Apply to Graduate Studies at the Dodd
The Lamar Dodd School of Art has built a national reputation for excellence in visual arts education and creative innovation. Housed within a tier-one research university located approximately 70 miles east of Atlanta, the Lamar Dodd School of Art is a nationally ranked art school offering degrees in the fields of Art, Art Education, Art History, and Design.
As a premier center in the Southeast for creative research and experiential learning of the visual arts and design, the Dodd has embraced critical, socially engaged practices to address the challenges of our time. Pursue a degree with us to enjoy state of the art facilities, study abroad in New York City and Cortona, Italy, and a vibrant, collaborative environment that fosters exchange across disciplines and communities. You will become prepared for a meaningful, lifelong creative career.
Graduate Admissions
Students seeking admission to graduate programs at the School of Art must complete the online University of Georgia Graduate School application. As part of this process it will be necessary to upload degree-specific supporting materials, which are outlined below. The School of Art will begin accepting applications the day after Labor Day.
Graduate Application Deadlines
Graduate applications to the MA, MFA, and PhD at the Lamar Dodd School of Art are due by January 1st.
The Online MAEd application deadline for international applicants is April 15; the deadline for domestic applicants is May 1.
Graduate Application Fees
- Applications must be accompanied by a $75 application processing fee.
- The fee for each additional application is $25.
- Applications submitted without the fee will not be processed.
- A limited number of application fee waivers are available only to applicants who have participated in qualifying programs, listed here.
Graduate Application Requirements
General Information
Applicants to the MFA program will complete a University of Georgia Graduate School Application and follow instructions below regarding supplemental materials and required, discipline-specific supplemental materials.
The non-refundable fee for the Graduate School application is $75 for domestic and international applicants. Upon completion, applicants can check their application in Slate.
Graduate applications to the Studio Art and Design MFA are due by January 1st.
Supplemental Materials
Statement of Intent
In a brief statement of 1-2 pages, applicants are asked to describe the focus of their research, why they are applying to the program, and what they intend to accomplish in graduate school.
Statements should describe the applicants’ studio practice, identifying the specific forms their research has taken, as well as the topics, questions, and disciplines on which it touches.
Resumé/CV
A concise outline of the applicant’s educational and professional history.
Writing Sample
A writing sample is not required for the MFA application. However, if writing is a part of your practice, and you would like to have it considered as part of your application, you may upload a writing sample when prompted to do so.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants will be asked to submit names and email addresses of 3 individuals qualified to evaluate their academic and/or artistic capacities. Letters of recommendation must be uploaded through the Slate portal; letters issued to the student will not be accepted.
Transcripts
Applicants will be asked to upload Unofficial Transcripts in the Graduate School application. An official transcript from each degree-granting institution should be mailed directly to the Graduate School only after the applicant has been offered admission. Transcripts issued to the student will not be accepted.
The University of Georgia Graduate School
Terrell Hall, 210 S. Jackson St, Athens GA 30602
Standardized Tests
GRE scores are not required for the MFA degree.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of international applicants for all degrees for whom English is not their native tongue. Please see the official Graduate School page here for a full list of English language proficiency requirements. UGA institutional code for ETS reporting: 5813. Scores must be sent to Graduate Admissions directly by the responsible testing agency. Unofficial scores will not be accepted.
Graduate School Minimum Requirements for TOEFL: IBT (internet-based) Total = 80, Speak = 20, Write = 20
Program-Specific Supplemental Materials
Applicants should upload the following under “Program-Specific Supplemental Materials.”
20 Digital Images
In a pdf of no more than 10 MB, please provide up to 20 images of creative work. Please label uploaded works with their title, year, medium, dimensions, and include a brief description. If you would like to submit video and/or audio files, please include a clickable link to these materials within your pdf.
If you submit clickable links in your materials, please ensure the included hyperlinks both function and route to the correct destination.
About You! (Optional)
Applicants may submit a short video profile, no longer than 3 minutes, by providing a clickable link to Vimeo or YouTube. If there is something about you that you were not able to share elsewhere in your application, or that you prefer to share in this format, please do so.
