Program: Art, Illustration Concentration, M.A. - California State University Fullerton

Apr 01, 2025

2024-2025 University Catalog

(30 UNITS)

Master of Arts in Art

The Master of Arts in Art provides a balance of study and practice for those who wish a career in the visual arts, or who want to prepare for further graduate work in the field. The program offers the following areas of concentration: art history; ceramics; crafts (including jewelry/metalsmithing and woodworking); creative photography; drawing and painting (including printmaking); exhibition design; glass; graphic design; illustration; and sculpture.

Application Deadlines

The Art Department has a supplemental application process required for all prospective graduate students. See fullerton.edu/arts/art for further information.

Admission Requirements

Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, applicants must meet the following:

Classified Standing

Earned a baccalaureate degree in art with the same concentration as the graduate degree objective from an accredited institution, or 24 upper-division units in art, 12 of which must be in the concentration completed with a “B” (3.0) or better in all courses. Applicants are advised that most upper-division courses require lower-division prerequisites.
Pass the semiannual comprehensive portfolio review. For procedures, dates and appointment times, contact the Art Department: artdept@fullerton.edu. If the student’s portfolio is not adequate, the applicant may still be recommended for conditionally classified standing by the faculty comprehensive review committee. However, the comprehensive portfolio review must be repeated.
Form a graduate committee.

Note: A reading knowledge of a foreign language is required before advancement to candidacy in the Art History program.

Conditionally Classified Standing

The same requirement as 1, above, plus:

For the Studio program - Participation in comprehensive portfolio review with a recommendation by the committee of conditional acceptance.
For the Art History program - Satisfactory review of research papers by art history faculty.
Enrollment is allowed in graduate-level courses with the exception of ART 500A , ART 500B, ART 511, ART 512, ART 597 and ART 598.

Degree Requirements

The study plan requires approval by the student’s graduate committee. All courses must be completed with a “C” (2.0) or better. All courses in the concentration must be completeted with a “B” (3.0) or better. The degree must be completed with a 3.0 (B) GPA or higher.

Core Courses (6 units)

Culminating Experience (3 units)

Must be adviser-approved.

For further information, consult with the graduate program adviser and refer to the Culminating Experience section of this catalog.

Electives (9 units)

A minimum of six units must be 500-level.

3 units 400-/500-level art history
6 units 400-/500-level studio art

Illustration Concentration (12 units)

The Illustration concentration deepens students’ understanding of craft and visual problem-solving skills demonstrated in a portfolio that prepares them to reenter the workforce. Students study contemporary and historic issues in illustration emphasizing story concepts, design, color theory, perspective, theatrical composition and lighting, stylization, further development of the drawing and painting process, visual problem-solving and portfolio presentation.

400-/500-Level Requirements (6 units)

500-Level Requirements (6 units)

Art M.A and M.F.A. Concentration Electives

400- and 500-level courses that may be used in any M.A. and M.F.A. concentration.