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Department of Art

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts

Level

Graduate

Commitment

2 years

Campus

Ithaca

Contact

Department of Art

artdepartment@cornell.edu

Learn More & Apply
art students and professor discussing work

The two-year Master of Fine Arts in Creative Visual Arts (M.F.A. CVA) is an intimate and diverse community that supports interdisciplinary and medium-specific practices, augmented by access to the breadth of fields of study across the university.

Curriculum

While centered around independent studio practice, students pursuing an M.F.A. work closely with a special advisory committee consisting of both art and affiliate faculty of their choosing throughout the program. In addition, US and internationally based practicing artists and critical practitioners visit CornellAAP to teach, give public lectures, and conduct individual studio visits. The Art Department also hosts a distinguished Teiger Mentor in the Arts each semester to lead the graduate seminar, a cornerstone of the curriculum.

In addition to a flexible yet intensive curriculum, M.F.A. CVA students have 24-hour access to private studios in our recently renovated facility, as well as to an exceptional array of tools, spaces, and other resources for making and exhibiting. The program also incudes an annual exploratory international trip; opportunities to gain teaching experience; and competitive tuition support.

  • gallery installation
  • A person peers down at a grouping of planters on the ground, illuminated by purple grow lights.
  • person creating art in a studio space
  • Professors and student viewing sculptural work
  • A group of people help with gardening, using a variety of garden tools.
  • An installation view of an exhibition that features hanging fabric sculptures.
  • Exterior view of a stone building with autumn trees and people sitting among sculptures in a circle.
  • A person presents their paintings to a group of people.
  • A person stands on a ladder next to a tree to hang a fabric panel while four other people help steady the ladder.

Circle Self / Spiral Center, an exhibition by Annamariah Knox (M.F.A. ’23).

Andy Li views Hyunjin Park’s (both M.F.A. ’25) work as part of the M.F.A. group show over and over.

Hyunjin Park (M.F.A. ’25) presents her work included in graduate student group exhibition Into the Deep End. 

The Purification of Shelby Johnson, exhibition by Shelby Johnson (M.F.A. ’23).

Onome Olotu (M.F.A. ’26) presents her work for final critiques.

Faculty

Program Director

Current Teaching Faculty in the M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts

In addition to faculty within the art department, faculty members from many other Cornell departments provide their time and expertise to the M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program. 

two figures viewing a gallery installation

Visiting Artists

The M.F.A. in Creative Visual Arts program welcomes a number of visiting artists, arts practitioners, and speakers to the department each semester. Graduate students have priority access to these prestigious visitors, who have recently included:

Fall 2024

  • Regina José Galindo
  • Nicholas Muellner
  • Pamela Sneed
  • Camille Norment
  • Leigh Ledare
  • Sharon Louden

Spring 2025

  • Laura Nova, JJ Manford, Cecilia Lu
  • Carla Liesching
  • Trevor Paglen
  • Tamar Ettun
  • Melissa Catanese

Fall 2025

  • Marisa Morán Jahn
  • Erika Ranee
  • Harmonia Rosales
  • Michael Wang
  • Maria Park