The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Master's Degree made easy?
rts
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
This may sound terrible, but the basics of the situation is that I need to acquire a master's degree as quickly and easily as possible. I would like to teach art at a University level in the future and I cannot do that without a Master's. I dont really care much what the degree is for, but I would like to get one.
A little background on my situation. I have been attending a school called "Watts Atelier of the Arts" for the past three years. It is a spectacular art school and I have become fairly confident in my abilities. At some point, I may end up teaching at Watts Atelier, as all of the instructors are groomed from within. But I would also like to teach at a University at some point down the road. But because Watts Atelier is unaccredited, I will never receive a degree for my efforts there. Which I have no issue with, you cannot have as strong a program as Watts and still be accredited. But that just means I need to find somewhere else to get a degree.
I never actually finished high school, I 'tested out' of sorts when I was 15. I now have a highschool diploma that is only good in the state of California. I am assuming the best path for me is to go to a community college first for a couple of years and then move on to a larger university program. But do you guys have any specific program recommendations? I don't know that I want to try art, I have some friends in fine art programs that are just god awful right now. And besides I figure it might be a good chance to try my hand at something new as well. I guess I probably have to stay in California as well because of the CHSPE.
Any advice would be great. Oh and time and finances are not huge issues. But the faster and cheaper the better.
A little background on my situation. I have been attending a school called "Watts Atelier of the Arts" for the past three years. It is a spectacular art school and I have become fairly confident in my abilities. At some point, I may end up teaching at Watts Atelier, as all of the instructors are groomed from within. But I would also like to teach at a University at some point down the road. But because Watts Atelier is unaccredited, I will never receive a degree for my efforts there. Which I have no issue with, you cannot have as strong a program as Watts and still be accredited. But that just means I need to find somewhere else to get a degree.
I never actually finished high school, I 'tested out' of sorts when I was 15. I now have a highschool diploma that is only good in the state of California. I am assuming the best path for me is to go to a community college first for a couple of years and then move on to a larger university program. But do you guys have any specific program recommendations? I don't know that I want to try art, I have some friends in fine art programs that are just god awful right now. And besides I figure it might be a good chance to try my hand at something new as well. I guess I probably have to stay in California as well because of the CHSPE.
Any advice would be great. Oh and time and finances are not huge issues. But the faster and cheaper the better.
skype: rtschutter
rts on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Posts
For CA, try CalArts, Arts & Crafts or maybe academy of art college in sf.
Thanks for the recommendations. I have looked at CalArts and the Academy of Art and I don't think either is a good option for me, I dont know Arts & Crafts. I am looking at non-art programs as well. Art schools tend to be overpriced and overrated.
As for my school I guess I am saying in a way that it is too strong to be accredited. But more specifically, that you cannot teach the way Watt's teaches in an accredited program. The program is built on repetition and you cannot do that in an accredited program. And in my opinion, it is the best way to teach fine art/illustration.
Largely, yes. Because we don't have degree programs it allows students to really just take whatever classes they want and focus on the things they need to improve in most. I have probably taken figure drawing 15-20 times by now. Do you go to the Academy of Art in SF by chance?
I should note that I plan to start taking courses at a local CC here in San Diego for the next two years or so before moving on to a larger program. That way I can keep taking classes at Watts Atelier while working on the degree. Also, I don't know how much age plays a role if any at all in these programs but I am 21. Not 18 as my first post may have implied.
I agree that art schools are overpriced in general. I'm satisfied with the education I'm getting but my parents are paying for it. I probably wouldn't be going to the school if that weren't the case. I don't care much about having a degree, it's just the knowledge and experience I'm after and I'm getting loads of it at the Academy.
First off, do understand that many universities require a doctoral degree to get a teaching job. It depends on the school and the field, of course - some fields are more populated with terminal Masters degrees. Also, not all (even accredited) Masters degrees are equivalent. It's not like a drivers license where you either have one or you don't. It's not a ticket to be punched. If you have your Masters from Online Vocational Life Experience University, future potential employers are going to notice.
Your fastest/lowest-effort degrees are likely to come from vocational and possibly on-line programs, and the quality of the education will be lower than at a more academic school (although it doesn't seem like quality of the education matters to you). Many of these schools are not cheap, by the way, since they're degree mills. See if you can find one with a combined Bachelors/Masters program. The fastest way to a reputable Masters may be through a so-called "3+2 program" where you get a Bachelors and Masters in 5 years, but you have to plainly work your ass off to do this. Many reputable universities have this (or equivalent).
Accelerating any degree program is difficult, because degree programs are set up logistically to take N years. So, even if you had the mental capacity and time to do all the work, the classes you need to graduate early may not be offered/available, and that can be a big problem.
Some universities may have options for testing out of lower-level classes to save yourself some time (e.g., through Advanced Placement tests).
Also, consider studying abroad, particularly in Europe. A European Masters is much easier to earn than an American one, although many academics know this and take it into account when hiring somebody to teach.
The Academy of Art in SF is one of the few art schools I would consider based on its quality. I just dont like the idea of moving to SF so much. Used to live up there when I was younger and I didn't care for it. You guys are definately producing some nice students though, really really nice students for an accredited program. If you don't mind my asking about what does it run you yearly to attend?
This is helpful. While I do say as quickly as possible, I don't mean tomorrow. I want to teach at University to help push art back in a more representational direction, at least for a few people. This isn't about money. I guess I am working under the assumption that my portfolio will do some of the talking for me when I go looking for work at a University. The Masters is something that I hear left and right is an absolute requirement for teaching at the college level. Or even high school level for that matter. My thought was that just about any masters degree, plus my portfolio would be enough. Granted, my portfolio is not as strong as it could be at the moment but by the time I finish a masters program it should be rock solid.
I am curious about overseas masters programs because it would be fun to live somewhere else for a time anyways. Are they difficult to get into? What schools would you recommend?
As for online programs, I would prefer to avoid them if possible. Though the convenience of being able to take one and remain in San Diego where I can continue taking classes at Watts cannot be ignored.
And you're not going to get a PhD worth much if you got a Masters from the University of Suck, because you won't be accepted onto great PhD programs. And unless you want to work at the University of Suck, a poor PhD will not help you get a position. I'm at a university that's 350th in the world (ie. not all that great) and my department faculty has PhDs from Cornell, MIT, Syracuse and others that are significantly better.
I believe it's $600/unit.
That is probably irrelevant to the OP, because there is no such thing as a Fine Arts PhD. Master of Fine Arts is what they call a terminal degree (i.e. you're done, there is no higher degree in this field), and qualifies you to teach Fine Arts at any accredited institution. My girlfriend is currently pursuing a Humanities PhD, and she sometimes laments the fact that she didn't opt to get an MFA instead. If she had, she could be teaching in her field (Interactive Art / New Media) right now, instead of still going to school. Mind you, I think she chose a much more academically robust path, even if it is longer and more expensive.
The Academy in SF is a HORRIBLE option for anyone who wants to teach. It is a for-profit commercial entity. They let almost anybody in. While the school does offer some excellent programs in terms of job training, especially in the all-digital realm, the degrees are not at all respected in the academic world.
If you really want to do this, it won’t be fast or easy. You need to do what people who want to be art teachers at respectable schools do: get a four-year degree at a good accredited school, and follow it up with an MFA. There are some schools that offer five year BFA/Teaching MFA programs that are worth looking into.
I'm inclined to agree with the Academy's degrees not being well respected. It's a commercial school so the Fine Art stuff is going to be seen as second rate from this school regardless of how it actually is. This doesn't matter if you're going to be a professional in the field because people only care about your portfolio and what you can do, not what degree you have.