Contemporary Art Practices

MASTER OF FINE ARTS

Advance your creative practice at the intersection of art, research, and social action.

The Corcoran Master of Fine Arts in Contemporary Art Practices attracts students who seek to advance their creative work through self-directed, interdisciplinary exploration. Our curriculum supports the development of new material and technical skills while encouraging experimentation with hybrid processes across media. Within our program, students investigate critical and creative relationships between content and form, deepen their understanding of art's social contexts, and pursue research-driven approaches that position contemporary practice as a vital site of creative, critical, and social action. Students may explore a wide range of approaches—from object-based work and studio practices intended for gallery exhibition to socially engaged art and community-centered projects. This rigorous framework motivates students to professionalize their artistic work and expand their capacity to operate as both exhibiting artists and civic agents whose creative practice intersects with public discourse and cultural transformation.

Our MFA students benefit from a dynamic community of peers, visiting artists, and knowledgeable faculty members who facilitate ongoing discourse and help reimagine the boundaries of art. All students receive individual studio spaces where they can develop their practice with autonomy and focus. Access to George Washington University's research resources allows students to enrich their work with interdisciplinary perspectives. Furthermore, Washington, D.C.'s vibrant arts ecosystem—with its abundant galleries, museums, institutions, and civic spaces—offers exceptional creative opportunities for students to exhibit their work, connect with collectors and curators, engage with communities, and participate in broader cultural conversations.

This two-year, 60-credit terminal degree program provides the foundation for students to level up their practices and emerge as professional artists equipped for sustained creative careers across diverse contexts.