An “about you” video is not required, and applicants will not be penalized if they elect not to include one.
The Master of Art Education at the Lamar Dodd School of Art is going virtual! Admissions requirements for our new online MAEd program are listed on the MAEd program page.
For inquiries, contact Dr. Mira Kallio-Tavin, Graduate Coordinator for Art Education, Mira.KallioTavin@uga.edu
- Application deadlines: International Applicants April 15; Domestic Applicants July 1
General Information
Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Art with a concentration in Art Education program will complete a University of Georgia Graduate School Application and follow instructions below regarding supplemental materials and required, discipline-specific supplemental materials.
The non-refundable fee for the Graduate School application is $75 for domestic and international applicants. Upon completion, applicants can check their application in Slate.
Graduate applications to the PhD in Art with a concentration in Art Education are due by January 1st.
Supplemental Materials
Statement of Intent
In a brief statement of 1-2 pages, applicants are asked to describe the focus of their research, why they are applying to the program, and what they intend to accomplish in graduate school. Statements should describe the specific form their research takes, as well as the topics, questions, and disciplines on which it touches.
Resumé/CV
A concise outline of the applicant’s educational and professional history.
Writing Sample
Applicants should upload a writing sample such as a master’s thesis or other academic paper that showcases their skills as a writer.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants will be asked to submit names and email addresses of 3 individuals qualified to evaluate their academic and/or artistic capacities. Letters of recommendation must be uploaded through the Slate portal, letters issued to the student will not be accepted.
Transcripts
Applicants will be asked to upload Unofficial Transcripts in the Graduate School application. An official transcript from each degree-granting institution should be mailed directly to the Graduate School only after the applicant has been offered admission. Transcripts issued to the student will not be accepted.
The University of Georgia Graduate School
Terrell Hall, 210 S. Jackson St, Athens GA 30602
Standardized Tests
GRE scores are not required for the PhD in Art with a concentration in Art Education.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of international applicants for all degrees for whom English is not their native tongue. Please see the official Graduate School page here for a full list of English language proficiency requirements.
Graduate School Minimum Requirements for TOEFL: IBT (internet-based) Total = 80, Speak = 20, Write = 20
Program-Specific Supplemental Materials
Applicants should upload the following under “Program-Specific Supplemental Materials.”
About
Applicants are asked for information regarding their academic interests and background. Alternatively, applicants may submit a short video profile, no longer than 3 minutes by providing a Vimeo or Youtube video link.
A maximum of 20 Applicant/Student Digital Images
In a pdf of no more than 10MB, you may include images of your artwork, artwork created by students or program participants, or images of collaborative creative projects (community-based art, socially-engaged art, etc.)
General Information
Applicants to the MA in Art History program will complete a University of Georgia Graduate School Application and follow instructions below regarding supplemental materials and required, discipline-specific supplemental materials.
The non-refundable fee for the Graduate School application is $75 for domestic and international applicants. Upon completion, applicants can check their application in Slate.
Graduate applications to the MA in Art History are due by January 1st.
Supplemental Materials
Statement of Intent
In a brief statement of 1-2 pages, applicants are asked to describe the focus of their research, why they are applying to the program, and what they intend to accomplish in graduate school. Statements should describe topics, questions, and disciplines on which their research touches.
Resumé/CV
A concise outline of the applicant’s educational and professional history.
Writing Sample
Applicants should include an academic paper on an art-historical subject that reflects their rhetorical skills, interests, and training to date in the field.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants will be asked to submit names and email addresses of 3 individuals qualified to evaluate their academic and/or artistic capacities. Letters of recommendation must be uploaded through the Slate portal, letters issued to the student will not be accepted.
Transcripts
Applicants will be asked to upload Unofficial Transcripts in the Graduate School application. An official transcript from each degree-granting institution should be mailed directly to the Graduate School only after the applicant has been offered admission. Transcripts issued to the student will not be accepted.
