities, brochures, posters, invitations, and advertising campaigns. Graduate students in this course will also be expected to lead presentations to the clients and disseminate client feedback to the undergraduates. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5013. Advanced Typography. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course focuses on advanced applications of typography in design. Projects include logo design, book covers, posters, brochures and/or catalogues. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5015. Advanced Typography. 3 Credit Hours.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5023. Interactive Design. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on design for web and motion graphics. A good working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator (Mac Platform) is necessary. Flash and After Effects will be explored from basic to intermediate levels. While staying current with the latest technologies, the emphasis will be on design for communication through interactive media. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5025. Interactive Design. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course focuses on design for web and motion graphics. A good working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator (Mac Platform) is necessary. Flash and After Effects will be explored from basic to intermediate levels. While staying current with the latest technologies, the emphasis will be on design for communication through interactive media. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5027. Digital Narratives. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course focuses on the creation of a short digital animation/movie based on a supplied narrative. Strong conceptual and technical skills as well as a solid grasp of typography will be necessary for this course. Students will learn one vector based and one video based application to create this design. This course is not cell based animation. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5029. Programming and Production for Web Sites. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course focuses on the technical production and programming aspects of producing a fully functioning web site. Topics covered will be the best-practices use of Dreamweaver for site production with an emphasis on CSS, HTML and Javascript programming languages. Students will also be introduced to the fundamentals of the ActionScript language. Students will cover the process of creating a web site and its many considerations such as flowcharts, sitemaps, and wireframes. Students will be introduced to fundamentals of information architecture and search engine optimization (SEO) for use within their site and discuss best-practices for uploading and maintaining their final site. Graduate students will need to keep a portfolio of work that is annotated, summarizing their learning and how they expect it to be applied in future courses. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5053. Art Careers Promotion. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level Course offers instruction in the design and content of materials needed by fine artist in professional practice. This course will cover a number of topics including resume content and design, stationery packages for business communication (cover letters, professional inquiries, etc.), presentation formats for print and web. NOTE: Open to all studio majors to include: GAD, PDS, Crafts, Art & Art Education.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

GAD 5073. Introduction to Web Design. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate Level course instructs students in the fundamentals of interactive design with a focus on the use of interactive software, layout, typography, hierarchy and organization. Basic working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator required (MAC platform). Students will be tested for basic competency in these programs on the first day of class.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

GAD 5078. The Art of Infographics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to data visualization and infographic design. It explores the history of data visualization and infographic design, from cave paintings to contemporary design, covering static, animated and interactive solutions. Lectures on visual literacy and graphic design foundations will help the students develop the vocabulary necessary to critically analyze contemporary infographics. Students receive basic instruction in the creation of infographics and develop their own infographic utilizing supplied data. This course will include readings from Edward Tufte's "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information" and other texts. Tutorials in Excel and Illustrator may also be used for outside software instruction.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

GAD 5111. Graduate Design: Illustration. 3 Credit Hours.

Assignments focus on image-making for communication. Strong concepts, the development of a personal visual approach or style and professional process will be the focus of this course. Graduate students will need to research and present a topic related to contemporary illustration in class to the undergraduates. NOTE: This course is open to Graphic and Interactive Design MFA students only.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 5182. Independent Study. 1 to 3 Credit Hour.

Graduate Level course where the proposal for a large-scale independent project must be approved by a faculty member who agrees to oversee the project prior to registration for the course. The proposal must relate to authorship and/or entrepreneurship and have the breadth and depth of a semester long graduate project.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8001. Visual Design Graduate Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate projects in graphic design authorship. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.
College Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Colleges: Art Architecture, Tyler School.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8002. Visual Design Graduate Seminar II. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate projects in graphic design authorship. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8083. Graphic Design Graduate Projects. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate projects in graphic design authorship. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8084. Graphic Design Graduate Projects II. 3 Credit Hours.

Graduate projects in graphic design authorship. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8095. Visual Design Thesis. 3 Credit Hours.

Thesis project representing comprehensive original research in an area of specific interest for the degree candidate. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8096. Visual Design Thesis II. 3 Credit Hours.

Thesis project representing comprehensive original research in an area of specific interest for the degree candidate. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8111. Graduate Seminar in Printmaking. 3 Credit Hours.

Philosophy and theory of contemporary printmaking practices. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8112. Graduate Seminar in Printmaking II. 3 Credit Hours.

Philosophy and theory of contemporary printmaking practices. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8183. Graduate Projects in Printmaking. 3 to 12 Credit Hours.

