Master of Fine Arts

A Master of Fine Arts, also known as an MFA or M.F.A., is the highest level of education that can be earned in the field of fine arts. This includes the visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, and other performing arts, as well as, in some instances, theatre management or arts administration. After receiving a bachelor's degree, students must then complete an additional two to three years of postgraduate study in order to get this graduate degree; however, the amount of time spent in school may vary depending on the nation or institution. The majority of the coursework is either applied or performance-based, and the degree programme often culminates in either a thesis exhibition or performance. In 1940, the University of Iowa was the first academic institution in the world to provide a Master of Fine Arts degree to its students.

Candidates for an MFA must normally already possess a bachelor's degree prior to being accepted into the programme; however, many educational institutions do not mandate that the candidate's undergraduate major be congruent with the field of study they want to pursue for their MFA. An audition or a sample portfolio of the applicant's previous work are often required components of the admissions process.

The Master of Fine Arts is distinguished from the Master of Arts by the fact that, despite the fact that it is still an academic programme, the MFA focuses on professional artistic practise in the specific field, whereas the programmes that lead to the MA typically centre on the scholarly, academic, or critical study of the field. Additionally, in the United States of America, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is typically recognised as a terminal degree for practitioners of visual art, design, dance, photography, theatre, film/video, new media, and creative writing. This means that it is considered the highest degree in its field, qualifying an individual to become a professor at the university level in these fields.