©Amanda Breitbach, Associate Professor

Each installment of In Focus: The MFA Review highlights a different MFA program for photographic artists, offering readers a concise overview of its identity, curriculum, faculty, student experience, financial support, and post-graduation outcomes. It also serves as a showcase of the creative work produced by faculty, students, and alumni. Rather than functioning as rankings or endorsements, these features are intended as practical starting points—tools to help prospective students compare programs, identify what matters most to them, and make more informed decisions about their graduate education. While certain details shared in these articles may change over time, my hope is that these program snapshots offer a clear sense of what each represents in the present moment.

Thank you to Amanda Breitbach and Neal Cox for completing this interview and compiling all the images/resources!

Institution name: Stephen F. Austin State University

Degree Title: MFA in Studio Art

Location: Nacogdoches, TX

Link to Program Page: https://www.sfasu.edu/art/academics/graduate/mfa-studio-art

Link to Application Page: https://www.sfasu.edu/academics/orgs/graduate-admissions#applying

Instagram: @art_sfa

©Neal Cox, Professor

Tell us a little about your program. How would you define its scope and purpose?

The MFA program at SFA is intentionally broad. Students have a lot of freedom to define their own creative research and work toward their goals. We offer ten different studio art areas, with faculty and facilities to support students in: animation, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, graphic design, metals/jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The primary purpose of our graduate program is to guide students in developing their artwork, ideas, and professionalism.

©Emmi Hasselbach, MFA Candidate

What would you say makes your program special?

The interdisciplinary nature of our MFA program is special. There are many ways for students to engage and explore processes and approaches to art making. In photography specifically, we offer an incredible breadth of facilities and instruction –from historic alternative processes to drone photography and photogrammetry. Additionally, we are a relatively small department, where students can benefit from faculty members’ individual time and attention. Graduate students form a close cohort and support each other both in class and outside it.

©William Niederbing, Associate Professor

What specialized facilities are available for student use (i.e. darkroom, lighting studio, print lab)?

Our photo areas include black and white and color darkroom facilities, well-equipped digital labs, a spacious lighting studio, large-format inkjet printers, and a wood shop for building frames/panels/etc. Students can check out medium and large format film cameras, DSLRs, lighting equipment, and drones. Graduates in photography might also explore bookmaking or photomechanical printing processes (collotype, serigraphy, photopolymer gravure) in the printmaking studio.

Graduate students in photography can also take courses in other media and learn to use those facilities (animation, ceramics, drawing, filmmaking, graphic design, metals/jewelry, painting, printmaking, and sculpture).

©Carolyn Norton, Alum

Is your program strictly photography-focused, or does it encourage/allow interdisciplinary work?

While the program does cater to all facets of photography, interdisciplinary work is at its core. All MFA students, regardless of their chosen concentration, enroll in and complete 18 hours (six classes) of interdisciplinary studio/critique courses. Photo students meet weekly each semester with students enrolled in the other concentrations for discussion and group critique. Additionally, MFA students complete 15 hours of art history (five classes) courses ranging in topics from photo history specifically to broader topics like period surveys.

©Ginger Gore Russell, MFA Candidate

Do you specialize in a particular area (i.e. documentary, experimental, environmental work)? And once in the program, is a student able to shift their focus if their creative interests change?

Graduate students direct their own creative research. Our faculty have diverse interests and expertise to support and challenge students in whatever area they choose to work. There is room for students to shift focus as they progress in the program.

©Christopher Talbot, Professor

How structured is the curriculum? Are there required courses, or is it more self-directed?

Our graduate curriculum is structured, but includes a significant amount of self-directed study:

• 18 hours of Studio Seminar. These are self-directed with faculty oversight; students can concentrate on their major photography concentration, a minor studio concentration, or a studio elective.
• 15 hours of Art History. Modern Philosophies is required; the remaining 12 hours are electives, (options include two photo history courses).
• 3 hours of Professional Practices
• 6 hours of Thesis work, 3 of which comprise a course in writing.

• 18 hours of elective courses in studio major, minor, or elective topics (these typically meet with advanced undergraduates in a corresponding class).

©Amanda Breitbach, Associate Professor

Does the program incorporate video work or emerging media such as AI, VR/AR, or 3D/360 imaging?

Graduate students can take the elective Advanced Photography course in Emerging Photographic Technologies, which addresses AI, 3D/360 imaging, and drone photography. They can also explore Filmmaking or Animation courses or take the elective Time-Based Media if those courses align with their interests.

©Neal Cox, Professor

Does the program offer career development support, such as portfolio reviews, workshop/conference attendance, or networking opportunities?

The required course in Professional Practices guides graduate students in crafting professional documents like CVs and artist statements and presenting their work digitally through portfolios and websites and offers opportunities to practice interviews. Students are encouraged to participate in workshops, conferences, and portfolio reviews and can apply for grants to help cover fees and travel expenses.

©Emmi Hasselbach, MFA Candidate

What are key graduation requirements (exhibition, thesis paper, portfolio, etc.)?

Students are required to pass reviews at the end of their first and second semesters. All graduate faculty review student work, presented in their studios, prior to issuing a pass or fail vote. Students who pass with at least 75% of the vote continue in good standing. Students who fail with less than 75% in the first semester will be reviewed in the second semester on probationary standing. Students who fail the first two semesters will be excused from the program. During their third semester, students install a solo exhibition of their work for review by all graduate faculty. The same thresholds apply as in the first and second semester reviews. Students who do not pass this exhibition with 75% or better are given the option to complete a 36-hour MA degree, applying their MFA credits towards the MA.

