With substantial scholarships, access to world-class facilities, a celebrated faculty, and private studios, students pursuing an MFA in Studio Art and Design at the University of Louisville have the resources to deepen their artistic practice within a vibrant, creative community. In the rigorous yet flexible 60-credit MFA program, students can pursue interdisciplinary practices or concentrate on a single medium, including ceramics, drawing, glass, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, design, new media, and installation.
Dedicated solely to the MFA program in Studio Art and Design, our building is a newly renovated warehouse in the art district of Portland in Louisville, Kentucky, that includes state-of-the-art studios, lab spaces, a seminar room, and a gallery.
The Hite Institute also offers a 31-credit-hour MA in Art History or Curatorial Studies. Students can concentrate in Art History or Curatorial Studies, which combines critical theory, contemporary art, and exhibition history with practical exhibition experience to prepare graduates for work in the expanding fields of contemporary exhibition development and art writing.
The Department of Art + Design at the University of Louisville, established in 1946 with a large endowment as the Hite Institute of Art + Design, has produced numerous world-renowned artists and designers. With a faculty comprised of professional artists, scholars, and designers, the graduate program promotes a multidisciplinary approach that challenges students to enhance their technical skills while engaging with social and critical issues.
The program is selective, maintaining small MFA and MA cohorts to ensure that each student has the intellectual and financial resources necessary to support their creative work, research, and travel opportunities. All graduate students benefit from the Hite Institute’s substantial resources, including six galleries, award-winning glass and additive manufacturing facilities, partnerships with local art museums and galleries, a robust alumni network, and a speaker series featuring internationally recognized artists, prominent curators, and gallery directors.
In addition to guaranteed scholarships, graduate students may be eligible for awards, internships, and teaching assistantships that support the program and aim to build the university’s collaboration with local and regional museums and cultural institutions.
Applications for the Fall 2026 admission are due February 15, 2026.
To learn more, visit art.louisville.edu.
Tagged: Art Education Announcements, Kentucky
