Graduate Programs at University of Arkansas School of Art Offer Free Tuition

Applications for the University of Arkansas School of Art’s graduate programs for the 2026–2027 academic year are now open and will be accepted through January 15, 2026. Housed in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the school offers tuition-free graduate programs in art education, art history, graphic design, and studio art. Students accepted have access to support through graduate assistantships, fellowships, and research and travel grants. Informational sessions for each program are now available on the school’s YouTube page.

Thanks to a generous gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation in 2017 — the largest ever given to a US university in support of or to establish a school of art — the University of Arkansas School of Art has expanded graduate program offerings with unprecedented levels of financial support. This has included the launch of the two-year MA in art education and M.Des. graduate programs in 2022, and the MA in art history program in 2023.

The MA in Art Education is designed for students seeking to expand and deepen their knowledge of theory and practice in art education. It trains art educators to be culturally responsive and use interdisciplinary, collaborative teaching and research to address current and future challenges.

The M.Des. in Graphic Design focuses on communication and participatory design, preparing students for an emerging field that can engage communities in participatory processes to generate equitable and sustainable solutions to design problems.

Last spring, the recently launched MA in Art History celebrated its first cohort’s graduation in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, specializing in the study of the arts of the Americas. Students experience an innovative program that reimagines what art history can be through a theme-based curriculum, hands-on learning with art objects, unique opportunities for travel, and internship experiences designed to launch graduates into a variety of arts careers.

These graduate programs enhance the interdisciplinary vision of the School of Art and build upon the established Studio Art MFA. The three-year, in-residence MFA program is designed to support a variety of approaches to art making, coupled with rigorous theoretical inquiry, research, and social awareness.

To learn more and apply, visit art.uark.edu.