1. Attaining skills in teaching through both practical, hands-on experience and an understanding of the theories and criticism of arts pedagogy.
  2. Pursuing a theoretical, historical, and cultural understanding of contemporary art via seminars, research and writing, and courses in critical topics related to current arts and media.
  3. Preparing for a professional life in the arts through visits to artists’ studios and venues connected to grant writing, curating, publishing, and other activities that allow for a broad-based understanding of an increasingly diversified art world.
  4. Exploring possibilities of community engagement and exhibitions outside the immediate world of the academy.
  5. Developing a sense of an ethical practice that both challenges the status quo and seeks opportunities to reach diverse audiences.
  6. Gaining demonstrable excellence in one area of artistic practice while engaging the broader discourse of contemporary art and its many distinctive modalities.