College of Visual and Performing Arts - University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - Overview
Comprehensive Visual and Performing Arts Graduate Offering
The College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, also known as CVPA, is a comprehensive arts college with extensive graduate degree programs that prepare students for careers in the arts. CVPA comprises six academic departments that include the Departments of Art Education, Art History, Artisanry, Fine Arts, Music and Visual Design, Graduate programs, however, are available only in Art Education, Artisanry, Fine Arts and Visual Design.
The visual arts programs at CVPA are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design, making it one of just four public higher education institutions in Massachusetts so acknowledged.
Overview of UMD CVPA Graduate Programs
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - College of Visual and Performing Arts offers a Master of Art Education (MAE) degree and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.
The MAE degree program offers both traditional and innovative opportunities for professional art teachers to experience a rigorous program of research and applied theory in art education -- informing their work as teacher, artist, and reflective practitioner. The MAE program is designed to increase graduates' capacity to analyze curricular, theoretical, and studio-based pedagogical issues related to teaching, thinking, and learning in and through the visual arts.
For students wishing to gain initial teacher certification in art education, UMD offers a joint Post-Bac + MAE program.
CVPA offers graduate students three MFA degree programs -- artisanry, fine arts, and visual design -- which are separate but share similar admission policies, program structures, and degree requirements.
Program Overview -- Master of Fine Arts
The MFA is the highest degree offered by the College of Visual and Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth which is the terminal degree in Fine Arts. The MFA qualifies the graduate for professional work in any of the disciplines available through the program's curriculum.
MFA graduates will be prepared for and may seek careers as studio artists, teachers at the university level, or as commercial artists and designers creating market-based, client-driven visual arts.
Artisanry MFA Degree Program
Graduate students in the Department of Artisanry in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth select a concentrated area of study among the following options--ceramics, fibers, jewelry/metals or wood/furniture design.
The CVPA artisanry curriculum is based on the Program in Artisanry (PIA) founded at Boston College in 1975, previously part of the Swain School of Design.
The curriculum emphasizes vigorous material exploration, disciplined technique, sophisticated aesthetics, innovative design, and personal expression. Students are encouraged to cross boundaries to pursue integrated media projects.
Fine Arts MFA Degree Program
The CVPA graduate program in Fine Arts at the UMass Dartmouth is defined by the disciplines of drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. The program is specifically designed to prepare students for a professional commitment to their art.
Students develop personal voices, acquire historical knowledge and understanding of the art of various societies, apply learned critical skills in looking at art, and further their competency to discuss aesthetic issues pertaining to art.
Visual Design MFA Degree Program
A graduate student seeking to earn the MFA in Visual Design learns various communication and problem solving skills through extensive exploration of a broad spectrum of visual communications issues.
Faculty members representing a wide variety of philosophies and viewpoints work together with students to provide a rich and thought-provoking graduate experience.
Students in the Visual Design MFA degree program specialize in one of the following fields: digital media, graphic design, illustration, photography, or typography.
MAE Degree Program
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Master of Art Education (MAE) degree offered by the College of Visual and Performing Arts can be tailored to individual interests and career goals.
The program seeks candidates who demonstrate strong potential as artists, educators, and researchers. Additionally, the curriculum is appropriate for people who wish to teach in community settings such as day care, geriatric, or vocational rehabilitation centers; museums; or alternative schools.
World Class Achievements of the CVPA Faculty
The work of CVPA faculty is well represented at galleries throughout the world and across the nation, as well as in private collections, corporate offices, and public places. Faculty members have received awards and grants from the National Endowment of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Society of Arts and Crafts, and Fulbright. CVPA faculty publish in scholarly, peer reviewed journals such as Art Education, the publication of the National Art Education Association, International Journal of Education through Art, and Journal of the International Society of Education through Art.
Visual Resource Center Plays a Key Role in CVPA Programs
The Visual Resource Center (VRC) in the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a comprehensive repository of high quality digital images and multimedia content for CVPA classroom instruction and presentation.
The VRC is vital to CVPA curricula as it provides a vast image-based collection from which to add further contextual dimension to CVPA education and broadens instruction beyond traditional boundaries. The VRC ensures the interoperability of its digital image, multimedia, and audio content to facilitate sharing of these resources throughout the university.
Graduate Portfolio Submission Specifications
A graduate portfolio should include 20 pieces of original art and provide a clear representation of an applicant's processes of thinking, implementation of concepts, and studio production. Portfolio artwork should support a stated purpose for beginning graduate studies in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Scholarships and Financial Aid at UMassD CVPA
In addition to state and federal financial aid, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth College of Visual and Performing Arts offers need-based and merit-based scholarships. Students may also apply for UMass System Presidential Scholarships, private scholarships, and professional and continuing education scholarships.
Vibrant Visual and Performing Arts Community
There are two CVPA campuses comprising 225,000 square feet of building and studio space. On the UMass Dartmouth main campus in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, the CVPA building houses studio space, classrooms, and state-of-the-art visual and performing art facilities. In nearby New Bedford, UMD purchased the Star Store, formerly a department store, and converted the impressive four-story building into a modern urban arts complex which houses hundreds of artists working in a variety of disciplines.
The Star Store is home to a number of impressive exhibition spaces -- most notably the University Art Gallery which features exhibitions of local, national, and international renown. Today, the Star Store is a vital component of historic downtown New Bedford's emergence as a cultural and academic hub.