The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a terminal studio degree designed to further the individual development of degree candidates and to provide them with professional competency in the studio arts.<br>At SIUE, all areas of study are taught by faculty who are practicing art professionals who maintain vigorous national exhibition schedules, which makes SIUE one of the most comprehensive studio art programs in the region.<br><br>The Department of Art and Design, in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, provides an excellent studio art program for its majors, minors and post-graduate students in newly built and renovated facilities offering state-of-the-art technology. While students are encouraged to develop their creative, intellectual and technical potential in the visual arts, they also have the opportunity to pursue minors in diverse areas such as anthropology, business, geography, history and more. Emphasis is placed on the development of conceptual and visual vocabulary, as well as the ability of students to discuss their work within historical and contemporary contexts. At SIUE, the Department of Art and Design offers a core foundation of skills that students can build upon in order to produce meaningful and engaging works with diverse objectives. Our students are challenged to view themselves as professionals on the first day they step into a classroom.