MA和MFA有啥不同: 美國AICAD 協會說明

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本頁資料翻譯自獨立藝術與設計學校協會AICAD，版權為 AICAD (Association of Independent College of Art and Design)所有

什麼是創作碩士學位?

創作碩士學位是一個在藝術與設計界裡提供研究領域最終專業化的學位。

MFA和MA的觀點與BFA和BA是相同的，MFA是一個專注的專業學位，是為了那些希望獲得最高教育以成為開業藝術家和設計師的學生設立的。MA，從另一方面來說，經常是一個人文藝術學位(較少了解和練習)。一個更遠的區分是，MFA一定唸兩年，修滿六十個學分課程，但MA只需要一年，修滿三十個學分就好了。最後，MFA要求百分之六十五到百分之八十五的課程是藝術或設計的練習，MA則要求差不多百分之五十在設計實作的領域裡。

幾乎美國各州定義都是一樣的，MFA創作碩士學位，是一個在純藝術與應用藝術主修中最終的學位。這倒是真的，對於一個以實踐為目標的學生來說，已經沒有更高的學位足以提供或要求。

近一半的AICAD成員提供MFA學位，有些也提供其他碩士研究課程，例如藝術史，藝術教育，藝術治療等等。想看AICAD認證成員提供哪些主修課程，請點這裡。

什麼是創作學士學位?

BFA創作學士學位是一個提供給所有在純藝術與應用藝術領域大學的學位，自從第二次世界大戰開始，它演變成學生在找尋專業的藝術與設計教育時的特定標準

國際藝術與設計學校協會 (NASAD， Reston， VA)是一個在藝術與設計課程上得到國際確定認可的代理機構，它畫出了兩種形式的大學學位，一種是BFA(提供專業課程)另一種是BA(人文藝術課程)，這兩種學位最明顯的差異在於兩者的目的和目標都不同，在NASAD所定義的文字中，專業學位針對的是在視覺藝術領域中密集的創作，並使用一般的教學課程，至於人文藝術學位針對的是了解藝術和設計概括的背景，也使用一般的教學課程

在所有提供學士學位的大學中(包括BFA在內)都必須要有一般教學課程設備(人文藝術)，BFA和BA的不同在於藝術與設計之間的比率，還有一般教學，在 BFA中有約三分之二的課程作業是”創造和視覺藝術中的研究”，其他則是學習人文藝術(例如文學，歷史，社會學等等)，在BA中則是三分之二都在人文藝術方面，剩下來才是視覺藝術方面.

獨立藝術與設計學校協會AICAD相信這兩個學位，不論是BFA或是BA，都相對性的有比另外一個好的地方，這個哪一個學位對特定學生最好的判定幾乎依靠全部學生的教育目的，然而，AICAD真的相信，對一位認真，行動力強，正在尋找並準備成為專業藝術家和設計家的學生來說，BFA是最適合的學位。隨著它集中在專科的特色，BFA學位課程將傾向於吸引高天份的學生和師資，進而產生集聚在一起的熱情與奉獻。

最後

注意，基本的BFA學位要求(三分之一的人文藝術和三分之二的視覺藝術)是不能被任一個形式的學校改變的。

BFA中這兩種課程的比率在到處都一樣，例如在AICAD認證成員中的：大型大學，四年制的學院或是專業的藝術學院。所以我們要推翻一些印象，其一是，在大學中所得到的BFA和在藝術學院中所得到的BFA比較，其人文藝術的獲得會較多些，要得到較多人文藝術學習是BA學位，而非BFA學位。這是學位決定人文藝術的比例並非學院決定人文藝術的比例。

所有AICAD認證成員都提供BFA學位(波士頓博物館學校的學位是透過Tufts大學提供)，另外，一些成員在一些設計主題中提供專業的BS課程，想看AICAD認證成員提供哪些主修課程，請點這裡。

Note[2004.08.01 update]我翻的不太好哄…四年前英文還很破啦!

學術交流基金會有比較通順的版本,謝謝陳佑琳喔! from留美雙週報第二十七集

Original Article

WHAT IS AN MFA?

The MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is a specialized, terminal degree available on the graduate level in both fine arts and design.

The same aspects that distinguished a BFA from a BA, distinguish an MFA from an MA. The MFA is a concentrated “professional” degree for students seeking advanced education prior to becoming practicing artists or designers. The MA, on the other hand, is usually a “liberal arts” degree with less emphasis on practice. A further distinction is that the MFA must be a two year, 60 credit program, whereas the MA need only be a one year, 30 credit program. Finally, the MFA requires between 65% and 85% of the course work to be in art or design practice, whereas the MA requires approximately 50% in studio areas.

In virtually every state in the country, the MFA is considered a “terminal” degree in fine and applied arts majors. That is, there is no higher level degree available or required for the practice oriented student.

Approximately half of AICAD’s members offer the MFA degree in studio areas, and some offer other graduate degrees in art history, art education, art therapy, etc. For a list of majors and degrees offered by AICAD member colleges click here.

WHAT IS A BFA?

The BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) is an undergraduate college degree offered in all areas of the fine and applied arts. Since World War II it has become THE standard degree for students seeking a professional education in art and design.

NASAD

The National Association of School of Art & Design (NASAD, Reston, VA), is the nationally recognized accrediting agency for programs in art and design. It delineates two types of undergraduate degrees: “professional” programs, usually granting the BFA; and “liberal arts” programs, usually granting the BA. These two types of programs differ noticeably in their goals and objectives. In NASAD’s own words “the professional degree focuses on intensive work in the visual arts supported by a program of general studies,” whereas “the liberal arts degree focuses on art and design in the context of a broad program of general studies.”

ALL undergraduate college degrees, the BFA included, must have a general studies (liberal arts) component. The difference between a BFA and a BA is in the ratio between art and design, and general studies. In a BFA approximately two-thirds of the course work is in the “creation and study of the visual arts,” with the remainder in general studies (literature, history, sociology, etc.). In a BA approximately two-thirds of the course work is in general studies, with the remainder in visual arts.

Judgement

AICAD believes that neither degree, BFA or BA, is inherently “better” than the other. The judgement of which degree is best for a particular student depends almost entirely on the student’s educational goals. However, AICAD does believe that the BFA is the most appropriate degree for serious, motivated students seeking to become professional artists and designers. With its specialized focus, a BFA degree program will tend to attract highly talented students and faculty, and to generate great intensity and commitment among its students and faculty.

Finally, it should be noted that the basic structure of a BFA degree (one-third liberal arts, two-thirds visual arts) DOES NOT change from one type of college to another. The ratio between these two curricular components in a BFA is the same anywhere; a large university, a comprehensive four-year college, or a professional art college like those in AICAD. Contrary to some impressions, one does not get more liberal arts if the BFA is taken at a university versus an art college. One gets more liberal arts by taking a BA degree rather than a BFA. It is the type of degree, not the type of college, that determines the amount of liberal arts.

All AICAD members offer the BFA degree (the Boston Museum School’s degree is offered through Tufts University). In addition, a number of members offer professionally oriented BS degrees in certain design subjects. For a list of majors and degrees offered by AICAD member colleges click here.