LENSCRATCH - Fine Art Photography Daily

In Focus: The MFA Review: Savannah College of Art and Design by Daniel GeorgeJune 8, 2026

©Michael James O’Brien, Department Chair

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 Jonathan Sage, Michael James O’Brien, and Josh Jalbert for completing this interview and compiling all the images/resources!

Institution name: Savannah College of Art and Design

Degree Title: MFA in Photography

Location: Savannah, GA (main campus)

Link to Program Page: https://www.scad.edu/academics/programs/photography/degrees/mfa

Link to Application Page: https://admission.scad.edu/forms/appOnlineApplication?studentTypeCode=G

Instagram: @scad_photo

©Josh Jalbert, Department Chair

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

SCAD’s MFA in Photography program is designed to develop artists, thinkers, and creative professionals who are prepared to work across the full spectrum of the photographic medium. The program spans four campuses—Savannah, Atlanta, Lacoste, and SCADnow online—giving students flexibility in how and where they study. The scope of the program is broad and deep: students engage the entire history and future of image-making, from 19th-century analog and alternative processes through contemporary digital technologies and AI. The purpose is to help each student cultivate a distinct artistic voice while equipping them with the critical, conceptual, and professional skills they need to sustain a career in the creative economy. As SCAD is the University for Creative Careers, the SCAD photography MFA program is as rooted in professional development, business acumen, and industry readiness as it is in fine-art rigor and conceptual depth.

©Tim Keating, Professor

What would you say makes your program special?

Most importantly: 1 on 1 support as students move independently and collectively through the immersive MFA classes. Then, the scale of resources and the breadth of the university itself—with more than 40 degree programs across disciplines like film, advertising, graphic design, fashion, immersive reality, and applied AI, photography students have opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration.The program offers access to premier facilities, dedicated museums with global presence (the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah and SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta), plus annual signature events like SCAD deFINE ART, and strong industry connections through SCADpro, the university’s research lab that pairs students and faculty with global brands for real-world projects in real time. The program also maintains an active international presence, including exhibitions like Photo London, Arte Laguna in Venice, and offers study-abroad experiences in residence at SCAD Lacoste, France.

©Sandra Phipps, Professor

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

SCAD provides an exceptionally well-equipped range of photography facilities across its campuses, including black-and-white group and private darkrooms (with enlargers accommodating up to 8×10 film), alternative-process labs, inkjet printers and high-resolution scanners, C41 film processing in formats from 35mm through 8×10, photography studios with full equipment checkout. Equipment available for student checkout includes mirrorless and DSLR camera systems, 4×5 and 8×10 large-format film cameras, PhaseOne and Fujifilm medium-format digital cameras, Profoto studio lighting kits, and a wide array of LED and strobe lighting with grip and modifiers. SCAD also provides a myriad of exhibition spaces where students can show and sell work in a professional gallery setting.

©Jeff Rich, Professor

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

The program is grounded in photography but actively encourages interdisciplinary exploration. SCAD’s MFA in Photography curriculum includes required photography courses alongside electives from any of the university’s 40-plus programs—film, advertising, graphic design, immersive reality,writing, applied AI, and more. The program promotes the idea that photography is uniquely suited to an interdisciplinary approach, and many students pursue work that crosses into video, installation, book arts, mixed media, and digital technologies. SCADpro collaborations also frequently place photography students on cross-disciplinary teams solving design and brand challenges for industry partners.

©Ryan Debolski, Professor

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?

The program does not specialize in a single area; it embraces a wide photographic practice. Students are supported in pursuing the direction that interests them—and shift focus as their work evolves. The combination of a broad curriculum, diverse faculty perspectives, and elective options means that a student who enters with a documentary focus can pivot toward experimental or studio-based work (or vice versa) without structural barriers. The MFA thesis is self-directed, so each student ultimately defines the focus of their culminating body of work.

©Chris Lane, Professor

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

The MFA curriculum balances structure with flexibility. It is a 90-credit-hour program with required photography courses that build technical, conceptual, and critical skills progressively, culminating in the PHOT 790 Photography MFA Thesis. Alongside these required courses, students choose meaningful electives—including a SCADpro elective and multiple open electives—that can be taken within or outside the department. This structure ensures all students share a common foundation of rigorous study while allowing room for significant exploration.

©Michael Acheampong, MFA Candidate

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

Yes. SCAD has invested heavily in emerging technologies across the university, and photography students benefit from that environment in meaningful ways. The university offers programs in areas such as applied AI and immersive reality, and photography students may take electives that expand their technical and creative range.

Within the photography program, students work across the full spectrum of the medium—from historic processes and analog methods to advanced digital workflows. They are encouraged to explore video, multimedia, installation, and new media whenever those tools strengthen the ideas behind the work.

SCAD’s annual SCAD deFINE ART programming has also increasingly highlighted artists using technology in inventive ways. The 2026 edition honored Laurie Anderson and included VR projects, immersive installations, and interactive digital presentations. For students, this means direct exposure to contemporary artists working where photography, technology, and expanded media meet.

