Master of Arts Degree Programs

Overview

MICA offers a widely varied group of master of arts programs, meeting the needs of a broad range of students—from artists and educators engaged in arts activities focused on community and youth development, to experienced art educators seeking to deepen their scholarly activity through research, to artists who wish to develop conceptual sophistication and technical mastery in the digital arts. All draw upon the College’s spectacular studio and curricular resources and provide a strong network of support for students’ artistic, scholarly, and career pursuits.

The MA in Community Arts, administered by MICA’s nationally recognized Center for Art Education, provides a unique credential for visual artists who wish to pursue a career in art-based youth and community development. The program, spanning two summers and one academic year, is grounded in the principles of social justice. The curriculum balances course and studio work with intensive, real-world experience with children and youth in community settings, developing proposals for and implementing community arts projects. Graduates emerge with insights, skills, and experience that enable them to be effective community arts professionals.

The Summer MA in Art Education is uniquely designed to further develop and integrate art educators’ skills as reflective practitioners, studio artists, and contributors to the field. During two summer residencies on MICA’s campus, students in this low-residency program prepare for and conclude qualitative case studies conducted in their home schools during the year supported by distance learning instruction. Studio work, contemporary strategies for teaching, and readings in the literature inform these investigations as they write a research report, draft articles for publication, and develop proposals for conference presentations.

The MA in Teaching (MAT) is based on the premise that the best art teacher is an artist who is well grounded in studio practice, committed to the growth and development of others, and knowledgeable about teaching. The teacher is seen as a mediator between the world of art and the world of the learner. In creating opportunities for deep and meaningful engagement with art, teaching itself becomes an art form.