The University of Georgia Graduate School
Terrell Hall, 210 S. Jackson St, Athens GA 30602
Standardized Tests
Applicants for the MA in Art History are required to submit scores for the GRE. UGA institutional code for ETS reporting: 5813. Scores must be sent to Graduate Admissions directly by the responsible testing agency. Unofficial scores will not be accepted.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of international applicants for all degrees for whom English is not their native tongue. Please see the official Graduate School page here for a full list of English language proficiency requirements.
Graduate School Minimum Requirements for TOEFL: IBT (internet-based) Total = 80, Speak = 20, Write = 20
Program-Specific Supplemental Materials
Applicants should upload the following under “Program-Specific Supplemental Materials.”
Additional Writing Sample (Optional)
Applicants may upload an additional writing sample if they feel it strengthens their materials and more accurately reflects their range of interests. This option is best for those with an interdisciplinary background or multiple areas of interest within the field of art history.
About You! (Optional)
Applicants may submit a short video profile, no longer than 3 minutes, by providing a clickable link to Vimeo or YouTube. If there is something about you that you were not able to share elsewhere in your application, or that you prefer to share in this format, please do so.
General Information
Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Art with a concentration in Art History program will complete a University of Georgia Graduate School Application and follow instructions below regarding supplemental materials and required, discipline-specific supplemental materials.
The non-refundable fee for the Graduate School application is $75 for domestic and international applicants. Upon completion, applicants can check their application in Slate.
Graduate applications to the PhD in Art with a concentration in Art History are due by January 1st.
Supplemental Materials
Statement of Intent
In a brief statement of 1-2 pages, applicants are asked to describe the focus of their research, why they are applying to the program, and what they intend to accomplish in graduate school. Statements should describe the topics, questions, and disciplines on which their research touches.
Resumé/CV
A concise outline of the applicant’s educational and professional history.
Writing Sample
Applicants should upload a copy of their MA thesis as their primary writing sample. If the thesis is in progress, please provide an overview of your project and and research to date.
3 Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants will be asked to submit names and email addresses of 3 individuals qualified to evaluate their academic and/or artistic capacities. Letters of recommendation must be uploaded through the Slate portal, letters issued to the student will not be accepted.
Transcripts
Applicants will be asked to upload Unofficial Transcripts in the Graduate School application. An official transcript from each degree-granting institution should be mailed directly to the Graduate School only after the applicant has been offered admission. Transcripts issued to the student will not be accepted.
The University of Georgia Graduate School
Terrell Hall, 210 S. Jackson St, Athens GA 30602
Standardized Tests
Applicants for the PhD in Art History are required to submit scores for the GRE. UGA institutional code for ETS reporting: 5813. Scores must be sent to Graduate Admissions directly by the responsible testing agency. Unofficial scores will not be accepted.
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of international applicants for all degrees for whom English is not their native tongue. Please see the official Graduate School page here for a full list of English language proficiency requirements.
Graduate School Minimum Requirements for TOEFL: IBT (internet-based) Total = 80, Speak = 20, Write = 20
Program-Specific Supplemental Materials
Applicants should upload the following under “Program-Specific Supplemental Materials.”
Additional Writing Sample (Optional)
Applicants may also submit a writing sample unrelated to their thesis topic that reflects their current interests and showcases their skills as a researcher and writer.
About You! (Optional)
Applicants may submit a short video profile, no longer than 3 minutes, by providing a clickable link to Vimeo or YouTube. If there is something about you that you were not able to share elsewhere in your application, or that you prefer to share in this format, please do so.
Individuals with an undergraduate degree from the Lamar Dodd School of Art or another four-year institution may request admission to Art Education for certification-only (non-degree). This is an entry level certification that allows you to teach at the K-12 level. Prospective students must apply through Slate.
Graduate applications to the Art Education Certification program are due by January 1st.
- A resume or cv
- College transcripts
- A maximum of 10 images of your artwork
- A statement of interest (500 words minimum) outlining your reasons for pursuing certification in art education
How to Select the Certification Only program in the Graduate School Application Process
1) for Degree Level, choose “Non-degree or transient”
2) for Intended Program, choose “Non-degree, Initial Educator Certification”
3) for Area of Emphasis, choose “Art Education.”
Last updated: October 1, 2025