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The American College of the Mediterranean is proud to offer a two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Painting in Aix-en-Provence, France. The 60-credit program is conducted in English and accepts artists of diverse interests and backgrounds. The program combines daily studio work, seminars, museum studies, field studies throughout Europe and North Africa, and professional internship opportunities. Depending on the students' interest, the first-year MFA program could be modeled either after the full-year Marchutz Core Art Program (visible world, perceptual) or after the full-year Mediterranean Core Art Program (contemporary, conceptual) or after both (a different program each semester).

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Master of Fine Arts Mission

The mission of the MFA program at ACM is to provide students with a broad range of artistic practices and creation methods from across the Mediterranean. In this program students are encouraged to explore everything from plein air painting to contemporary multimedia and interact with artists and gallerists of different backgrounds across Europe and North Africa.

Learning Outcomes

The Master of Fine Arts at ACM is a two-year graduate program rooted in the artistic traditions and contemporary practices of the Mediterranean region. With a concentration in painting, the program combines rigorous studio work with liberal arts inquiry, critical theory, and professional development. Students refine their personal artistic voice while engaging with artists, curators, and institutions across Europe and North Africa.  

Upon successful completion of the MFA, students will be able to: 

  • Create a sustained and original body of artwork through advanced studio practice and critical reflection.
  • Integrate perceptual and conceptual approaches to art-making informed by historical, contemporary, and cross-cultural perspectives.
  • Demonstrate advanced visual analysis and art historical knowledge through engagement with museums, critiques, and field studies across the Mediterranean.
  • Participate in critiques, seminars, and mentorship to support the development of individual artistic practice and research.
  • Produce professional materials—including an artist statement, CV, and portfolio—demonstrating readiness for careers in the visual arts. 
  • Apply practical experience gained through internships and mentorships to navigate the broader art world and creative industries. 


Focus of the MFA Program

  • Emphasizes the combination of studio art process with liberal arts learning
  • A combination of perceptual and conceptual analysis, and extensive museum and art historical study
  • Accentuates cross-cultural viewpoints through extended study in the cities, museums, and galleries across the Mediterranean
  • Students gain professional development focusing on exhibiting and honing their artist statement and portfolio
  • Integrated internship and mentorship opportunities


MFA Program Overview

ACM's School of Art offers a two-year MFA degree program with a concentration in painting. The curriculum combines studio practice with liberal arts investigation, critical analysis, museum study, and field studies. The 60-credit program, conducted in English, in Aix-en-Provence, France, culminates in a Thesis Project/MFA Show which includes a public presentation of an original body of artwork.

Students are expected to participate in weekly seminars, multi-city field studies, critiques, museum studies, and liberal arts inquiry.


ACM Faculty Advisors

Each MFA student is assigned one studio art advisor during their second year to oversee and guide them. Students are expected to meet with their studio art advisor for critique once per week.

Throughout the program MFA work is evaluated in peer, faculty, and visiting artist critiques. 


Degree Requirements and Program Outline

The MFA program, both the Marchutz and Mediterranean Tracks, consists of four semesters with 60 credits, as described below:

Year 1

Fall Semester (18 credits)
January Term (3 credits)
Spring Semester (15 credits)


Year 2

Fall Semester (12 credits)
Spring Semester (12 credits)


Marchutz Track

Fall Semester | Year 1 (18 credits)

  • Painting I (ART 630, 3 credits)
  • Drawing I (ART 501, 3 credits)
  • Critical Studies I (ART 509, 3  credits)
  • The Master's Forum (ART 515, 3 credits)
  • Art History (3 credits)
  • French (3 credits)

January Term Elective (3 credits)

Spring Semester | Year 1 (15 credits)

  • Painting II (ART 632, 3 credits)
  • Drawing II (ART 502, 3 credits)
  • Critical Studies II (ART 510, 3  credits)
  • Art History (3 credits)
  • French (3 credits)

Fall Semester | Year 2 (12 credits)

  • Painting III (ART 633, 3 credits)
  • Critical Studies III (ART 511, 3  credits)
  • Elective (3 credits)
  • Arts and Cultural Leadership (ART 527, 3 credits)

Spring Semester | Year 2 (12 credits)

  • Painting IV (ART 634, 4 credits)
  • Thesis Project, Exhibition (ART 750, 5 credits)
  • Elective (3 credits)

Mediterranean Track

Fall Semester | Year 1 (18 credits)

  • Altered Landscapes I: A Mixed Media Studio Course (ART 592, 3 credits)
  • Drawing & Painting in the Mediterranean I (ART 593, 3 credits)
  • The Mediterranean Seminar I (ART 518, 3  credits)
  • The Master's Forum (ART 515, 3 credits)
  • Art History (3 credits)
  • French (3 credits)

January Term Elective (3 credits)

Spring Semester | Year 1 (15 credits)

