A candidate for an MFA typically holds a bachelor's degree prior to admission, but many institutions do not require that the candidate's undergraduate major conform with their proposed path of study in the MFA program. Admissions requirements often consist of a sample portfolio of artworks or a performance audition.[10][11][12][13]
The Master of Fine Arts differs from the Master of Arts in that the MFA, while still an academic program, centers-on professional artistic practice in the particular field, whereas programs leading to the MA usually center on the scholarly, academic, or critical study of the field. Additionally, in the United States, an MFA is typically recognized as a terminal degree for practitioners of visual art, design, dance, photography, theatre, film/video, new media, and creative writing—meaning that it is considered the highest degree in its field, qualifying an individual to become a professor at the university level in these disciplines.
^Bukalski, Peter J.; Barbier, Annette (2000). "The University Film and Video Association Guidelines for MFA Programs". Journal of Film and Video. 52 (1). University Film and Video Association (UFVA): 33–47. JSTOR20688233.
^"Brooklyn College". Brooklyn.cuny.edu. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
^Bukalski, Peter J.; Barbier, Annette (2000). "The University Film and Video Association Guidelines for MFA Programs". Journal of Film and Video. 52 (1). University Film and Video Association (UFVA): 33–47. JSTOR20688233.
