Visual Studies

Program Overview

Quick Facts

Master of Visual Studies

Program Description

The Master of Visual Studies (MVS) is a two-year, full-time professional program with two fields:

• Curatorial Studies: prepares students for contemporary curatorial practice through research-based scholarship and critical discourse.

• Studio: prepares students to further their contemporary art practices through research-based scholarship and critical discourse.

The program normally begins in September.

Field: Curatorial Studies

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree with significant coursework in humanities and cultural theory from a recognized university, or an appropriate BFA degree from a recognized university.

• Overall average of at least a B+.

• Applications must include:

  • artist's statement that includes a description of the proposed body of work in curatorial to be undertaken during the two-year program;

  • full curriculum vitae (CV) with details of exhibition, professional activity, and education;

  • documentation of recent curatorial work;

  • three letters of recommendation;

  • a critical writing sample;

  • transcripts;

  • a portfolio of previous work dependent on the field of future study.

• Applicants must present a portfolio with documentation of exhibitions including exhibition brochures, curatorial essays, announcement cards, and/or catalogues from curatorial work.

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

Program Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete a total of 6.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 4.5 FCEs from the approved course list for Curatorial Studies.

  • 0.5 FCE MVS Proseminars.

  • 1.5 FCEs in electives. Elective courses are selected in consultation with the student's advisor and are subject to the approval of the Program Director.

• The internship requirement is normally completed during the Summer session between Year 1 and Year 2.

• MVS Curatorial Studies students are supervised by an Advisory Panel made up of the Director of the Visual Studies program (or their designate), a graduate faculty member who will be considered to be the student's Principal Advisor, one of the University of Toronto's gallery directors, and an external reader chosen upon approval of the Principle Advisor and Program Director.

• The graduating thesis project is composed of an exhibition and a qualifying paper.

• An FZ (fail) in any one course or a B– grade in any two courses normally results in a recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies to terminate the student’s registration in the degree program.

Program Length

5 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W)

Time Limit

3 years full-time

Field: Studio

Minimum Admission Requirements

• Applicants are admitted under the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants must also satisfy the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design's additional admission requirements stated below.

• An appropriate bachelor's degree with significant coursework in humanities and cultural theory from a recognized university, or an appropriate BFA degree from a recognized university.

• Overall average of at least a B+.

• Applications must include:

  • artist's statement that includes a description of the proposed body of work in studio to be undertaken during the two-year program;

  • full curriculum vitae (CV) with details of exhibition, professional activity, and education;

  • documentation of recent studio work;

  • three letters of recommendation;

  • a critical writing sample;

  • transcripts;

  • a portfolio of previous work dependent on the field of future study.

• Applicants must present a portfolio with documentation of their artworks. Applicants will also include a fully annotated listing for all portfolio materials that provides detailed information about media, year of production, dimensions, part of a series, full running length (in the case of media artworks), and circumstances of display (in the case of installation works and performance works).

• Applicants whose primary language is not English and who graduated from a university where the language of instruction and examination was not English must demonstrate proficiency in English. See General Regulations section 4.3 for requirements.

Program Requirements

• Coursework. Students must complete a total of 6.5 full-course equivalents (FCEs) as follows:

  • 4.5 FCEs from the approved course list for Studio.

  • 0.5 FCE MVS Proseminars.

  • 1.5 FCEs in electives. Elective courses are selected in consultation with the student's advisor and are subject to the approval of the Program Director.

• The internship requirement is normally completed during the Summer session between Year 1 and Year 2.

• MVS Studio students are supervised by an Advisory Panel made up of the Director of the Visual Studies program (or designate), a studio faculty member of the MVS program who is considered the student's Principal Advisor, a second MVS studio faculty member, and another faculty member (not necessarily a member of the MVS program). The Final Studio Thesis defence requires an external reader chosen upon approval of the Principal Advisor and Program Director.

• The graduating thesis project is composed of an exhibition and a qualifying paper.

• An FZ (fail) in any one course or a B– grade in any two courses normally results in a recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies to terminate the student’s registration in the degree program.

Program Length

5 sessions full-time (typical registration sequence: F/W/S/F/W)

Time Limit

3 years full-time