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Departmental Requirements for MFA Body of Work

Conceptual/Aesthetic Basis

The student is expected, in concert with their advisory committee, to identify a conceptual and/or aesthetic basis for their body of work. The student is then expected to develop a significant body of visual work that explores the identified basis.

Writing

The student, in concert with their advisory committee, is required to write a high quality paper on some aspect(s) of their body of work. This paper must be:

Documented submission of the paper must precede scheduling the final examination. Students are encouraged to develop and submit for publication additional papers related to their body of work.

Exhibitions

The student is required to exhibit their body of work in at least one competitive external venue approved by their committee. Documented acceptance for exhibition of the work by an approved competitive external venue must precede scheduling the final examination.

Students are strongly encouraged to have multiple competitive external exhibitions of their work.

There must also be a local exhibition of the work, usually coordinated with the final examination.

Final Examination

OGAPS requires an oral final examination. This is a presentation by the student ‘defending’ their body of work. It is presented primarily to their committee, but it is also open to the public. It is usually coordinated with the local exhibition of the student’s body of work.