©James Toftness, MFA Candidate

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

Career development is a central part of the SCAD experience and is woven throughout the photography program. SCAD’s Office for Career and Alumni Success (CAS) offers one-on-one career advising, résumé and cover letter support, portfolio development, mock interviews, personal branding guidance, and help securing internships and employment opportunities.

Within the program, students also build professional skills in marketing, entrepreneurship, and business practices relevant to creative careers. They gain valuable industry exposure through signature university initiatives such as SCAD deFINE ART, which brings leading artists, curators, and critics to campus for talks, master classes, and networking opportunities, as well as Photo London, where SCAD alumni work has been featured, and SCADpro, which connects students with real-world industry projects.

Photography students have completed internships with prominent figures and organizations including Mark Seliger, Mary Ellen Mark, An-My Lê, Aperture, Magnum Photos, The New York Times, and TIME.

The department also offers visiting artist lectures, portfolio reviews, and study-abroad opportunities in cities such as London, Venice, Iceland, Stockholm, and Ireland—giving students meaningful professional connections and career support throughout their time in the program.

©Rahkel Dixon, MFA Candidate

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

The culmination of the MFA program is PHOT 790 Photography MFA Thesis, a capstone experience in which students conceive, refine, and present a substantial body of original work that demonstrates conceptual maturity, technical command, and a clearly developed artistic voice. Working closely with faculty mentors and thesis committee members, students engage in sustained research, critique, editing, and production as they bring their ideas to a professional level of completion.

The thesis experience concludes with a formally presented exhibition in a professional gallery setting, where students gain hands-on experience with every aspect of exhibition practice—including installation, sequencing, lighting, wall text, promotional materials, and social media outreach. This final presentation allows students to articulate their ideas publicly while showcasing work that is ready for the contemporary art world, commercial practice, or further scholarly pursuit.

To earn the degree, students complete all required coursework and electives totaling 90 credit hours, building both depth in photography and a broad, interdisciplinary foundation throughout the program.

©Joel Dubroc, MFA Candidate

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

Selected list of SCAD Photography Faculty:

Dale Clifford – Dean of the School of Fine Arts, School of Visual Communication, and School of Foundation Studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

A practicing visual artist and educator, Clifford brings decades of academic leadership and teaching experience to the university, having served in roles ranging from professor to associate dean before assuming his current position. He holds an MFA in visual arts from Clemson University and a B.F.A. from Miami University. In addition to his leadership at SCAD, Clifford contributes nationally to arts education through his work with the College Board’s AP Art and Design program. His creative practice has been featured in numerous exhibitions and galleries across the United States.

Michael James O’Brien – Chair of Photography (Atlanta)

A Yale-trained photographer, poet, curator, and activist, O’Brien’s work centers on portraiture, identity, and the intersection of photography with queer culture and social activism. He is known for his longtime collaboration with Matthew Barney on the Cremaster cycle, his documentation of New York’s downtown drag scene, and editorial work for publications including The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Vogue, and GQ. His portrait of Gilbert & George is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London. He is also an accomplished poet and editor-at-large of the poetry magazine Verbal Abuse.

Josh Jalbert – Chair of Photography (Savannah)

Josh Jalbert is Chair of Photography at SCAD, Savannah. He has held prior faculty appointments at the University of Oregon, Southern Oregon University, and the College of Wooster. Jalbert holds undergraduate degrees from Maine Media College and Lesley University College of Art and Design, and earned his MFA from the University of Oregon. He also participated in the Philosophy, Art & Critical Thought division at the European Graduate School. His research spans aesthetic theory and philosophy, new media, and photography as transdisciplinary art practice. His work has been exhibited at the Andrews Gallery at the College of William & Mary (VA), the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University (VA), the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery at Central Washington University (WA), the Schneider Museum of Art (OR), and the Center for Fine Art Photography (CO). His work is held in private and public collections, has appeared in film and television productions, and has been featured on wearable and consumer products.

Jeff Rich – Photography professor

Rich is a photographer and SCAD Alum whose work focuses on the American landscape and environmental issues. His photographs have been exhibited at institutions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Harvard Art Museum, and Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and he has worked as an assignment photographer for The New York Times and The Sierra Club.

Ryan Debolski – Photography professor

Ryan Debolski received an MFA in photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2014. His book, LIKE, was selected for the 2020 Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards shortlist and won the Jurors’ Special Mention. His work has been published in The New York Times, M Le magazine du Monde, British Journal of Photography, American Suburb X, and The Brooklyn Rail. His new photography book will be published in May of this year (2026)

Vivien Allender – Photography professor

Vivien Alexander is the co-creator of see-zeen, an online contemporary photography magazine, which fosters a global dialogue on the modern image. Her work has been exhibited internationally, with shows in Italy, Norway, Australia, and the United States.

