Fibers and Materials Studies

Cultivate a rigorous studio practice with the Master of Fine Arts in Fibers and Material Studies in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University. This interdisciplinary two-year, 60-credit graduate program attracts students who interrogate materiality through a historic, social and political lens and define their work with fibers and materials broadly, often experimenting with sound, installation and performance.

With guidance from an influential and diverse faculty, Fibers and Material Studies Master of Fine Arts students work independently to augment a practice grounded in conceptual awareness of key discourses within the critical study of fibers and material. Discourses include

• • cultural appropriation,
  • DIY and sustainability,
  • economy,
  • feminism,
  • globalization,
• • labor,
  • race,
  • Queer studies and
  • the historic role of women and people of color in textile production.

Explore your chosen discipline while broadly investigating a diversity of art-making practices. Spend extensive studio time in your core area of practice and engage with colleagues in weekly critiques and critical discourse within a boundary-pushing community that values a robust exchange of ideas. The Fibers and Material Studies MFA curriculum emphasizes mentorship, interdisciplinarity, inquiry and research to enrich practices and create theoretical, philosophical and concrete links between art and society. 

Select a committee of advisors from disciplines across the university, working with them one on one to receive critical feedback. Students take art history classes and seminars that engage emerging topics in the field, the broader art world, and social and political inquiry. 

Students can apply for teaching assistantships and participate in our artist-in-residence program. Under the mentorship of engaged faculty and visiting artists on the cutting-edge of creative practice and critical inquiry, students find a compassionate, inclusive environment primed for experimentation, interdisciplinary collaboration and independent study. 

Many Tyler MFA students choose to pursue summer study abroad opportunities at Temple University Rome, a home base for immersive artistic, academic and cultural exploration for Tyler students since 1966. 

University degree requiring four years of study.

Request one certified copy of official transcripts from every college and university you have attended, even if only one course was taken. International degrees must be assessed for equivalency with a U.S. degree based on the characteristics of the national educational system, the type of institution attended and the level of studies completed. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is ordinarily required for admissions consideration. If unofficial transcripts are submitted during the application process, submission of official academic records will be required by the end of your first term of graduate study if you are admitted and subsequently enroll at Temple University.

Tyler MFA students benefit from exposure to scores of artists, scholars, designers and professionals who are at the top of their fields. MFA students meet with these inspiring individuals through lectures, studio visits, demonstrations and more–including major speaker programs such as the Jack Wolgin Visiting Artist and Lecturer, the Laurie Wagman Visiting Artist and Artist-in-residence Series in Glass, and the Marjorie Margolies Visiting Artist Program in Painting. Learn more about our programs for visiting artists, designers and scholars.

Students connect with a plethora of arts projects, programs, studios, workshops, design firms, art centers and collections through internships, residencies and other opportunities listed in Tyler's biweekly newsletter, The WHAT. 

Pursuing a graduate degree in art, architecture and design elevates students' knowledge, skills and understanding of their discipline, preparing them for new job opportunities or career advancement. Graduates use all they learn to build on their professional practices–as dynamic thinkers, collaborative makers, and creative problem solvers.  

The MFA Fibers and Material Studies program prepares graduates for careers as professional artists, crafts persons, designers and educators. Other professional opportunities include the following.

• • Carpet designer 
  • Fabric and textile designer 
  • Fine arts appraiser 
• • Gallery director 
  • Museum educator/researcher 
  • Professional artist 

Career Services

Tyler career coaches specialize in the types of jobs available in the arts and built environment, mentoring students on everything from cover letters to interviews to career advice.

Temple's Career Center is another resource that empowers students to find pathways to future success. The Career Center offers comprehensive career development services, from résumés and interviews to finding internships and jobs.