Individual conferences and group seminars. Emphasis on diversity of command in several printmaking media. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8184. Graduate Projects in Printmaking II. 3 to 12 Credit Hours.

Individual conferences and group seminars. Emphasis on diversity of command in several printmaking media. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8189. Collaborative Design Workshop in Rome. 3 Credit Hours.

The six week course is geared toward design students interested in immersing themselves in the culture of Italy and producing, by the end of the workshop, a printed project about design, art, and culture in Rome. Students will have a choice of topics to research, design, and produce. Among the many topics that students could focus on are Roman decorative arts, cuisine, theatre, architecture, fashion, music, and film. Students will also be encouraged to study how the Italian design aesthetic and philosophy might be applied to their own work. An integral part of this project will be both digital and traditional image making. Students will photograph and/or illustrate an article that will be incorporated into the final collaboratively produced printed piece. Note: Open to majors in the following disciplines - Graphic and Interactive Design, Photography, Illustration, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Industrial Design, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Journalism, Advertising.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8201. Digital Projects. 3 Credit Hours.

The emphasis of this course will be on creating a professional digital portfolio. Throughout the semester, students will learn a series of multimedia software applications and develop interactive presentations that will promote themselves as artists with contemporary and professional portfolios. Note: The course is limited to seniors and graduate students.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8211. Graduate Seminar in Photography. 3 Credit Hours.

A seminar emphasizing individual research and group discussion of contemporary issues in photography. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8212. Graduate Seminar in Photography II. 3 Credit Hours.

A seminar emphasizing individual research and group discussion of contemporary issues in photography. Note: This course can only be taken twice for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8222. Contemporary Photography. 3 Credit Hours.

We live in an extraordinary moment in the history of photography, a moment much hoped for and anticipated by many champions of the medium. Finally one can say without qualification that photography is a medium fully embraced by the contemporary art world. While there has always been a movement to look at and discuss photography as art, photography has never played a more central, critical and vital role in contemporary art then it does now. This course will look at both the role that photography plays in contemporary art and the role that contemporary art plays in photography. By surveying contemporary trends in photography, students in this class will develop an understanding of what exactly photography is now. At the same time the class will attempt to answer questions about what it means to be contemporary, about what the relationship between the contemporary and the historical is, and why this might be important. Through these problems students will be encouraged to develop personal work that addresses themes and ideas discussed in the class. Note: Open to Junior/Seniors. Special authorization required for non-majors.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8253. Graduate Photo Process Workshop. 3 Credit Hours.

Survey of experimental techniques, including hand applied, light-sensitive emulsions, ortho film making, photographic book arts, and 19th- and 20th-century processes.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8255. Graduate Photo Workshop: Digital Photography. 3 Credit Hours.

State of the art technology merges with new issues related to digital imaging.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8256. Graduate Advanced Photo Workshop. 3 Credit Hours.

Photography and new applications.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8283. Graduate Projects in Photography I. 1 to 12 Credit Hour.

Individual conferences and group seminars. Emphasis on mastery of conceptual and technical practices with lens-based media.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8284. Graduate Projects in Photography II. 1 to 12 Credit Hour.

Individual conferences and group seminars. Emphasis on mastery of conceptual and technical practices with lens-based media.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 8413. Photographic Lighting. 3 Credit Hours.

At the core of any commercial or fine art photographer's practice is an in-depth understanding of lighting. Light is the fundamental element that makes a photograph possible, and every successful photographer's control over light is the key to their success. This course will not only focus on allowing you to gain a thorough understanding of artificial lighting techniques, but also how to approach natural light situations better, and beyond that, to an understanding of how the two work in conjunction. By revisiting the fundamentals of the large format view camera, and developing an understanding of environmental and situational lighting techniques, you will learn different commercial and fine art approaches to working in a studio setting. You will also learn lighting techniques with digital and medium formats, as well as develop an understanding regarding the differences between digital capture and negative film. In addition this course will cover advanced exposure control, lighting on location, and product lighting. Note: This course is repeatable for credit.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.

GAD 9189. Design Workshop in Japan. 3 Credit Hours.

The six week course is geared toward graphic design students interested in immersing themselves in the culture of Japan and producing a design project about this experience. Students will have a choice of projects to design and produce. They will be encouraged to study how Japanese design aesthetic and philosophies might be applied to their own work. Note: A basic knowledge of design industry-standard print software is required for this course.

Repeatability: This course may be repeated for additional credit.