Integrative Design

Masters of Fine Arts, also called an MFA degree, offer graduate students the opportunity to study the visual arts. MFA programs typically require 2-3 years of full-time study and may offer some practical and applied learning, as well as lessons in technique and theory.

A Masters of Fine Arts (MFA, or M.F.A.) degree is considered a ‘terminal’ degree, meaning it is the highest academic degree available in the Fine Arts. Though there are exceptions, an MFA is typically enough credential for individuals aspiring to teach Visual Art, Design, Film/Video, or New Media at the university level.

Integrative Design is the design of the interaction between users and products. Most often when people talk about interaction design, the products tend to be software products like apps or websites. In this degree, Athens State University realized that the interaction between users and ‘products can relate to traditional ‘analog’ mediums, as well. The goal of interaction design is to create art that enable the viewers/user to achieve their objective(s) in the best way possible.

If this definition sounds broad, that’s because the field is rather broad: the interaction between a user and a product often involves elements like aesthetics, motion, sound, space, and many more. And of course, each of these elements can involve even more specialized fields, like sound design for the crafting of sounds used in user interactions. Interactive work, including traditional mediums like ceramics or painting and drawing, interactive or physical computing installations, experience designs, websites, software, and other user interface designs, showcases the ability to apply design iterations and ideals. Graduates have portfolios that demonstrate a focus that demonstrates less a linear process approach and more integrated processes approaching each problem from the varied viewpoints of multiple participants and the issues they represent.

The Athens State University MFA in Integrative Design will not require a GRE score for admission. Instead, admission will be based on the merit of students’ current artwork and artistic preparation as shown in their application portfolio. When applying for the Master of Fine Arts Integrative Design degree-seeking applicants are required to submit:

• a resume
• three references
• an artist’s statement (one page in length) that describes your current body of artwork and your studio practice. The artist’s statement should be a Word or PDF document. A numbered “List of Works” should be uploaded with the artist’s statement. Please use the following format for your list:
  1. Title, medium, dimensions in height x width x depth (if applicable) and time (if applicable), date of completion.
• a portfolio. Portfolios must be program-specific and follow the individual portfolio guidelines required by the concentration of interest. See below for detailed guidelines.

Portfolios for the Area of Concentration in Ceramics

Portfolios should include 20 separate examples of work in ceramics that demonstrate artistic maturity, as well as the capacity to develop an idea through a series of works. Applicants should include a related series of their most recent work that indicates their current artistic direction and demonstrates a committed studio practice. Applicants may show work in diverse media as long as all of the work demonstrates the pursuit of cohesive ideas. A successful application portfolio demonstrates creativity and commitment in a cohesive body of work.

Portfolios should be submitted via the applicant’s portfolio URL or dedicated social media site and can include still images; video files; audio files; or any combination. Video or audio files may be included as part of the 20 work examples. Please format to 150 dpi, 1500 pixels on the greatest dimension. Please limit each video or audio link to no more than 5 minutes. If the video or audio link requires a password, be sure to list it.

A numbered “List of Works” should be uploaded with the artist’s statement. Please use the following format for your list:

1. Title, medium, dimensions in height x width x depth (if applicable) and time (if applicable), date of completion.

Portfolios for the area of Concentration in Painting and Drawing

Portfolios should include 20 separate examples of work in Painting and/or Drawing that demonstrate artistic maturity, as well as the capacity to develop an idea through a series of works. Applicants should include a related series of their most recent work that indicates their current artistic direction and demonstrates a committed studio practice. Applicants may show work in diverse media as long as all of the work demonstrates the pursuit of cohesive ideas. A successful application portfolio demonstrates creativity and commitment in a cohesive body of work.

Portfolios should be submitted via the applicant’s portfolio URL or dedicated social media site and can include still images; video files; audio files; or any combination. Video or audio files may be included as part of the 20 work examples. Please format to 150 dpi, 1500 pixels on the greatest dimension. Please limit each video or audio link to no more than 5 minutes. If the video or audio link requires a password, be sure to list it.

A numbered “List of Works” should be uploaded with the artist’s statement. Please use the following format for your list:

1. Title, medium, dimensions in height x width x depth (if applicable) and time (if applicable), date of completion.

Portfolios for the area of Concentration in Media and Digital Arts Degree

Portfolios should include 20 separate examples of work in Media and/or Digital Arts that demonstrate artistic maturity, as well as the capacity to develop an idea through a series of works. Applicants should include a related series of their most recent work that indicates their current artistic direction and demonstrates a committed studio practice. Applicants may show work in diverse media as long as all of the work demonstrates the pursuit of cohesive ideas. A successful application portfolio demonstrates creativity and commitment in a cohesive body of work.

Portfolios should be submitted via the applicant’s portfolio URL or dedicated social media site and can include still images; video files; audio files; or any combination. Video or audio files may be included as part of the 20 work examples. Please format to 150 dpi, 1500 pixels on the greatest dimension. Please limit each video or audio link to no more than 5 minutes. If the video or audio link requires a password, be sure to list it.

A numbered “List of Works” should be uploaded with the artist’s statement. Please use the following format for your list:

1. Title, medium, dimensions in height x width x depth (if applicable) and time (if applicable), date of completion.

If you are submitting any work from a group project, your contributions must be clearly identified and labeled.

Applicants who intend to focus on Media and Digital Arts should show interactive work, including interactive or physical computing installations, experience designs, websites, software, and other user interface designs, and showcase the ability to apply typographic rules, layout, and composition to Web applications. Ideally, the portfolio or résumé should note skills in basic HTML, web design, or scripting abilities in addition to research documentation. Research documentation should be succinct to relevant design decisions.

Portfolios should demonstrate a focus related to Integrative Design that demonstrates less a linear process approach and more integrated processes approaching each problem from the varied viewpoints of multiple participants and the issues they represent.

The body of work should demonstrate intention in mastery of the subject.  Traditional art and design skills are acceptable as well as digital designs. Applicants must show proficiency in Photoshop or Illustrator and demonstrate presentation polish. Annotations of mental maps to solutions are appreciated. A strong portfolio includes a presentation of the process in addition to final solutions such as design documentation, model breakdowns, concept sketches, or relevant research. Live examples can be included in documentation to review websites or working apps.

The Alabama Center for the Arts was completed in 2012 for the Visual Arts and houses state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in Computer Graphics, Ceramics, Multimedia and Integrative Design, and Painting and Drawing. The 44,000-square-foot facility for the Visual Arts is located in downtown Decatur, beside Phase II.
The Alabama Center for the Arts will allow appropriate access to studios, tools, and equipment for MFA candidates, as this is fundamental to art and/or design production and an education about safe studio practices. Additionally, the facilities are designed and situated in ways that encourage collaboration and exchange across disciplines and can include opportunities for MFA students to connect work to other program resources such as theater, music technology, set and lighting design, performance space, digital technology, and 3-D scanning labs, and a print center.

For more information, go to www.alabamacenterforthearts.com.

A residence hall serving the ACA, located just one block southeast from the ACA, is under construction and will contribute importantly to the affordability of housing for both the traditional and low-residency MFA populations. The residence hall, scheduled to be opened in 2024, will exclusively serve the students of Athens State and Calhoun Community College who are educated at the Alabama Center for the Arts.