MFA - Art | Ceramics Specialization

The Clay Club's spring sale is May 12-13 in Richards Hall Rm. 118. A photo and print sale will also be held in Rm. 112.

A fixture in U.S. News & World Report’s top ten ceramics programs in the country, our curriculum helps you balance knowledge and skill-building with the freedom to explore broadly and develop an individual voice as an artist.

Graduate Admission Information  Apply Here

Terry Ratzlaff 'Crawford Bend 35.'

Terry Ratzlaff, 2021 Graduate

Program Features

BFA

Ceramic BFA students will be introduced to a range of possibilities in forming and firing technologies. Working at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, BFA students help to create and represent the studio community, with opportunities to take courses with ceramic graduate students on kiln building, glaze and clay body chemistry, and ceramics history. Through leadership and studio tech responsibilities we prepare our BFA students for artist residencies, assistantships, apprenticeships and internships leading to a professional career or graduate study.

MFA

Our Ceramic MFA program is well-rounded, offering specialized courses on kiln building, glaze and clay body chemistry, and ceramics history. Graduate students have opportunities to assist and teach undergraduate courses, work studio tech jobs, run and organize Clay Club and the studio at large while leading by example to foster community and excellence.

Graduate students share spacious, well-lit studios mainly on the second floor and ground level of Richards Hall and take advantage of a wide range of studio equipment.

Inspiring, Comprehensive Facilities

Located in Richards Hall, ceramics facilities include an indoor electric kiln room, a covered outdoor kiln pad, a glaze mixing kitchen, a well-ventilated clay mixing room and an organized tool and maintenance area. Classes are held in spacious hand-building and wheel-throwing studios with dedicated space for advanced undergraduate students.

Prestigious Visiting Artists

The Hixson-Lied Visiting Artist Series brings six to eight nationally known artists to campus each semester. Visiting artists teach a lecture class, give a presentation and provide critique.

Study Around the World

Take classes around the world taught by our School of Art faculty. Previous faculty-led trips included London, Paris, Tokyo, Italy and Greece.

Jamie Ho, 2023 Graduate

Jamie Ho, 2023 Graduate

John-David Richardson, 2018 Graduate

John-David Richardson, 2018 Graduate

A triptych of the interior of an old abandoned house.

Amanda Breitbach, 2016 Graduate

Eddy Aldana, 2022 Graduate

Eddy Aldana, 2022 Graduate

Notable Facilities & Equipment 

  • Private graduate darkroom with 4x5" enlargers, archival washer, and a grad-only Jobo film processor
  • Alternative process space and UV exposure units
  • Graduate-only digital darkroom
  • Critique space with configurable LED track lighting and magnetic walls
  • Large open lab area with digital projector and framing/finishing space
  • The School of Art, Art History & Design’s Digital Lab for equipment check-out and use large format scanners and printers
  • Lighting equipment including strobes, cool lights, and flashes with wireless transmitters
  • Light modifiers including softboxes, umbrellas, grids, and gels
  • Studio equipment including smoke and haze machines, light stands, V-flats, backdrops, tripods
  • Sony alpha full-frame mirrorless cameras and lenses
  • Hasselblad and Fujifilm digital medium format cameras
  • Analog small, medium, and large format cameras and lenses
Laura Cobb, 2023 Graduate

Laura Cobb, 2023 Graduate

Zora J Murff, 2018 Graduate

Zora J Murff, 2018 Graduate

Austin Cullen, 2022 Graduate

Austin Cullen, 2022 Graduate

Penny Molesso, 2023 Graduate

Penny Molesso, 2023 Graduate

Huskers Do Big Things

Internships

  • U.S. Forest Service
  • Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary
  • Mendocino Art Center
  • American Museum of Ceramic Art

Careers:

  • Ceramics Studio Assistant
  • Assistant Professor of Ceramics
  • Assistant Curator of Ceramics
  • Ceramic Artist Product Specialist for American Art Clay (AMACO)

Graduate Schools

  • Alfred University--New York State College of Ceramics
  • Cranbrook Academy of Art
  • Rhode Island School of Design
  • University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Have Questions? We’re Here to Help

Dana Fritz  Walker Pickering  Robert Derr

About Lincoln

Students will immerse themselves in a vibrant arts community in the heart of the city of Lincoln, where creativity and opportunities abound that will shape your education and future career as an artist.

Discover Community

Rooftop view of downtown Lincoln.