Art (MA)
Studio Art Emphasis
People have used the visual arts to understand their world and communicate with others for centuries. With a degree in studio art from A&M-Commerce, you have the opportunity to contribute to the important role visual arts play in our world.
Enhance Your Craft
Turn your passion for art into a profession. Our Master of Arts in Studio Art program enhances your practical and conceptual skills and prepares you for professional development and advancement. Work alongside our respected faculty as you build your portfolio and gain the credentials to qualify for competitive positions. Our program requires students to hold a high level of competency in their chosen media before entering. Concentrations include ceramics, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed and multi-media. The MA program is the preferred degree for art educators (EC-12). We also offer summer enrollment and courses for those currently teaching.
See Yourself Succeed with a Master’s Degree In Studio Art
Talented Faculty
Work side-by-side with our talented faculty who will help you refine your artistic skills.
Creativity
Take time to explore the depth of your abilities through experimental projects where you focus on your personal artistic style.
Learn With Artists
Explore museums, galleries and art collections to extend your painting, sculpting, or ceramics skills and knowledge.
Careers
Become a respected artist and employee. Earning your master’s degree in studio art opens doors to careers in professional art, business, entertainment, education, non-profit and more. Gaming, film and web design are other avenues for graduates.
Career Possibilities
- Art director
- Illustrator
- Marketing coordinator
- Commercial designer
- Art educator
- College professor/lecturer
- Multimedia artist/animator
- Studio Artist
- Graphic designer
- Museum archivist/curator/gallery specialist
- Product designer
- Creative arts educational specialist
- Project creative manager
- Commercial photographer
What you will learn
A master’s degree in studio art will offer you the opportunity to:
- Work with faculty, staff and students who are united in their goal to inspire creativity and foster critical thinking
- Develop techniques and methods of art-making
- Produce quality artwork that is both unique and engaged in contemporary culture
- Gain a deeper understanding of historical and contemporary art
Faculty Spotlight
Leigh Merrill
Art has the ability to show us what we don't expect to see – to challenge and remind us of the potential around us.
Chad Smith
Joseph Daun
Internship opportunities
Internship experience provides the foundation employers are often looking for. Although not required for your degree, internships are an important part of your education experience. These are just a few of the companies that offer opportunities for A&M-Commerce studio art graduate students.
Course Delivery
Courses are available during the fall, spring and summer. The summer MA program is primarily designed for current art educators but is open to all qualified applicants holding bachelor's degrees in the visual arts. Students accepted for graduate study in art possess a high level of technical competency in their chosen medium or media, as our graduate courses focus on conceptual development rather than technical instruction.
Please check the schedule of classes for locations and times. Locations and times are subject to change.
Graduate Program Cost
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.
Admission
Your Path to Becoming a Lion
- Select “Create a new graduate school admissions application.”
- Select “Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce)” as your “Target University.”
- Select “Art, MA” as your “Major.”
Domestic Application Fee 395064
- Pay the $50 application fee.
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Provisional Status
After you submit your application, you may be granted provisional status, which means you can enroll in one semester of courses. You will not be eligible for financial aid until you submit all of your documents and are accepted into the program.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100
Your Graduate Coordinator
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.
- We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 overall or 3.0 on last 60 hours.
Master's degree from a regionally accredited university with a GPA of 3.00 overall.
If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.
Request one signed letter of recommendation on letterhead from a professional who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program. That individual should:
- Email the letter to your graduate coordinator or
- Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores
Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests, and goals in no more than 500 words. Please mention why you are applying for the MA program.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Provide the following material;
- 20 images, clearly labeled with your name, title of piece, medium, dimensions and date completed
- Examples of sites for building a portfolio include Squarespace.com and Blogger.com
Send portfolio to the Graduate School and Laurel Jay Carpenter, Graduate Program Coordinator.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
- Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
Deadlines
- Fall admission consideration: May 10
- Spring admission consideration: October 15
- Summer admission consideration: March 15
- Select “Create a new graduate school admissions application.”
- Select “Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce)” as your “Target University.”
- Select “Art, MA” as your “Major.”
International Application Fee
- Pay the $75 application fee
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator Rebecca Stevens 395100
Your Graduate Coordinator
- Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428
We will need official/original documents. If those documents are the only copies you have, the Graduate School can mail them back to you upon request. Contact your graduate coordinator for more information.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accept evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
Request one signed letter of recommendation on letterhead from a professional who can attest to your goals and ability to succeed in the program. That individual should:
- Email the letter to your graduate coordinator or
- Send the letter to you. Then, you will utilize the upload system: myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores
Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests, and goals in no more than 500 words. Please mention why you are applying for the MA program.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Provide the following material;
- 20 images, clearly labeled with your name, title of piece, medium, dimensions and date completed
- Examples of sites for building a portfolio include Squarespace.com and Blogger.com
Send portfolio to the Graduate School and Laurel Jay Carpenter, Graduate Program Coordinator.
You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.
Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to Texas A&M University-Commerce:
- TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
- IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
- PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
- Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)
*Scores must be less than two years old.
Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted
- Official sponsor statement
- Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $26,025 USD which is less than 1 year old
See the Office of International Program's “Confirmation of Financial Resource” for more details.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Jennifer Faunce
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
Featured Courses
We are here to help!
Contact Us
- Department of Art
- 903.886.5208
- 903.886.5987
- [email protected]
