This is an update to my first MFA schedule which can be found here:
I’m updating the class grid again as of 5/10/2011
Oh Oh. Class creep. If I don’t take summer school I will only have 42 hours by the end of Spring 2012.
This revised schedule has be completing 54 hours by the end of Spring 2012.
The original schedule had me finishing up all 63 hours in the Spring of 2012.
Basic math says I either need to knock out 3 additional classes somewhere in the schedule or extend my graduation date. I think future changes will reflect both.
The required minimum hours is 63 hours. That means 21 classes at 3 hours/class.
The work experience I’ve gained over decades and my current experience as a professional photographer has allowed me to waive some courses. I mention waived course here as the 3 class I’m waiving allow me to take additional courses so my schedule is not going to look like yours in most cases
I was able to immediately get waivers for:
- PH 609: Digital Photography
- PH 616: The Photographer and Photoshop
I am considering waiving (UPDATE: this course is no longer required so I will be taking something else)
- PH 625: Digital Printing
I’m a pretty advanced printer. in November of 2009 I acquired a Canon iPF5100. This is a professional wide-format printer. It’s the smallest (least wide) of their pro line of printers. I’ve worked with the technical rep for Canon on getting prints out of this beast and I’ve already run a hundred-feet of 17-inch wide rolls through it. I’ve also printed on the Epson 2200 with extremely successful and sellable results.
The final decision here will be after one of my classmates takes the class and I’ll review the material and assignments then decide if it is worthwhile or not – then make my pitch to the Department Chairperson.
I strongly suggest that you stand back and take as an impersonal inventory of your abilities before waiving a class. When I started my MBA, I did not even attempt to waive any courses.
This is where I am today very aggressive schedule.
| Fall Semester 2009 | ||
| PH601 | Photography – Concept | 3 |
| PH612 | The Nature of Photography | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 6 | |
| Spring Semester 2010 | ||
| PH 613 | Color Theory | 3 |
| PH 608 | Lighting | 3 |
| GS 625 | History of Photography | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 9 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 15 | |
| Summer Semester 2010 (actual) |
||
| Nothing | 0 | |
| Nothing | 0 | |
| Total this semester: | 0 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 15 | |
| Fall Semester 2010 (actual) |
||
| PH 680 | PH 680 MS Thesis Project Seminar (Photography students only) | 3 |
| PH 645 | Experimental Comtemporary Photography | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 6 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 21 | |
| Winter Inter- Semester 2010/2011 (tentative) |
||
| GS 606 | Crossing Borders (Art and Culture) | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 3 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 24 | |
| Spring Semester 2011 (tentative) |
||
| GS 602 | The Art & Ideology of the 20th Century | 3 |
| PH 655 | Digital Montage | 3 |
| ?? | ||
| Total this semester: | 6 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 30 | |
| Summer Semester 2011 (none) |
||
| ?? | Class | 0 |
| ?? | Elective | 0 |
| Total this semester: | 0 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 30 | |
| Fall Semester 2011 (tentative) |
||
| ?? | Directed Study | 3 |
| ?? | Directed Study | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 6 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 36 | |
| Spring Semester 2012 (tentative) |
||
| ?? | Directed Study – Senior Studio or Internship (Director Approval) | 3 |
| GS 626 | Business Practices & Principles for Photographers (required and after midpoint review) | 3 |
| Total this semester: | 6 | |
| Accumulated total hours: | 42 | |
Hi David,
Thank you for posting your experience! As a prospective AAU online student, it is helpful to hear about your adventures in the graduate program. I am curious about your opinion of the workload as well as the instructional quality of the online videos, assignments and faculty. To get into the summer courses, I need to apply by April 1st. I was impressed by the website and the promotional video that AAU sent me in the mail. I am interested in their game design program, and hoped to connect with other online students before I commit.
Any advice will be welcome.
Cheers,
Natalie
Hi Natalie,
You know I responded to you personally. I encourage anyone to contact me directly or via post responses. I’m happy to share my experiences bot good and bad at AAU.
Cheers,
David
Hi David,
i have just enrolled in a graduate studies program at AAU. I am taking “Crossing Borders: Arts & Culture in a Global Society” this summer online. It will be accelerated, but not to the degree of the intercession course that you took. Anyway, how was the workload? Mostly reading? Many papers? conceptual or factual? Also, do you have any experience with studio classes yet? I am wondering how well they are executed. Thanks for your time! Susan O
Btw, love your Aimee Mann photo!
Hi Susan,
Congrats on going to AAU I’m sure you will love some and hate some of the time here. The GS courses I’ve taken have been really easy. The exception is GS625 History of Photography which is a department specific class and one of the best courses I’ve taken at AAU. What makes or breaks a course is the instructor. Overall I really like my classes.
Crossing Borders was a very solid class. I had Teddy Goldsworthy-Hanner as an instructor. She is a successful practicing artist and has been teaching at AAU for over 12 years. She teaches in-person and online. I can recommend her. If this is your first semester at AAU I’d recommend you find out which section she is teaching and get into that one. I’m sure there are other qualified people that may even be better but I was highly satisfied with her.
I took it as a Intersession. Basically, one module every day. I just finishing up on “Art and Ideology” and it has been a really boring and long and unchallenging class. Doing a GS class in a shorter amount of time will make it less boring.
The workload in the Intersession class and the full semester class were identical.
Read Module content and supplemental media.
Write and respond to the discussion topic or topics. Generally just one topic per module.
Write a midterm. Short. 2-3 pages. The writing should relate to a piece of your artwork.
Write a final. Short. 2-3 pages. ditto…
I work full-time for myself, have a part-time job to pay for this and I find that I still could dedicate 3-4 hours to every module.
I just wrote a short review of my other GS class here: http://weaver.net/MFA/2011/05/not-masters-enough/
Good Luck!
Hi David,
I appreciate your blog! I took two semesters of online MFA advertising and loved all my classes. Crossing Borders (Art and Culture) is also a really good one.
However, I had to drop the degree because it was getting too pricey and I feel that I would like to work on a MFA Photography instead. Any thoughts?