Degrees offered

The Institute offers programs leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and undergraduate and advanced certificates.

BFA and MFA degrees

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programs take four years, or eight semesters, and a minimum of 120 semester units to complete. To obtain the BFA degree, candidates must fulfill all of the course requirements of their programs, including 48 Critical Studies units, and pass faculty reviews of their work. In some programs, BFA candidates are required to complete a final project.
 
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs take either two or three years to complete, depending on the individual program. To receive the MFA degree, students must fulfill all program unit requirements and pass at least two faculty reviews of their work—once at mid-residency and again prior to graduation. MFA students are further required to spend their final semester in residence at CalArts and complete a final project of professional quality.

Certificates of Fine Arts
 
Students who are not pursuing a BFA degree may obtain a Certificate of Fine Arts as the culmination of a course of study that does not require Crticial Studies credits. Students who are qualified at the MFA level in their chosen field but do not hold an undergraduate degree may work toward an Advanced Certificate of Fine Arts. Generally, very few applicants are admitted to CalArts to carry out such courses of study.