Tyler’s MFA programs in Art—Ceramics, Fibers and Material Studies, Glass, Metals / Jewelry / CAD-CAM, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture—honor the rich material and critical histories of individual disciplines while embracing the essential role of interdisciplinarity in contemporary art practice.
Tyler’s nationally recognized MFA programs are immersive, research-driven, and attuned to the evolving landscape of contemporary art and culture. Our renowned faculty support critical practices—from poetic to political, ephemeral to enduring, community-based to gallery-focused—helping artists create work that resonates across audiences and contexts.
Tyler’s MFA programs offer a rigorous, hands-on experience that bridges writing, research, and making—empowering artists to navigate the evolving landscape of contemporary art with criticality, experimentation, and care.
At Tyler, you’ll explore art as a force for personal expression and social insight—across media, disciplines, and contexts. Through collaboration, experimentation, and critical exchange, MFA students shape bold, responsive practices that challenge conventions and make lasting impact across contemporary art and cultural practice.
Tyler's two-year MFA program balances disciplinary depth with interdisciplinary exploration. Each student works closely with a Thesis Advisory Committee of four faculty—within and beyond their program—throughout the four semesters, culminating in a solo exhibition in Tyler’s professional gallery.
The Tyler School of Art and Architecture features its own admissions team, who can provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your educational and career goals.
Designed for first-semester students across all eight disciplines; this team-taught course introduces key concepts shaping visual arts today. Drawing on studio art, art history, and criticism, it models interdisciplinary research, critical inquiry, and theoretical engagement as essential to contemporary practice.
Taken each semester, this course brings MFA students together for in-depth critique and dialogue across disciplines. Led by rotating faculty outside students’ home programs, it fosters rigorous, multi-perspective feedback and a supportive community that reimagines the role of critique in contemporary art.
Taken each semester, this course brings MFA students together within their discipline for focused critique and dialogue. It offers space for deep engagement with the materials, processes, and histories that shape their work—fostering critical insight and disciplinary fluency.
MFA students take electives at Tyler and across Temple University, expanding their practices through new ideas, materials, and methods. Tyler offers a range of options, including “crash courses” in disciplines like Ceramics, Fiber and Material Studies, and Sculpture—immersive experiences that broaden technical skills and deepen conceptual range beyond a student’s primary field.
For MFA students interested in pursuing a career teaching in higher education, Temple offers a graduate certificate in Teaching in Higher Education Certificate.
Tyler MFA graduates shape the future of the arts and creative industries.
Many build successful careers as exhibiting artists, educators, and cultural leaders—showing work in galleries and museums, teaching at colleges and universities, and directing programs at major institutions. Others thrive as creative entrepreneurs, cultural producers, and innovators across the broader creative economy.
Tyler MFA students are provided with private studios and 24-hour access to exceptional facilities. These generous, dedicated spaces support sustained focus, experimentation, and the development of ambitious work across disciplines.
“The most important thing I learned during my MFA at Tyler is how to care for and reinvent my relationship with my practice, as a lifelong pact.”
“My time at Tyler was important not only in providing the time and resources to focus on my artistic practice, but also for developing lasting relationships and ongoing conversations with a community of artists, intellectuals, and creative thinkers.”
“At Tyler, there’s a real sense of community among practitioners—regardless of whether you're a student or faculty member. It’s a uniquely supportive environment for receiving critical feedback and encouragement, with interdisciplinary opportunities that push your practice forward. Even after graduation, that network remains strong and active in the Philadelphia region. The Tyler community continues to show up for each other in very meaningful ways from exhibitions, job recommendations and art opportunities.”
Philadelphia offers a dynamic and diverse arts ecosystem, home to both world-renowned institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Barnes Foundation and grassroots, artist-run spaces such as Vox Populi and Space 1026.
Discipline-specific resources like The Clay Studio and The Fabric Workshop and Museum further enrich the city’s cultural landscape, offering specialized opportunities for engagement, research, and collaboration. A robust network of galleries, archives, and university collections provides Tyler MFA students with platforms to exhibit, connect, and take active roles in shaping Philadelphia’s artistic future. Conveniently located less than two hours from New York City and three hours from Washington, D.C., the city also offers easy access to two of the country’s major cultural capitals.
Tyler’s nationally and internationally recognized faculty are practicing artists, critics, historians, and educators who bring active engagement with the contemporary art world into the studio. Their mentorship is both challenging and supportive—designed to expand students’ thinking, refine their vision, and push the boundaries of their practice.
