Graduate Programs - ART 350 - Art Career Practices - Guides at Milner Library, Illinois State University

Resources for Researching MFA / MA Programs

Guidelines for the MFA Degree in Art and Design - College Art Association
A useful resource for understanding the purpose, requirements, and resources associated with visual arts MFA programs.

Chronicle of Higher Education
A full text news outlet focused on all aspects of higher education. The news stories and features are provided in a variety of formats including video or podcasts.

ISU's site license provides access to all premium content. To access all content, create an individual account following instructions on the Chronicle's website.

College Directories / Listings

CAA (College Art Assn.) Directories of Graduate Programs in the Arts
Comprehensive resource listing 350 graduate programs in the visual arts in the U.S., Canada, and U.K. Describes curricula, class size, faculty specializations, admission and degree requirements. Last published in 2017 and are freely accessible online.
NASAD - National Association of Schools of Art and Design - Accredited Institutions
Access the directory of NASAD accredited institutions.
CAEP - Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation - Program Search
Find colleges whose teacher preparation programs are CAEP accredited.
CHEA / CIQG Accreditation Databases and Directories
Find colleges that offer specific programs, or that meet certain kinds of accreditation. Includes a tool for searching international accrediting bodies.
College Navigator
A government search tool that can be used to identify colleges based on program and compare basic data such as costs.

Reconsidering Rankings

There are a variety of websites that rank colleges, universities, and academic programs. When reviewing this information, here are some things to keep in mind:

There is no one definitive ranking website.
Each website uses different measures and methodologies to arrive it its rankings.
The measures that are used might not reflect what is important to you.
The measures that are used might not reflect the specific program you are interested in.
Rankings can reflect and reinforce existing structural inequities among institutions.

ART 350 - Art Career Practices

Resources for Researching MFA / MA Programs

College Directories / Listings

Reconsidering Rankings

Additional Links