Reach the Pinnacle of Your Career with a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Liberty University
The field of fine arts can be extremely competitive. Even with the right skills, it can be difficult to stand out to prospective employers. Let us help! Liberty’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program is designed to help hone your unique artistic abilities and advance your expertise.
Do you want to launch your own art studio and create handmade art pieces? Our MFA in Studio Art can help you develop your specific trade — from jewelry making and ceramics to painting and sculpting. Maybe you’re interested in graphic design, photography, and typography. If so, Liberty University’s MFA in Graphic Design may be right for you!
At Liberty, we celebrate the God-given uniqueness of every individual. We recognize that our MFA students have a broad range of skills, interests, and abilities — and we want to help you excel in the field that most interests you. Earning an MFA could help you pursue new job opportunities, increase your earning potential, or stand out to employers.
Partner with us and see how far your artistic talent can take you!
Award-Winning Campus
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank among Niche.com’s Top 3 college campuses in America. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Why Choose Liberty’s Master’s Degree in Fine Arts?
Do you have a passion for art, a desire to create beauty, and a dream of making a difference? We want to help you become a Champion for Christ — someone who leads with integrity and lives in service to God and other people. Our Master of Fine Arts program will build on your previous education and experience so you can take your artistic skills to the next level.
Choosing Liberty means choosing:
- Top-Notch Resources | As an MFA student, you’ll study under faculty members who have advanced degrees and years of experience in the art industry. Additionally, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art equipment in graphic design and studio art, including character creation, 3D modeling, and virtual reality software.
- Flexibility | Our MFA degrees give you the freedom to mix and match courses so you can explore the topics you’re most passionate about! The graphic design degree lets you pick 10 core courses (out of 20 available classes in the area of graphic design). For the MFA in Studio Art, you can choose between a 2D and a 3D area of study, depending on your interests and career goals.
- Hands-On Training | Our goal is to help you graduate career-ready. That’s why we offer valuable opportunities for you to put your skills to the test. In the MFA degree program, you will complete internship and/or practicum hours so you can gain marketable experience in your field.
- Academic Excellence | Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). You can pursue your degree with confidence, knowing that our programs have met rigorous academic standards and accreditation requirements.
What Will You Learn in Our MFA (Master of Fine Arts) Courses?
Each of our MFA degrees is broken down into 5 main parts: core courses, art history and theory classes, field experience, elective courses, and thesis/project classes. If you want to teach art at a university, we offer a course in teaching art in higher education.
Students pursuing our MFA degree program can explore their particular artistic interests, hone their research and writing skills, and build their portfolio. With an MFA degree from Liberty, you can develop a strong understanding of the major art cultures throughout history. This knowledge will help provide context to your unique artistic expressions.
Our practicum and internship courses allow you to further hone your skills outside the classroom. Studio art students can choose either a 2D or 3D area of study for their degree, while graphic design students can select 10 core courses out of a list of 20 in the area of graphic design.
Check out our featured courses below for more information about what you’ll be studying!
Featured Courses
ARTS 598 – Practicum
ARTS 780 – Art and Design Research Methodologies
ARTS 797 – Special Topics
What Jobs Can You Get with an MFA Degree?
Liberty’s fine arts master’s program can help you pursue a variety of career paths, including:
- Art director
- Creative director
- Exhibition designer
- Gallery owner or director
- Illustrator
- Museum services specialist
- Professor
- User interface designer
Highlights of Our MFA Degree Program
- Our faculty are all professionals in the industry, with collegiate degrees to match their field experience.
- Liberty’s studio arts students have won more graphic design awards as part of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Awards than all of the other schools in Virginia and North Carolina combined!
- We are constantly making sure we have the newest equipment available for our graphic design students to use. This includes cutting-edge software in character creation, 3D modeling, and virtual reality.
- You will get the chance to pursue an internship and/or practicum during your time as a student, which will further develop your professional portfolio.
- Our students have interned with major companies such as ESPN and Disney.
- Our alumni have gone on to work for organizations like the Motion Picture Association of America, Hallmark, Lord & Taylor, and Capital One.
Master of Fine Arts Degree Program Information
- Residential
- 60 total credit hours
- Transfer in up to 50% of your total degree
- This program falls under the School of Communication and the Arts.
- View our course catalog for more information.
Master of Fine Arts Program Specializations
At Liberty, you’ll have the flexibility to pursue an MFA that matches your unique interests!
Digital Media Production
Graphic Design
Studio Art
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “MFA degree” mean?
Is an MFA a terminal degree?
Can you teach college with an MFA?
How long does it take to earn an MFA?
Admission Requirements for Liberty University’s Master’s in Fine Arts Program
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Self-certification form (for students who are in the final term of their bachelor’s degree)
- Current Liberty undergraduate students seeking preliminary acceptance into a graduate program must complete a degree completion application through their ASIST account
- A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA for admission in good standing. A GPA of 2.5 to 2.99 may grant admission on caution.
- Artist Statement (typed):
- Must include your artistic background, area(s) of specialty, and the intended direction of your work (provides context for your art and design)
- Must be submitted through SlideRoom in conjunction with the portfolio
Personal Portfolio must include:
- No fewer than 20 images that best depict your abilities and interests in either Graphic Design or Studio Art
- Submitted images must be professionally photographed/composed and “client” ready
- Neat and professional presentation, layout, and image quality
- Submitted work samples must clearly demonstrate your strong technical skills, aesthetic style, fundamental knowledge, and potential for success in the program
- All submitted images must be original creative artifacts designed by you
- Credit must be given when collaborative works are included
- Portfolio must be submitted via SlideRoom, which has a $10 non-refundable fee
- Provide 20 items
- Images (up to 5MB each)
- Video (up to 250MB each)
- PDFs (up to 10MB each)
- Models (Sketchfab)
