<p>Anyone have any experience with switching a fine arts specialization upon applying to grad school? Daughter is considering graduate school for fall of 2012. Her original undergrad degree was to be in art education which required an area of in-depth specialization, along with beginning classes in all other forms of art mediums along with her education classes. At the beginning of her undergraduate studies her favorite media to work with was colored pencil/charcoal and drawing was her preferred form. However she has this thing about her drawings having to be perfect and was prone to starting over when the project wasn’t going as planned. Knowing that this presented a problem when trying to crank out projects for class and realizing that her academic classes were going to require a fair amount of time she chose to specialize in print-making, a form and medium she also really enjoyed working with, but was easier for her to create on a time limited basis. So her undergrad degree is a Bachelor of Fine Arts, printmaking specialization/area of focus with a minor in education. </p>
<p>She is looking for her advanced degree in Studio Art as opposed to a Master’s in Art Education, as she is leaning away from teaching in the public school sector (which wouldn’t have been a good fit for her anyway IMO). We’ve just started looking at grad programs, but most of those we’ve looked at so far (actually all the ones we’ve looked at so far, thought there are bound to be some multi-disciplinary programs out there) require you to indicate a focus area and submit a portfolio in that area. In her basic/introductory level classes she really enjoyed ceramics and does seem to have some aptitude in that area, and is thinking she’d like her grad work to be in ceramics. However she doesn’t have enough really strong pieces to put together a portfolio of ceramic work, nor the studio to create more here at home. Plus her shown/published/sold work so far is either prints or drawings, she is doing a show later this summer where she will have some ceramics for sale but that’s it. </p>
<p>Has anyone ever switched focus areas upon applying to a grad program or is anyone aware of any programs out there that would allow her to submit a mixed portfolio and apply to the ceramic program or that has an multidisciplinary studio art grad program. She’s looking for a smallish program and her biggest criteria right now (apart from funding) is in an interesting city. So far Tulane’s program has attracted her the most. Their Fine Art Grad program is not ranked in the top 100 according to US News, (though they’re right outside that range) so I’m thinking the prestige isn’t a giant factor to her. There is a possibility she might put it off till fall of 2013, but I intend to encourage her to wait no later than that. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks</p>