Program Handbook 2020-2021 Program Overview PSU ’s Art and Social Practice and continually redefine and MFA is composed of a combination develop the program as a whole. of individual research, group Students connect their art work, and experiential learning. practice to research in the field The program ’ s blend of critical through electives and community and professional practice, partnerships, promoting cross- collaborative social engagement, disciplinarily. Student work and and transdisciplinary exploration research is presented publicly produces an immersive educational culminating in graduate projects, environment. presented in the third and final year of t he program. Each student will The 90 credit, three-year course produce a Graduate Publication encourages students to shape the related to the work they produce direction of their own education, during the program. Course o f Study/ Course Plan Credit Distribution The following credit distribution is ​​ for students entering the program The MFA program requires 90 in Fall 2019: credit hours of coursework. Just under half of these credit hours are Directed Studies and First Year 2020/2021 Fall Winter Spring associated workshops (Social ART 598 Workshop 2 2 2 Practice Group Workshops). ART 597 A History of A rt and Social Practice 4 - - The rest are distributed among ART 584 Social Practice Directed Study 2 2 2 contemporary art history ART 586 Visiting Artist (conversation series) 2 2 2 and theory seminars, special ART 599 Contemporary Art II - 4 - topics, writing, pedagogy and ART 583 Seminar III: Teaching Visual Culture - - 2 professional practices seminars, non-art electives, and the ART 581 Seminar I: Special Topics i n Contemporary Art - - 2 Graduate Project. These courses Total: 10 10 10 augment the tutorials and group workshops and are designed to Second Year 2021/2022 Fall Winter Spring help you broaden your field of ART 598 Workshop 2 2 2 inquiry. ART 584 Social Practice Directed Study 2 2 2 The 90 credit h ours required for ART 586 Visiting Artist (Conversation Series) 2 2 2 completion of the program are ART 530 Critical Art Theories II - - 4 distributed as follows: ART 582 Seminar II: Writing & Research 2 - - ART 585 Seminar IV: Professional Practices 2 - - Course Credit ​ Hours Approved Elective - 4 - Directed Studies + Workshops 40 Total: 10 10 10 Conversation Series (visiting artists) 12 Third Year 2022/2023 Fall Winter Spring Contemporary Art History/Theory 12 ART 598 Workshop 2 2 2 Electives (outside department) 8 ART 581 Seminar: Special topics in Contemporary Art - 2 - ART 582 Seminar II: Writing & Research - 2 - Graduate Seminars 12 ART 584 Social Practice Directed Study 2 2 - Graduate Project 6 ART 584 Social Practice Directed Study 2 2 2 Approved Elective 4 - - ART 587 MFA Project - - 2 ART 599 MFA Critique - - 4 Flexible Residency Total: 10 10 10 The program offers students the option to study both in Portland and remotely through online participation. Remote students are expected to come to Portland twice a year, for the Program retreat at the beginning of the school year, and during Assembly, usually in May. Please see the appendix for tips on remote technology set-ups. 2 Directed Studies Learning Outcomes that is then reviewed by a graduate Directed Studies are individual 1. Students will engage in learning committee who conduct an oral meetings that students take about the history, theory, and review with each student before throughout their course of study practice of socially engaged art they are allowed to matriculate. with a rotating selection of production. faculty. These meetings are self End of term reviews are a chance initiated between the students 2. Students will examine and to assesses and give feedback on and Directed Studies faculty for consider the ethics of collaboration the development of each student’s a given term, and offer one-on- with the public on socially progress in their understanding one support for students as they engaged art projects. of socially engaged art history, progress through the program. theory, ethics, and successful 3. Students will learn about project strategies. Requirements for Graduation and demonstrate strategies for - Successful completion of the 90 developing a career in the realm of In addition to this, all of the Credits of coursework (a B grade socially engaged art. students organize and present or better on all of the required projects at the Art and Social classes). Assessment Practice MFA program’s annual The various graduation end of year conference called - Successful Completion of a requirements are an opportunity Assembly. The event and Graduate Project that is both for a final assessment to see if the individual projects are all participatory and public and can each student can articulate the discussed and given feed-back be evaluated though experience history and theory of socially after Assembly has taken place. or documentation by a graduate engaged art related to their work, The students use their knowledge committee. as well as to demonstrate the of the history and theory of socially production of a successful socially engaged art as part of their work - Successful completion of a engaged project, and to be able to on Assembly as well as their Graduate Written Component present and discuss their projects training in ethically thoughtful which needs to take the form of a and practice. collaboration and effective social publication that can be distributed engagement strategies. publicly as well as being reviewed The Art and Social Practice MFA by a graduate committee. program conducts end-of-term Dismissal Policy review presentations in which Students admitted to the Art - Successful creation of a all students present and are and Social Program must pass functional artist website (or given feedback on their activities a candidacy review at the end of equivalent online place in which and research related to their the their first year in the program work can be accessed). developing practices at the end to continue work towards their of every term in the three-year degree. Reviews are conducted at - Successful presentation of a program. the end of the third term with the public Graduate Lecture which director of the program. covers their three years of work The program organizes a student as part of the program and details run conference at the end of Students who do not pass the the Graduate Project. Preferably, every school year that allows the review will have the opportunity to the lecture should be organized students to demonstrate what they continue working over the summer to take place in a location and have learned. to meet the requirements that were including an audience related to established during their review and the Graduate Project. Graduating students all complete continue towards the completion the 90 credits of the program, of their degree. - Successful completion of produce a graduate publication graduate oral review with and a graduate project, present a Graduate Committee. graduate lecture, and then all of 3 Course Descriptions practices in relation to a variety ART 585 of cultural and historical topics. Professional Practice ART 598 Maximum 4 credits. Required for Explores various topics in Social Practice: Workshop MFA. Prerequisite: ARH 550. contemporary art, concentrating This course is a co-requisite to on specific issues of professional ART 584 Directed Studies Social ART 581 development for graduate Topics Seminar Practice. In this workshop the students. Through lectures, Examines selected issues in focus is on the creative aspects research, reading and writing, contemporary art and culture. involved in social practice a variety of tools and strategies The instructor ’ s current research including theory and application. directly related to contemporary interests determine course Students formulate and work art world practices will be material. on collaborative public projects, taught. The students will be required to apply these issues discuss the creative aspect and ARH 598 practical application of art and Contemporary Art History to their specific art production. social practice. Must be repeated Course investigating current Prerequisite: second year for 20 credits. Required for MFA global developments in standing the Master of Fine Arts Art & Social Practice emphasis. contemporary art. Required for Program. Maximum 2 credits. Prerequisite: graduate standing. MFA. Prerequisite: graduate ART 597 standing. Topics: A History of Art and Social ART 584 Practice Social Practice Directed Studies ART 582 This course will trace a history Tutorial and directed study in Writing and Research Explores the role of writing and of social practice in art and social practice production with investigate the current critiques, a supervising faculty member. research in contemporary art practice. The course considers debates and issues surrounding In-depth discussions and its current state in relation to its assessment of graduate student’s some of the reasons visual artists write, reviews various types of historical context. The course work-in-progress in relation to will examine social practice from contemporary art practices and historical and contemporary artists ’ writing, and explores basic 1920 to present. This course criticism, historical practices, will place a strong emphasis technical and formal concerns research methods. Second-year MFA candidates complete a first on contemporary examples and/or related interdisciplinary of social practice art through interests.