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Photography MFA

Master of Fine Arts in Photography

Advance your skills in the photographic medium with an interdisciplinary, conceptual approach to analog, digital and moving image technologies with the Master of Fine Arts in Photography in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University. The two-year, 60-credit graduate degree program offers students close mentorship, first-class facilities and interdisciplinary exploration, drawing on the resources available in Tyler’s broad range of studio art programs as well as its architecture and environmental design programs. 

Whether students want to make bold moves into other disciplines through the lens of photography or be trained as photographic imagemakers, the breadth of faculty expertise and programs at Tyler offers a pathway, guided by one-on-one attention from faculty. 

Exceptionally diverse, the Photography master’s degree program stresses a balance between knowledge of historical processes and exploration of the newest technologies, as well as a critical understanding of photography’s role in society. The program is enlivened by students who come from all over the United States and abroad and work in a variety of approaches to the photographic medium.  

Temple University was the first university to provide a Photography MFA and to offer courses in color photography. The program today still remains ahead of the curve as its curriculum features the most modern techniques of the medium.

abstract piece of photography featuring a moving person.

Hands-on Learning and Experiences 

MFA students expand the technical and conceptual approaches to their work through studio and seminar classes, as well as individual studio visits with faculty and visiting artists. Close associations with the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Print Center and other arts institutions in the region keep graduate students connected to their peers and current approaches to their craft.  

Many opportunities are available to extend learning through exhibitions and intensive professional career options. The proximity to New York and Washington enhances the educational experience and MFA students have gone on to careers as curators, teachers, photo editors, commercial photographers, gallery owners, fine arts administrators and studio artists. 

Whatever path students choose, the Tyler MFA in Photography gives graduates the blend of technical, conceptual and critical skills necessary to enter the field of their choice at the highest professional level.

Program Format & Curriculum 

With core courses aligned over two weekdays, students have considerable flexibility and choice when selecting art history, elective and seminar classes, either within Tyler’s graduate curriculum or across the university. Courses in critique and critical discourse are foundational to the first year of study. Under the mentorship of a faculty member, students also participate in directed studio research and an MFA Thesis gallery exhibition in their final semester of study.  

The graduate photography curriculum emphasizes critical theory and career options for artists, as well as gives students access to studios that facilitate the use of various creative approaches to the photographic medium, including black-and-white analog darkrooms experimental and digital imaging, historical processes, moving image technologies and large format digital printing. Some courses that students in the Photography MFA program can expect to take include the following.  

  • Art History Seminar  

  • Critique and Critical Discourse I and II 

  • Directed Studio Practice 

  • Graduate Projects, Photography 

  • Master of Fine Arts Thesis 

Learn more about the Photography MFA curriculum.

Related Graduate Certificates

Tuition & Fees

In keeping with Temple’s commitment to access and affordability, this Master of Fine Arts offers a competitive level of tuition with multiple opportunities for financial support.

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level (undergraduate or graduate), course load (full- or part-time), in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. These tuition costs apply to the 2025–2026 academic year.

Pennsylvania resident: $1,361.00 per credit
Out-of-state: $1,810.00 per credit

You can view the full cost of attendance breakdown on the Student Financial Services website.

Our Advisors

Tyler's academic advising team offers every Tyler student one-on-one, personal and academic guidance, beginning at Orientation right through to graduation. Our academic advisors will help you chart your course through your program, and ensure you are on a clear path. 

Advisors are available to discuss registration, study abroad and staying on track to graduate, as well as policy and procedures and navigating other available resources across the university. 

Appointments with the advising team can be made by visiting the Student Tools tab in TUportal. General questions can be submitted to the team's virtual front desk during regular business hours, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday through Friday. 

Academic Advising Office 
Tyler 212  
2001 N. 13th St. 
Philadelphia, PA 19122 

Program Contact

For more information about the Photography MFA program, please contact 
Rebecca Michaels, interim program head for photography. 
Email:  
Phone: 215-777-9226

Student Clubs & Organizations

Enhance your coursework, build meaningful networks and gain leadership experience by participating in student-led clubs and organizations. Below are examples of groups at Tyler that can help you grow academically, creatively and professionally. 

  • Graduate Arts Collective is a graduate, student-led organization that connects Tyler peers with resources, information, social events and other activities, including publication of the annual MFA thesis catalog. 
  • American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an independent, nonprofit, student-run organization. AIAS provides unmatched programs, information and resources on issues critical to architectural education. 
  • Art History Graduate Organization provides a forum for exchange of ideas that enriches the experience of graduate art history students, including events, guest lectures, interaction with alumni, museum trips and peer gatherings that support new students and aid advisors in recruiting prospective students. 
  • American Society of Landscape Architects, Student Chapter at Temple’s Ambler Campus works to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, education and fellowship. 
Study Away

Exposure to diverse cultures, environments and mindsets is essential for art, architecture and design students. At Tyler, you are encouraged to broaden your perspective and explore unique environments through study away programs. 

Programs to study in Rome are offered throughout the year. 

For a half-century, Temple Rome has been a center for hands-on, interdisciplinary learning, where the “Eternal City” is the classroom, the studio and the campus. It offers extensive experiences for art and architecture students, with courses in architecture, art history, drawing, liberal arts, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.  

The Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses office is available to answer questions. 
Email:  
Phone: 215-204-0720

Accreditation

Tyler School of Art and Architecture’s degree programs are accredited by the following accrediting bodies. 

Tyler School of Art and Architecture’s architecture and environmental design programs are accredited by the following accrediting bodies. 

Additional Program Information