Description

Portfolio page 3 of 20. "Graduate Program" overview text.

Text reads:

“THE TWO YEAR OLD GRADUATE PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM IS ATTRACTING A NEW BREED OF GRADUATE STUDENT. MOST ARE ALREADY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH STRONG EXHIBITION RECORDS, TEACHING EXPERIENCE, WRITING OR CURATORIAL SKILLS. THEY CHOOSE THE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN VISUAL STUDIES PROGRAM TO BE WHERE THOSE CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES INTERACT WITH IMAGE MAKER. EVEN THOUGH THEIR CONCENTRATION - AND COMMITMENT - IS PHOTOGRAPHY, THEY COME TO MIT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERDISCIPLINARY ATMOSPHERE OF THE PROGRAM. THEY EXPECT

THESE ACTIVITIES TO AFFECT THEIR WORK AND THEIR CAREERS. THESE STUDENTS STATE THAT THE UNIQUE INGREDIENTS OF THIS PROGRAM STIMULATE THEM TO PUSH BOUNDARIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY.

THE FIRST CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION IS A STRONG PORTFOLIO. PERSONAL WORK REMAINS THE CORE OF THE TWO YEAR PROGRAM. EACH STUDENT LS ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP ALONG HIS/HER SINGULAR AND INDIVIDUAL PATH, WHETHER IT BE IN BLACK AND WHITE, COLOR OR THE ALTERED IMAGE. WITH SOME STUDENTS, TWO YEARS OF INTENSE CONCENTRATION OF WORK MAY CHANGE THE WORK DRAMATICALLY; WITH OTHERS THE ALREADY CLEAR DIRECTION OF THE WORK IS REINFORCED.

THE PROGRAM OFFERS INTENSIVE TEACHING EXPERIENCE. THE STUDENTS BECOME HIGHLY TRAINED IN BOTH AESTHETICS AND TECHNIQUE. THROUGH TEACHING COURSES AND INFORMAL ONE-TO-ONE INSTRUCTIONAL EXCHANGES IN THE LABORATORY, THESE STUDENTS GAIN PROFESSIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE. IT IS ALSO OUR INTENT THROUGH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS TO PROVIDE AS MANY DIFFERENT CHANNELS INTO THE JOB MARKET AS IS POSSIBLE.

A COURSE IN EACH OF THE OTHER FOUR VISUAL ARTS GROUPS AND AN ART HISTORY COURSE ARE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM. THE INITIAL EXPOSURE TO A PARTICULAR GROUP CAN GROW INTO MORE EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT, INCLUDING THE INTERACTION AND EXPLORATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES OR PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH PROJECTS.

WHILE MOST OF THE RESEARCH TO DATE HAS BEEN PRIMARILY ARTISTIC AND ACADEMIC, THERE IS A QUICKENING INTEREST IN PARTICIPATION IN MORE TECHNICAL RESEARCH. FOR EXAMPLE, AN APPLICATIONS RESEARCH PROGRAM IS IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.

GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE ACTIVE IN THE WHOLE EXHIBITION PROCESS AT THE CREATIVE PHOTOGRAHY [sic] GALLERY AND ORGANIZING LECTURE SERIES. IN ADDITION, A GRADUATE STUDENT MAY ELECT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN EIGHT WEEK CURATORIAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH LIGHT GALLERY IN NEW YORK.

POSITIVE, THE GRADUATE STUDENT ANNUAL FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1980, OFFERS UNIQUE GRADUATE PUBLICATION EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS RESEARCH AND WRITE ALL ARTICLES AND TEXT, DETERMINE PORTFOLIO SELECTIONS, PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR'S PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS, DESIGN THE MAGAZINE'S LAYOUT, AND WORK WITH THE PRINTER.”

THE GRADUATE THESIS REQUIREMENTS ARE THREE-FOLD: A PUBLIC EXHIBITION AT THE CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY OF THE FINAL PORTFOLIO, A WRITTEN DOCUMENT OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND A PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF THAT RESEARCH."