Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts

Columbia is not currently admitting new students for the Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts MFA.
For graduate study in the fine arts, please see our Fine Arts MFA.

The Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts MFA enables students to participate in the contemporary art world by encouraging them to consider book and paper as a site for interdisciplinary practice. We promote the understanding of hand papermaking and the book arts as artistic media with applications in cultural discourse, community building, and collaborative practice. We seek students who want to pursue a course of study that integrates experimentation with both technical and conceptual considerations in these media. With access to some of the finest bindery, papermaking, and printing equipment and facilities in the country, students pursue their course work in collaboration with new media, performance, and installation.

Degree Requirements

This three-year, 60-credit MFA comprises: Graduate Electives (27 credits), Book (2 credits), Paper (2 credits), Print (2 credits), Art as Discourse (3 credits), Art as Practice (3 credits), Connected Studio Practices (3 credits), History Requirement (6 credits), Theory/Practice Requirement (6 credits), and a Thesis (6 credits).

Diverse and Hybrid Coursework

The Art and Art History Department has two graduate degrees. We encourage students to embrace the permeable nature of our programs to investigate a vast array of department offerings including studio courses in video, electronics, sound, interaction, performance, installation, and creative writing, and theory/practice courses addressing topics such as autobiographical art, the body, visual narratives, and art and science collaborations.