Viscom Packet

Table of Contents

Revised 12/02/2025

BECOME ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT AND KEEP YOUR DAY JOB.

Located in the heart of Dallas, the Master of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Visual Communication serves the practicing professional who aspires to greater proficiency in industry-related innovation and problem-solving, business strategies, ideation, marketing, entrepreneurship, or a career in design education. The capstone of the degree is a research project and accompanying exhibition on a topic incorporating business practices, design education and social responsibility. This culminating exhibition will advance a premise that significantly expands the current boundaries of knowledge.

Department of Art
Visual Communication Program
8750 N Central Expressway
Floor 19
Dallas, TX 75231
[email protected]

EAST TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, GRADUATE PROGRAM – DEPARTMENT OF ART

Steps to Apply

Students hoping to pursue a graduate degree in art must complete an application packet and meet the Department of Art's requirements for admission. It is important you submit the application prior to submitting the remaining application items. The university must receive all application materials prior to the semester in which the applicant intends to enroll. Once a student's application is complete, the department is allotted two weeks to review the application. While many times the review process is much quicker, please keep the two weeks in mind as you work to gain admission into the program.

  1. APPLY: Please go to www.applytexas.org to submit your application for the program.
  2. APPLICATION FEE: The application fee is $50 for domestic students and $75 for international students. There are several ways to pay your application fee. Online while applying at ApplyTexas – Online at your myLeo – By calling 903.886.5591 – By mailing a check to the Office of Graduate Studies, P.O. Box 3011, Commerce, TX 75429-3011.
  3. TRANSCRIPTS: Request official transcripts from all intuitions you have attended, including all undergraduate and graduate coursework. Your official transcripts can be mailed to the Office of Graduate Studies (address provided below). The Office of Graduate Studies may be able to accept electronic transcripts that are sent directly from the institution. Please contact your Graduate School Coordinator as to whether or not the university can accept electronic transcripts from your previously attended institutions
  4. ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIO: Portfolio of 10-15 images, clearly labeled with the applicant's name, title of piece, client, purpose, medium, involvement and date. The portfolio should emphasize the applicant's proposed area of study.
  5. RECOMMENDATION LETTER: Please note that only one letter of recommendation is required, however you may submit up to three letters of recommendation if you'd like.
  6. STATEMENT OF INTENT: No more than one page. Please address your interest in the program, as well as your goals for your education and career.

Are you an international student? (In addition to the items above)

  1. TOEFL OR IELTS SCORES: TOEFL or IELTS Scores – Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency. A minimum TOEFL score of 79 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.0
  2. TRANSCRIPTS and DIPLOMA/CERTIFICATE: Request official transcripts from all intuitions you have attended, including all undergraduate and graduate coursework. You must also submit an official diploma/certificate representing your completed undergraduate studies.
  3. SPONSOR'S STATEMENT and BANK STATEMENT: These items are not required in order to gain admission into the program. If admitted into the program, these documents will be required for visa purposes.
  4. Please visit this form to learn more about this required portion of your application or contact the Office of International Programs.

Note: MFA courses and sequence are subject to change based on program needs.

MFA and Business Innovation

An MFA in Art with a Concentration in Visual Communication that gets down to Business Innovation.

Empowering Communication Design professionals seeking to achieve a higher level of proficiency in creative design innovation, design professional practice and the pursuit of a career in design education.

Creative Methodologies Classes

Exploring inventive processes to gain a heightened understanding of what makes an idea viable and sustainable

MFA Business Innovation Classes

Empowering an individual's business innovation through professional practice leadership, strategy, process and product.

Pedagogy Classes

Preparing Design Educators for a robust job market need, with a terminal degree.

Program Description

The Advanced East Texas A&M University Master of Fine Art with an emphasis in Visual Communication centers on meeting the needs of practicing professionals in the expanding field of Visual Communication who aspire to achieve a higher level of proficiency in creative design innovation, design professional practice and/or to pursue a career in design education.

The East Texas A&M University MFA program explores creative process innovation; design development; inter-disciplinary design community initiatives; design-professional practice leadership, strategy, process and product; and design-teaching methodologies grounded in a social perspective.

The MFA in Art with an emphasis in Visual Communication Advance Techniques for Design Centric Presentation is the capstone project that addresses an issue of social, educational, environmental or business significance utilizing research methods that yield new knowledge in the chosen field of study. The Visual Communication design research culminates in a final research paper and exhibition.

