Department of Art College of Arts and Humanities Central Washington University

A Graduate Program in Visual Arts in the Heart of Scenic Washington State

Central Washington University (CWU) offers a highly competitive master's degree program for students interested in pursuing advanced training in a variety of visual arts, including ceramics, painting and drawing, jewelry and metalsmithing, photography, and computer art. CWU has a ranking within the top 200 graduate schools for art according to "US News and World Report."

CWU is located in Ellensburg, Washington -- a small university town located just 20 minutes from the Cascade Mountains and Wenatchee National Forest, and a 2-hour drive to Seattle.

A Variety of Concentrations

The 90-credit Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at CWU is a terminal degree program that prepares students for careers as teachers in higher education settings or as studio artists. The MFA program emphasizes studio art; students in the program are required to complete 40 to 56 credits of studio art in their areas of concentration. In addition, all MFA students complete final master's thesis projects.

Advanced Ceramics Training and State-of-the-Art Facilities

The graduate ceramics program at Central Washington University provides advanced-level ceramics students with opportunities to develop their technical skills while strengthening their personal visual styles. Students build their personal portfolios and explore advanced ceramics techniques and processes including kiln construction, firing techniques, and mold-making.

Students in the MFA program in ceramics at CWU have access to state-of-the art studio facilities. The ceramics studio is home to a kiln room with a variety of kilns, 6 ventilated workstations, a clay mixing room, a mold-making room, and a wet glazing area with a spray booth for large projects.

The Jewelry and Metalsmithing Graduate Program

The jewelry and metalsmithing graduate program at CWU places emphasis on challenging academic instruction and portfolio building, as well as on the development of technical skills such as casting, moldmaking, and enameling. Additionally, graduate students in the jewelry and metalsmithing program are encouraged to build relationships with professionals in the field by participating in conferences and exhibits.

Students in the jewelry and metalsmithing graduate program have access to a fully-equipped studio with 4 soldering stations, several specialty kilns (including 3 enameling kilns), etching and electroplating equipment, and enameling supplies.

A Selective, Highly Personalized Painting and Drawing Program

Students enrolled in the graduate program in painting and drawing complete coursework in art history and critical theory and work closely with instructors to sharpen their technical skills. Class sizes are small and admission to the program is highly selective; students are admitted based on their demonstrated levels of technical and intellectual competence.

Graduate painting and drawing students have access to individual 400- to 500- square-foot studios as well as access to a shared studio with storage space, a still-life prop room, slide equipment, a digital imaging lab, and a computer lab with 20 Macintosh computers.

Teaching and Exhibition Opportunities for Photography Graduate Students

The photography graduate program at Central Washington University prepares students for a variety of future career paths, including commercial photography, fine art photography, and photo finishing. Graduate students are encouraged to attend conferences and participate in exhibitions; additionally, students in the graduate photography program have opportunities to teach beginning classes.

Graduate students have 24-hour access to the photography lab, which houses a black-and-white darkroom, a variety of specialty equipment, and a digital imaging lab with several professional-grade printers.

The Sculpture Graduate Program at CWU

The sculpture curriculum at CWU combines traditional academic coursework with hands-on studio experience. Graduate sculpture students focus on developing their bodies of work. The newly-upgraded sculpture studio features a wide selection of tools and specialty equipment, including plaster sinks, vertical band saws, drill presses, welding stations and a variety of welding tools, a plasma cutter, an electric kiln, and several hand tools.

Distinguished, Award-Winning Faculty Members with a Wide Range of Interests

The graduate art faculty at Central Washington University is composed of several noted artists, including Jewelry and Metals Distinguished Professor Keith Lewis. Professor Lewis' work has appeared in several notable collections, including the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution.

Painting and Drawing Professor Maya Chachava's work has been featured in solo exhibitions in Seattle, New York City, and Salt Lake City. She has won numerous awards and grants for her work, including a GAP Grant Award from New Artist Trust, and a Dee Research Grant from the University of Utah.

Wood Design Professor Michael Chinn headed the Wood Design program at Iowa State University for 14 years. His award-winning work has appeared in a variety of national and international exhibitions.

Admissions and Financial Aid

To be considered for admission to the MFA art program at Central Washington University, each student must submit an application, a personal statement, 3 letters of recommendation, and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Students must also submit portfolios of their recent work.

Students may apply for a variety of scholarships, grants, and state and federal aid packages. Graduate students may also apply for teaching or research assistantships, research grants and fellowships, and travel grants.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
  Master of Arts (MA)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? No
• Evening/weekend programs available? No
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Not reported

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Alternate accepted
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied5
• Accepted2
• Acceptance Rate40%
• Enrolled2
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $50
• Application Fee - International $50
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 1st Not Reported Not Reported
• Winter deadline October 1st Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline January 1st Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's Degreesminimum GPA of 3.0, portfolio
• Doctoral's DegreesNot Reported
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL (minimum score 550 paper-based; 213 computer-based; 79 iBT) or IELTS (minimum score 6.5)

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$8,112
• Out-of-state tuition *$18,069
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$924.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsMarch 1
• Types of financial support availableTeaching Assistantships, Federal Work-Study, Health Care Benefits, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students4
• Female Percentage50%
• Male Percentage50%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students4
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino0%
• Black / African American0%
• White / Caucasian50%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian0%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown50%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty9
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Female Percentage56%
• Male Percentage44%