Master of Fine Arts Bailey Grayson '25 poses with “Letting Go of the Waves of Entanglement” featuring herself, by Jeannine Dabb '25Program OverviewThe Master of Fine Arts Program at Wilson College is a two-year, 60 credit hour, low-residency terminal degree program designed for working professionals or experienced practitioners. The program serves as a creative and academic incubator for our community of artist-scholars. As an interdisciplinary program, our students and faculty work in a range of modes of artistic and academic inquiry and creation in our quest to better understand the spectrum and scope of the human condition and experience. Concentrations OfferedMaster of Fine Arts in Choreography - for artists working in concert dance, musical theatre, film, performance art, or other movement-based artformsMaster of Fine Arts in Creative Writing - for writers working across a range of forms from creative nonfiction to fiction, performance writing, poetry, and other practices*Master of Fine Arts in Devised Performance - for performance artists who make original dance or theatrical work via transdisciplinary practices, often (though not always) through ensemble building. Master of Fine Arts in Directing - for artists working in theatre or musical theatreMaster of Fine Arts in Directing & Choreography - for artists who direct and choreograph in a combined/integrated capacity Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts - for artists working in any 2D or 3D medium/mediaMaster of Fine Arts in Visual Arts - for artists incorporating multiple artforms (and other disciplines) in an integrated practice*We do not currently accept applications for the Young Adult category.The program locates the study and practice of artmaking within human ecology, examining historical perspectives and approaches and developing creative practices by investigating the human relationship to our natural, sociopolitical, constructed, and curated environments. Program StructureThe MFA Program is designed as an intense, 24-month program which requires two consecutive Summer Residency periods (four weeks each) which generally run the last week of June through the third week of July, annually. Students are highly encouraged to begin their first year with the Summer Residency, though Fall starts are an option in extenuating circumstances.The Summer Residencies consist of individual and collaborative studio practice along with faculty mentoring and feedback/critique in the creative process and completion of realized works, as well as coursework addressing major areas in the disciplines. Each of the courses are conducted with students from all concentrations to foster in-depth interdisciplinary exploration and the opportunity to consider art and artmaking from a variety of approaches and perspectives. Each student is responsible for substantial preparation to make the most effective use of the Residency period. During the non-residency periods, students engage in remote coursework along with regular contact each semester with the Wilson program faculty and an additional outside mentor that the student nominates in consultation with the MFA Director Faculty. Non-residency semesters include online coursework, work-in-progress showings, and engagement in the Critical Response Process with the works-in-progress among members of the program’s learning community. Study concludes with a thesis project and oral defense. Application DeadlinesFall 2025 start: June 13, 2025Summer 2026 start: April 1, 2026Fall 2026 start: June 1, 2026 2026 Summer Residency DatesMove in: Saturday, June 20, 2026Orientations: Sunday, June 21, 2026 First day of classes: Monday, June 22, 2026Last day of classes: Friday, July 17, 2026Final Exhibitions & Performances and Closing Celebrations: Saturday, July 18, 2026Move out: Sunday July 19th, 2026 More events ➜ Image MFA Summer Intensive 2024 The MFA students are on campus! Read more Image MFA Exhibit: "Disrobing Provenance" While the MFA class was on campus for their summer residency, they curated a unique exhibit called "Disrobing Provenance" in the Hunnicutt Gallery. Read more More news. ➜ Master of Fine Arts MFA Mission, Goals & Outcomes MFA Director Master of Fine Arts Faculty MFA Mentor Program MFA Course Sequence MFA Curriculum MFA Admission Criteria MFA Tuition and Fees MFA Registration and Academic Procedures Apply Request info ContactJen Graham, MFADirector of MFA and Assistant Professor of Danceemail: mfa@wilson.edutel.: 717.264.2672
Image MFA Exhibit: "Disrobing Provenance" While the MFA class was on campus for their summer residency, they curated a unique exhibit called "Disrobing Provenance" in the Hunnicutt Gallery. Read more