CREATIVE METHODOLOGIES CLASSES (CREATIVE DESIGN INNOVATION)

  • ARTS 540 Creative Methodologies
  • ARTS 595 Research Literature and Techniques
  • ARTS 545 Exhibition Topics
  • ARTS 546 Design Studio Processes
  • ARTS 552 Advanced Techniques for Design Centric Presentation
  • ARTS 548 Project Design and Implementation
  • ARTS 585 Research Methods and Procedures

MFA INTERDISCIPLINARY CLASSES (PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE)

  • ARTS 542 Design Writing
  • ARTS 543 Cross-Cultural Communication
  • ARTS 549 User-centered Design Experience
  • ARTS 550 Ideation, Process and Product
  • ARTS 551 Creative Promotion and Innovation

PEDAGOGY CLASSES (DESIGN EDUCATION)

  • ARTS 541 Design Education Theory & Practice
  • ARTS 547 Design Teaching Mentorship
  • ARTS 507 The History of Graphic Design
  • ARTS 511 The History of American Typograph
  • ARTS 502 Design Teaching Methods Pedagogy 1: Pedagogy Classroom
  • ARTS 506 Design Teaching Environment Pedagogy 2: Pedagogy Campus
  • ARTS 553 Pedagogy Research

Graduate Course Requirements

STUDIO – 36 HOURS

  • ARTS 540 Creative Methodologies (3 sch)
  • ARTS 541 Design Education Theory & Practice (3 sch)
  • ARTS 542 Design Writing (3 sch)
  • ARTS 543 Cross-Cultural Communication (3 sch)
  • ARTS 545 Exhibition Topics (3 sch)
  • ARTS 546 Design Studio Processes (Letterpress) (3 sch)
  • ARTS 585 Research Methods and Procedures (3 sch)
  • ARTS 547 Design Teaching Mentorship (3 sch)
  • ARTS 549 User-Centered Design Experience (3 sch)
  • ARTS 550 Ideation, Process and Product (3 sch)
  • ARTS 551 Creative Promotion and Innovation (3 sch)
  • ARTS 595: Research Literature & Techniques (3 sch)

ART HISTORY – 6 HOURS

  • ARTS 507 Art History: The History of Graphic Design (3 sch)
  • ARTS 511 Art History: The History of American Typography (3 sch)

SEMINAR PRACTICUM – 9 HOURS

  • ARTS 502: Design Teaching Methods / Pedagogy 1: Pedagogy Classroom (3 sch)
  • ARTS 506: Design Teaching Environment / Pedagogy 2: Pedagogy Campus (3 sch)
  • ARTS 553: Pedagogy Research (3 sch)

NEW LEARNING CONTEXT – 6 HOURS

  • ARTS 548: Project Design and Implementation (6 sch)

EXHIBITION – 3 HOURS

  • ARTS 552: Advanced Techniques for Design Centric Presentation (3 sch)

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS: 60

Graduate Course Sequence

LEarn more about the Schedule of Classes

YEAR 1: 2-8 WEEK CLASSES

FALL

  • ARTS 540 Creative Methodologies (3 sch)
  • ARTS 507 Art History: The History of Graphic Design (3 sch)

SPRING

  • ARTS 541: Design Education Theory & Practice (3 sch)
  • ARTS 542: Design Writing (3 sch)
  • ARTS 511: The History of American Typography (3 sch)

MAY-MINI / SUMMER 1 / SUMMER 2

  • ARTS 549: User-Centered Design Experience (Summer 1) (3 sch)

YEAR 2: 2-8 WEEK CLASSES

FALL

  • ARTS 595: Research Literature & Techniques (3 sch)
  • ARTS 545: Studio 6: Exhibition Topics (3 sch)

SPRING

  • ARTS 550: Ideation, Process and Product (3 sch)
  • ARTS 551 Creative Promotion and Innovation 1 (3 sch)
  • ARTS 546 Design Studio Processes (3 sch)

MAY-MINI / SUMMER 1

  • ARTS 585 Exhibition Research Application (May Mini) (3 sch)
  • ARTS 547 Design Teaching Mentorship (Self-Paced) (3 sch)

YEAR 3: 1-8 WEEK CLASSES

FALL

  • ARTS 502: Design Teaching Methods / Pedagogy 1: Pedagogy Classroom (3 sch)
  • ARTS 543: Cross-Cultural Communication (3 sch)

SPRING

  • ARTS 506: Design Teaching Environment / Pedagogy 2 (3 sch)
  • ARTS 548: Exhibition Development (6 sch)
  • ARTS 552: Master of Fine Arts Exhibition in Visual Communication (3 sch)

MAY-MINI / SUMMER 1 / SUMMER II

  • ARTS 553 Pedagogy Research (Summer I) (3 sch)
Visit Our Graduate Course Description

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