
Study at the School of Art
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1913
Year the School of Art was established
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70,000
Size of the brand new ARTLab building, in square feet
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9
medium options you can focus on, including ceramics, graphic design and video
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24/7
hours many studios are open for student use
Program details
The School of Art offers a two-year Master of Fine Art program with an emphasis on studio work and original research. MFA students are not required to specialize in a specific medium, but can choose to have a multidisciplinary focus.
Expected duration: 2 years
Tuition and fees: Two years tuition, then continuing fees in subsequent years (refer to Graduate tuition and fees)
Graduate students are required to complete 21 credit hours of required coursework and 6 credit hours of electives, as well as the Master of Fine Art Thesis/Studio Exhibition. Students are expected to continue their research through the spring and summer.
Sample course offerings
First year courses
- GRAD 7300: Research Integrity Tutorial (0 credit hours)
- GRAD 7500: Academic Integrity Tutorial (0 credit hours)
- STDO 7010: Studio Concentration 1 (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7020: Studio Concentration 2 (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7110: Graduate Seminar 1 (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7120: Graduate Seminar 2 (3 credit hours)
Second year courses
- STDO 7030: Studio Concentration 3 (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7040: Studio Concentration 4 (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7130: Graduate Seminar 3 (3 credit hours)
- GRAD 7200: MFA Thesis/Studio Exhibition (0 credit hours)
Elective courses
- STDO 7210: Themes in Contemporary Art Studio (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7230: Contemporary Art Theory (3 credit hours)
- STDO 7300: Special Topics in Fine Art (3 credit hours)
For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.
Financial support
Our competitive funding package starts with a substantial yearly stipend from the School of Art, as well as the possibility of a $14,000/year University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship. Our second-year MFA students are also eligible for our internal School of Arts awards and scholarships. Paid teaching assistantships are offered for each Fall and Winter semester of the program.
Admission requirements
To qualify for admission to the Master of Fine Art program, you must have a minimum of:
- a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours degree (or equivalent) or a Bachelor of Arts Honours with studio major from a recognized university,
- with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 credit hours of study.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Admission decisions are based on the qualifications of the applicant as well as the ability of the School of Art and the University of Manitoba to serve the applicant’s intended program of study and area of specialization.
In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
How to apply
The MFA program has only one application deadline per year, and applications are normally accepted for September entry only. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:
- $100 application fee (non-refundable)
- Unofficial copies of transcripts
- Three letters of recommendation (must be requested from within the application)
- Artist's portfolio: Submit a minimum of 10 (maximum of 15) examples of work that have been produced within the three years prior to applying to the program
- Current CV including publications, exhibitions, and relevant professional activities
- Statement of personal goals for the program including the direction your work and research will take if you are accepted into the program.
- Proof of English language proficiency, if required
If deemed necessary, applicants may be asked to participate in an interview.
Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.
Application deadlines
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Contact us
Admission and application inquiries
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Room 500 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
graduate.admissions@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-9377
Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Program inquiries
School of Art
Room 313 ARTlab Building
180 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
Undergraduate programs: soadvise@umanitoba.ca
Graduate program: mfainfo@umanitoba.ca