©Teela Deleon, MFA Candidate

Are faculty members primarily full-time or adjunct?

We have a strong core of full-time faculty who teach in Savannah, Atlanta, Lacoste and the rapidly growing online program SCADnow. The emphasis on full-time faculty, combined with small class sizes, builds mentorship and availability for graduate students.

How involved are faculty in mentoring students beyond coursework?

The culture of the department is one of close engagement: with small class sizes and an active community, faculty-student relationships tend to be ongoing and substantive. Faculty lead Independent Study sessions, Extra Workshops, curatorial projects, serve as thesis advisors, guiding MFA students through the development of their final body of work over several quarters. Faculty also connect students with professional contacts and provide individualized career guidance, teaching and field internships.

©Khalil Brooks, MFA Candidate

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

We have constant visits throughout the academic year for all locations including our online classes with class visits, artists talks and 1 on 1 critiques with practitioners, international curators and editors such as; Zanele Muholi, Duane Michals, Albert Watson, Awol Erizku, Curators Susanna Brown and Lydia Caston (V&A London),, Tyler Mitchell, Laurie Anderson, Farah Al Qasimi, Mona Bozorgi, Rashod Taylor, Campbell Addy, Robert Fairer, Carrie Mae Weems, Pat Dierker (Matte Projects), Matthew Rowean (Matte Projects), Laurie Victor Kay, LeAndra LeSeur, Cheriss May, and Ellen von Unwerth.

©Chenghao Wang, MFA Candidate

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

There are 82 currently enrolled MFA photography students.

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

Graduate photography classes are intentionally kept small, creating space for rigorous critique, individual mentorship, and strong working relationships among students and faculty. At the same time, the program benefits from being part of a large multidisciplinary university, giving students access to a far broader creative community than many smaller stand-alone MFA programs can offer. Graduate students regularly collaborate with peers across disciplines, connect with faculty throughout the university, meet visiting artists and industry professionals, and tap into a global alumni network—expanding both their artistic perspective and professional opportunities well beyond the classroom.

©Taren Wang, MFA Candidate

What kind of work are current students creating?

Work across transdisciplinary practices. This includes video, durational work, performance, site projections, books, collective projects.

A few recent examples:

https://arcathens.org/leandra-leseur/

https://mdorf.com

https://monabozorgi.com/

https://elliotstudio.com/

https://www.kelianne.com/

https://www.nowopen.tv/anle

https://www.photolucida.org/top-50/taylor-edgerton/

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

Cost: per degree per year, ex. (BFA: $ amount/year, MA: $ amount/year) 2025-2026 Academic Year: Undergraduate: $42,165; Graduate: $43,155

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

Educators who are employed in a full- or part-time capacity at the first grade through university level at a public or private institution recognized by the applicant’s state department of education at the time of application may be eligible to receive a half-tuition scholarship to attend SCAD at any location or via SCADnow online.

Internship – Graduate Field and Teaching

Description: Internships offer graduate students valuable opportunities to work in a professional environment and gain firsthand experience to help them prepare for careers. In an approved internship setting, a student typically spends one quarter working with an on-site professional supervisor and a faculty internship supervisor to achieve specific goals and objectives related to the program of study.

Internships may be undertaken on a credit or non-credit basis and may be paid or unpaid.

Are additional grants/resources available to support student projects?

SCAD offers a variety of institutional scholarships based on academic excellence, overall achievement, and other recognition in conjunction with a student’s completed admission application. Required materials for these scholarships should be sent to your SCAD admission adviser for consideration.

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

Students go on to pursue careers in fields such as: Advertising or studio photographer, Art director, Digital videographer, Fashion photographer, Stylist, Fine art photographer, Gallery director, Photo editor, Photojournalist, Product photographer, Curator, and Educator.

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

SCAD Art Sales, the university’s full-service art consultancy, empowers you to sell your work to private collectors and earn commissions for public installations. Alumni photographers have gained global exposure in publications like Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Elle Décor, National Geographic, and Vogue; in exhibitions at Photo London; and through renowned publishers like Thames & Hudson, which exclusively featured SCAD photographers in Class of 2024, an exquisite showcase of 10 visionaries setting the scene for the industry’s future.

The alumni network is active and extensive—spanning more than 100 countries—providing graduates with an enduring professional community.

SCAD Alumni Atelier program: https://www.scad.edu/success/alumni-network/alumni-atelier

SCAD MoA -The SCAD Museum of Art is a premier contemporary art museum that features emerging and established international artists through commissioned works and rotating exhibitions; engages local communities with special initiatives of an international scope; and serves as a resource for SCAD students and alumni during their academic careers and beyond.

SCAD CAS – SCAD Career and Alumni Success (CAS) is the dedicated department at the Savannah College of Art and Design that provides career guidance, industry connections, and job search resources to students and alumni. It assists with building résumés, portfolios, interviewing skills, and hosting major recruitment events like the SCAD Career Fair.

SCAD Photography Mentors: