Art, MA

Find your creative voice with a program customized for you. Whether you choose a specialization in studio art or design entrepreneurship and innovation, you’ll be supported and inspired to take your creative vision to the next level.

With two areas of specialization, you can tailor your education to your individual goals and interests. And you won’t do it alone. Our faculty are accomplished artists and educators who are dedicated to helping you grow and succeed. You’ll also work alongside a supportive community of peers who will challenge you to push your boundaries, collaborate, and share your ideas. You’ll gain practical, hands-on experience with access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

Program Type

Master’s

Program Format

On Campus

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What it’s like to be a student at Peck School of the Arts

As a graduate student studying art, your artistic home will be the Peck School of the Arts’ Kenilworth Square East (KSE) building, a research facility approximately one mile from campus. Graduate student studios are located in the Kenilworth Square East building, which means you can have a dedicated space to do your thing. Plus, you’ll find a full schedule of exhibitions, workshops, and special lectures for endless inspiration throughout the year.

But don’t take our word for it. See for yourself what it is like to be a student here by scheduling a personalized tour with one of our graduate program coordinators.

Art, MA
Arts Center Gallery

Program Details

In our Master of Arts in Art program, you’ll experience a challenging and rewarding journey of artistic growth and exploration. You’ll engage in lively discussions, critiques, and presentations with faculty and peers, and can exhibit your work in our galleries. Our program is designed to help you develop your own artistic voice and style, while gaining the skills and knowledge you need to succeed as a professional artist. Full-time students typically complete the Art MA within four semesters.

Design Entrepreneurship & Innovation

The Art & Design department is currently not accepting applications to the Art MA: Design Entrepreneurship & Innovation program.

However, you can still tailor your Art MA with a pathway of courses that focus on design, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Design Entrepreneurship & Innovation integrates design thinking, innovation, theory, and contemporary practice to develop design solutions that affect positive social, economic, and technological change.

View the Art, MA: Design Entrepreneurship & Innovation requirements.

Studio Art

The specialization in Studio Art is interdisciplinary, so you can focus in one specific studio discipline or expand into other areas of research. If you choose a specific focus, you may still take courses across studio disciplines. “InterMedia” is intended to be an integrated focus that combines two or more broad disciplines.

View the Art, MA: Studio Art requirements.

Art & Design Studio Disciplines

Led by expert artist faculty, our Art & Design studio disciplines are content areas that provide focus to your creative research, practice and degree. We offer the following studio disciplines: Ceramics, Creative Technologies, Design, Digital Fabrication, Fibers, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Painting & Drawing, Photography & Imaging, Printmaking & Book Arts and Sculpture.

Scholarships & Aid

UW-Milwaukee and Peck School of the Arts offers a variety of cost-saving opportunities, including scholarships, grants, fellowships and residency-based tuition rates. Learn more about scholarship and aid opportunities available to you.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate students may be eligible to receive a Teaching or Project Assistantship, which includes full tuition remission, annual stipend, and affordable state health coverage through the University.

Artists Now! Guest Lecture Series

Throughout the fall and spring semesters, the Artists Now! Guest Lecture Series welcomes a diverse group of nationally and internationally recognized artists working across traditional, hybrid and emergent disciplines. Join us to explore and expand the boundaries of creative visual practices alongside others with an interest in contemporary visual art.

Galleries & Exhibitions

Our art and design programs host many galleries and exhibitions both on campus and throughout the community. Our campus is home to four permanent art galleries, each with its own unique mission. All of them are free, open to the public and accessible for everyone to enjoy.

Milwaukee is also home to dozens of galleries and museums. All students in an Art & Design degree program receive a free annual membership to the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM). That means you can visit MAM and its events, including the popular MAM After Dark series, free of charge while you are a student.

Internships & Opportunities

Students work and intern professionally with Milwaukee’s leading art museums and galleries, creative agencies, corporations and nonprofits. They also find internships across the country and beyond. Discover where your education can take you. Learn more about internships and opportunities.

Student Organizations & Clubs

Meet like-minded people in a wide variety of student organizations and clubs who inspire creativity and will support your aspirations. Collaborate and create, network with professional artists, and deepen your connection with faculty, mentors and fellow students outside of the classroom.

Study Abroad

We believe that a complete education in the arts should take you beyond the classroom and the local community. By studying abroad, you’ll gain more than a change of scenery. You’ll embark on a transformative educational experience and bring a global perspective to your field of study. Explore upcoming trips offered in partnership with the Center for International Education.

Alumni Stories in Art & Design

  • Alumni Spotlight: A “Top 10” Designer to Watch

    In the dynamic world of graphic design, Naomi Dable stands as a testament to the power of creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. As the proud owner of Naomi Paper Co., Naomi has been named a "Top 10 Designer to Watch" by an industry magazine.
  • How To Design A Dating App That Empowers Women

    "I started out going to school for print design—I wanted to work for a magazine doing layout. Then I realized that digital was going to be the way of things, and then very shortly after that, realized that apps were going to take over web." -Sarah Mick, CCO of Bumble, …

Careers in Art & Design

  • 3D Animator/Modeler
  • Advertising Director
  • Animator
  • App Developer
  • Arts Administration
  • Art Critic/Writer
  • Art Dealer
  • Art Director
  • Art Education Teacher
  • Art Gallery Owner
  • Art Historian
  • Art Therapist
  • Artisan Solutionist
  • Artist In Residence
  • Artists’ Agent
  • Augmented Reality
  • Blacksmith
  • Caricature Artist
  • Ceramicist
  • Collage Artist
  • Commercial Artist
  • Community Artist
  • Community Arts Organizer
  • Consultant
  • Costume Designer
  • Creative Arts Officer/Director
  • Creative Services Manager
  • Cultural Relations
  • Curator
  • Design Manager
  • Designer
  • Digital Portrait Artist
  • Director of Education & Community Engagement
  • Display Designer
  • Education Program Coordinator
  • Educator
  • Elementary/Secondary School Teacher
  • Entrepreneur
  • Exhibit Designer
  • Fabricator
  • Fashion Designer
  • Fine Artist
  • Fine Arts Director
  • Floral Designer
  • Font Designer
  • Freelance Artist
  • Furniture Designer/Restorer
  • Game Designer
  • Glass Sculptor
  • Graphic Designer
  • Graphic Artist
  • Illustrator
  • Industrial Designer
  • Interactive Designer
  • Interior Designer
  • Jewelry Designer/Maker
  • Lecturer
  • Lighting Designer
  • Makeup Artist
  • Maker
  • Marketing & Sales
  • Metalsmith
  • Mixed Media Artist
  • Motion Graphics Artist
  • Muralist
  • Museum Director
  • Museum Exhibit Designer
  • Packaging Designer
  • Painter
  • Photo Editor/Retoucher
  • Photographer
  • Photographic Stylist
  • Photographic Technician
  • Printmaker
  • Product Designer
  • Production Artist
  • Program Director/Coordinator
  • Prop Maker
  • Public Artist
  • Public Relations
  • Sculptor
  • Set Designer
  • Sketch Artist
  • Stylist
  • Technical Designer, Apparel
  • Textile Designer
  • Toy Maker
  • University Administration
  • University Faculty
  • User Experience Designer
  • User Interface Designer
  • Video Game Designer
  • Visual Merchandiser
  • Visual/Special Effects Artist
  • Web Based Curators
  • Web Designer/Developer

Program Faculty

Which faculty you have within this program is dependent upon your chosen courses or interests. For a list of all Art & Design faculty and staff please follow the link below.


Kyoung Ae Cho Headshot
  • Professor, Fibers
  • Area Head, Fibers
Kim Cosier Headshot
  • Professor Emerita, Art Education
Robert Grame Headshot
  • Associate Professor, Design & Visual Communication
  • Co-Area Head, Design & Visual Communication
Adam Hawk Headshot
  • Assistant Professor, Digital Fabrication & Design
  • Assistant Professor, Design & Visual Communications
  • Area Head, Digital Fabrication & Design
Yevgeniya Kaganovich Headshot
  • Professor, Jewelry & Metalsmithing
Jessica Meuninck-Ganger Headshot
  • Associate Professor, Printmaking & Book Arts
  • Area Head, Printmaking & Book Arts
lisa moline headshot
  • Professor, Design & Visual Communication
  • Co-Area Head, Design & Visual Communication
Joseph Mougel Headshot
  • Associate Professor, Photography & Imaging
  • Co-Chair, Department of Art & Design
  • Area Head, Photography & Imaging
Angela Piehl Headshot
  • Associate Professor, Painting & Drawing
  • Area Head, Painting & Drawing
Nicole  Ridgway
  • Teaching Faculty III, Writing & Critical Thinking
  • Director, Art & Design Graduate Program
Nathaniel Stern Headshot
  • Professor, Creative Technologies / Mechanical Engineering
  • Director, UWM Startup Challenge
Glenn  Williams
  • Associate Professor, Sculpture
  • Co-Chair, Department of Art & Design
  • Area Head, Sculpture
Important Dates
Art & Design

Undergraduate Application
December 15 – Priority admission and scholarship deadline.

Graduate Application
December 10 – Priority admission and financial support deadline.
February 1 – Application deadline.
Accreditation

The Department of Art & Design is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and has been since 2017.

Contact
Art & Design
Undergraduate Programs
Katie Martin-Meurer, art-admission@uwm.edu

Graduate Programs
Nicole Ridgway, ridgwayn@uwm.edu

General Info & Questions
Contact Form | 414-229-4763