MFA candidates who matriculate to the fourth semester will form an MFA exhibition committee and work towards a solo exhibition in their final semester. The exhibition consists of four parts: a written thesis document, a public presentation, an exhibition defense, and the exhibition itself. All parts of the exhibition are directed by the student’s thesis committee, which decides the outcome.

©William Niederbing, Associate Professor

Who are your current faculty members? What are their areas of creative interest?

There are 21 full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty members in the School of Art, all of whom have a specialization, and many of whom teach in areas outside of their specialization. There are three full-time staff members who contribute at the adjunct level, and three full-time lecturers.

Photography: Amanda Breitbach is the head of the photo area with support from Christopher Talbot who is the Director of the School of Art and also specializes in photography. Amanda’s creative interests include the intersections of art and science and environmentally engaged photography. Christopher Talbot’s primary interest is the western landscape and the sublime. He frequently photographs using drones and photogrammetry software. Other support faculty include William Nieberding, whose primary area is Art Education, but who also teaches alternative photography (specifically tintype and ambrotype), and Neal Cox, whose primary area is printmaking, with additional extensive research into handmade books, pinhole photography and photomechanical printing (i.e. collotype, serigraphy, photopolymer gravure).

Animation: Benjamin Anderson and Chad Woelki. The animation area focuses on 3-d animation primarily. Benjamin Anderson is also an accomplished oil painter.

Drawing: Lindsey Creel is the head of drawing, with support from Shaun Roberts (painting), Neal Cox (printmaking), and a number of adjunct faculty.

Filmmaking: Derek Johnson and Rick Shepherdson comprise the filmmaking faculty. The program focuses mainly on narrative and documentary filmmaking. Rick Shepherdson has research interests in video art that might appeal to photography students.

Graphic Design: Danny Anguiano and Zachary Howell comprise the graphic design program, which covers traditional print, UX/UI, advertising, typesetting, and illustration.

Metals/Jewelry: Lauren Selden, who is also a sculptor and ceramist, heads this area.

Painting: Shaun Roberts heads this area, specializing in figure painting, and teaches foundations drawing and figure drawing in addition.

Printmaking: Neal Cox heads this area and also teaches drawing and photography.

Sculpture: Jason Millward heads this area, specializing in figurative sculpture.

©Carolyn Norton, Alum

Are faculty members primarily full-time or adjunct?

Primarily full-time.

How involved are faculty in mentoring students beyond coursework?

Faculty function as academic advisors for students in their primary area.

©Ginger Gore Russell, MFA Candidate

How often do guest artists, curators, or critics visit for lectures and/or critiques?

Guest artists, curators, or critics visit our campus frequently, and these visitors often participate in one-on-one studio visits with graduate students. One notable annual visit is by a curator selected as the juror for the Texas National exhibition. The exhibition and the visit by the juror take place each spring, generally around the second week of April.

©Christopher Talbot, Professor

How many students are admitted each year, and how many are photography focused?

We admit 7 graduate students on average every year. Typically, only 1-2 are photography focused.

What is the approximate cohort size, and what effect does this have on critiques, collaboration, and networking?

The cohort size is approximately 7 students.

©Carolyn Norton, Alum

What kind of work are current students creating?

Ginger Gore Russell is the only graduate student focusing on photography currently. Her project, My Mother’s Daughter (God is Alive, Magic is Afoot), consists of self-figurative photographs that explore topics related to inheritance, womanhood, and aging/vitality.

Graduate students in other areas are making a variety of work including large-scale figurative and abstract paintings, prints and ceramic work about home and family, drawings, prints and paintings using the human form as a symbol, sculptural ceramic forms that expose tension, pressure, and the conditions a form must survive to hold its shape, and narrative films that examine human relationships.

©Ginger Gore Russell, MFA Candidate

What is the total cost of the program (and duration), and what funding options are available?

The MFA is typically a three-year program, although it is possible for a student to accelerate their progress by taking summer courses. Graduate students who qualify for in-state (Texas) tuition and are taking the typical 9 credits pay 3,964.50 in tuition per semester. Graduate students from border states also receive discounted tuition of 4,234 for 9 credits. Non-resident tuition is 7,609.50 for 9 credits.

Are there teaching assistantships, and what percentage of tuition do they cover?

Yes, there are a limited number of both teaching assistantships and research assistantships. These are awarded competitively to support students with strong work and financial need. Assistantships depend on the student’s skills and the department’s staffing needs. A full assistantship for one semester is enough to cover tuition. A half assistantship will cover approximately 75% of tuition.

Are additional grants/resources available to support student projects?

Yes, both graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to apply for scholarships (deadline February 1) each year based on the strength of their portfolio.  We are fortunate to be supported by a community group called the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts who raise funds for student scholarships as well as mini-grants that can help students purchase materials, fund travel, or participate in conferences/workshops, etc.

©Jessica Gryder, Alum

What types of careers to alumni pursue, and how does the program support students after graduation?

Many of our MFA graduates are working as art educators. Others are studio artists, independent filmmakers, graphic designers, or working in the museum world. Alumni often stay in close contact with their major professors and thesis committee members, reaching out when they need professional references or mentorship. The university’s Career Center also offers free career workshops, document review, mock interview scheduling, and a job and internship board for alumni.

How connected is the alumni network, and do graduates stay involved with the program?

Most of our graduates stay in touch informally, either in person or through social media. Many participate in the annual juried Texas National exhibition and the Friends of the Visual Arts’ 12×12 fundraising auction, both of which serve as connection points for alumni who enter work and return to Nacogdoches for the reception. There is also an official SFA alumni association that offers a variety of activities and events.

©Jessica Gryder, Alum

©Jessica Gryder, Alum