  • Altered Landscapes II: A Mixed Media Studio Course (ART 594, 3 credits)
  • Drawing & Painting in the Mediterranean II (ART 595, 3 credits)
  • The Mediterranean Seminar II (ART 519, 3  credits)
  • Art History (3 credits)
  • French (3 credits)

Fall Semester | Year 2 (12 credits)

  • Painting III (ART 633, 3 credits)
  • Critical Studies III (ART 511, 3  credits)
  • Arts and Cultural Leadership (ART 527, 3 credits)
  • Elective (3 credits)

Spring Semester | Year 2 (12 credits)

  • Painting IV (ART 634, 3 credits)
  • Thesis Project (MFA Exhibition/Show) (ART 750, 5 credits)
  • Elective (3 credits)

Course Descriptions

The Master's Forum (3 credits)

All first-year MFA students, whether they are taking the Marchutz or Mediterranean track, are required to take The Masters Forum (ART 515) in their first semester. This graduate course aims to inspire the students through exposure. Exposure to other points of view, different types of art practice, and a more diverse range of mediums and expression, as a means of supplementing the intense painting practice already at the core of the first-year curriculum. This course is the site where art history and fine arts meet, and it is built around discussion and practice/workshops led by several local and international artists.

Language and Culture (6 credits)

All candidates are required to take at least six credits of French language and culture courses during their first year.

January Term Field Study Seminar (3 credits)

As part of their degree requirement, MFA candidates must enroll in a January-term program. They may select from the list of options provided in the MFA course section.

Thesis Project/MFA Show or Exhibition (5 credits)

In year two, MFA students in either track (Marchutz or Mediterranean) will take ART 750 (Thesis Project), during which they execute a body of work in a purposeful manner which will culminate in a final, public exhibition.

Arts Administration (3 credits)

All candidates are required to take at least three credits in Arts Administration during their second year. 

ART 599: Independent Study

Master’s students may pursue a one-on-one independent study course (3 credits) based on their specific research interests. This course must be developed in coordination with, and approved by, both the student’s advisor and the Dean of the School of Art. The student and independent study professor will jointly determine the topic, structure, themes, and readings. Requirements for this course include weekly meetings and the completion of a final research paper or project.

Art History (6 credits)

All MFA students are required to take 6 Art History credits. 


Studio Art Core Courses

Drawing and Painting

ART 501: Drawing I
ART 502: Drawing II
ART 592: Altered Landscapes I: A Mixed Media Studio Course
ART 593: Drawing & Painting in the Mediterranean I
ART 594: Altered Landscapes II: A Mixed Media Studio Course
ART 595: Drawing & Painting in the Mediterranean II
ART 630: Painting I
ART 632: Painting II
ART 633: Painting III
ART 634: Painting IV

Critical Studies and Seminars

ART/PHI 509: Art Criticism and Aesthetics Seminar I
ART/ARH/PHI 510: Art Criticism and Aesthetics Seminar II
ART/PHI 511: Art Criticism and Aesthetics Seminar III
ART 518: The Mediterranean Seminar I
ART 519: The Mediterranean Seminar II

Thesis Project

ART 750: Thesis Project (MFA Exhibition/Show)

Art History

ART/ARH 401: Art History: Prehistory to Modern Times
ART/ARH 503: Modern Art: Rebels and Icons
MSM/ART 504: Curatorship: Theory and Practices
ART/ARH/PHI 509: Critical Studies I
ART/ARH/PHI 510: Critical Studies II
ART/ARC 512: European and Mediterranean Prehistoric Art and Archaeology
ARC/ARH 513: Powers and Identities in the Ancient Mediterranean
ART/ARH 515: Master's Forum: Gateway to the Arts of the World-Theory and Practice
ART/ARH 520: Picasso, Matisse, and the Mediterranean
ART/BUS 527: Arts Administration: Cultural Management and Leadership
ART/MSM 537: History of Museums: From Prehistoric Caves to the Louvre Abu Dhabi
ART/ARH 540: The Mediterranean and Beyond: Cross-Cultural Studies in Medieval Art and Architecture
ART/ARH 542: Artistic Encounters in the Mediterranean: Cross-Cultural Perspectives in European Art
ART/ARH 564: Contemporary Art: Visual Representation of the Mediterranean
ART/ARH 581: The XIXth Century and French Impressionism
ART 582: Cezanne and Van Gogh
MSM/ARH 591: Museums Today: Mission and Challenges (Museology Seminar)


Resources and Studio Space

Students have access (with a pre-posted schedule) to the L’Atelier Marchutz situated on the renowned route de Tholonet in Aix-en-Provence. In year two, ACM provides independent studio space to all MFA students. Facilities, lecture halls, classrooms, student lounge, audio-visual equipment, and computer access are available in each of the three main buildings of ACM situated in the center of Aix-en-Provence.

 

2025 MFA Exhibition

Click through the 2025 MFA Exhibition Catalog to see the 2025 graduates' work:


View MFA Exhibition catalogs of previous years: 



For program-related questions, please contact Dr. Yumna Masarwa, Dean of the ACM School of Art.

Graduate Programs