Photography

An image depicting work at the School of Art + Design.
Before the photograph there's the photographer. At the School of Art + Design, we offer a rigorous education designed with you—the serious photographer—in mind. In our studios and seminars, we explore historic traditions, wide-ranging techniques, recent innovations, and the role of the contemporary photographer. We provide you the training, the time, and the confidence to contribute to the photography of the 21st century.

Because we understand that each photographer has unique skills and ambitions, we offer a highly individualized MFA experience. Each semester, you’ll sit down with a faculty advisor to determine the courses most suited to your progress and your goals. While many of the courses you take will focus on photographic methods, theories, history, and production, you will also explore other artistic mediums taught at the School of Art+Design. In fact, nearly a third of the courses you must complete during the three-year program are earmarked for electives. As artists, we strongly believe that broad exploration and consistent experimentation lead to accomplished works of art. As teachers and mentors, we are dedicated to providing you attention, support, and constructive criticism. You’ll also enjoy the opportunity to work with a revolving cast of critics and artists who visit campus each semester.

We invite applications from highly motivated, energetic, and mature students with an open mind toward the rapid changes occurring in image-making technology. Undergraduate training or professional experience in photography is a plus, though not essential. We do assume incoming students arrive with a strong foundation in photography already in place. By the end of three years, each MFA candidate will produce documentation of creative work (slide, video, or disk), a written statement of artistic position, and a public exhibition.

Resources in Photography

MFA candidates receive individual darkrooms and access to an array of facilities and equipment, including:

  • Mac and Windows workstations

  • Mural printing rooms

  • Professional scanners

  • Epson large format printers

  • Video cameras

  • Editing facilities

  • Digital cameras

  • Tripods

  • Portable lighting

  • Shooting studios

  • The archives of the Krannert Art Museum

  • The collection of the Ricker Library of Architecture and Art