At top-ranked fine arts universities, students emphasize studio practice in the medium of their choice. These universities work with students to develop their own portfoilio with the goal of showing their work in major galleries and museums. Yale University is consistently one of the top-ranked fine arts universities and their Master's of Fine Arts students are often recruited by prestigious galleries directly from their student shows.
Yale University
School of Art
1156 Chapel St.
New Haven, CT 06520
203-432-2600
art.yale.edu/Home
The Art Institute of Chicago offers another approach to the fine arts degree, allowing students a wide range of studio options including performance and installation work. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in the United States.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Master of Fine Arts Program
37 S. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603-3103
312-629-6100
[email protected]
Applied art universities offer students studio practice in a wide range of options, from digital design, architectural design, fashion or even jewelry design. The Rhode Island School of Design is the most prestigious of these applied art universities, with graduates working in cutting-edge design companies around the world.
Rhode Island School of Design
Master of Fine Arts Program
2 College St.
Providence, RI 02903
401-454-6300
risd.edu
Cranbrook Academy of Art emphasizes traditional applied arts, and students can work in fabric arts, ceramics and metalwork. They also offer a degree in critical studies for students who want to engage in the theoretical side of their practice.
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Master of Fine Arts Program
39221 Woodward Ave., Box 801
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0801
248-645-3300
cranbrook.edu
Students who want to teach art or work as curators will look for top-ranked art universities that emphasize critical theory and art history. The Maryland Institute College of Art offers a range of programs including art history, theory and criticism as well as art education and teaching art.
Maryland Institute College of Art
Master of Fine Arts Program
1300 Mount Royal Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21217
410-225-2256
mica.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University offers a concentration in art history as well art education and museum studies programs. Their programs emphasize developing exceptional teachers with a broad knowledge of art theory and criticism.
Virginia Commonwealth University
812 West Franklin St.
Richmond, VA 23284-9044
804-828-1223
vcu.edu