MFA IN VISUAL
NARRATIVE
VISUAL STORYTELLERS WANTED
Master the art of storytelling.
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Transform your creative future with a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Narrative at Boston University
Join BU’s MFA in Visual Narrative program and learn how to combine art and storytelling to create powerful visual narratives. On-campus and full-time.
THE ESSENTIALS
60-credit program
2-year full-time
Professional
studio facilities
Industry partnerships
Program Highlights
BU’s MFA in Visual Narrative is one of only a few graduate programs in the United States
BU’s MFA in Visual Narrative is one of only a few graduate programs in the United States that teaches students to create professional-level comics, graphic novels, and picture books as they gain transferable skills in drawing, illustration, animation, visual storytelling, and publishing practices. Award-winning critically acclaimed cartoonist faculty mentors work 1:1 at the table and tablet with students teaching how to craft stories in a range of media.
Boston University’s MFA in Visual Narrative integrates the long-standing fine arts tradition of the College of Fine Arts’ School of Visual Arts with sequential art storytelling practices, allowing students the opportunity to craft stories in the medium of comics, long-form graphic novels, picture books, and transmedia that integrate written and visual language.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Stories That Make a Difference
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
What You’ll Learn
Boston University’s new Visual Narrative MFA program is one of only a handful of programs in the country focused on producing media such as comics and graphic books, picture books, and animation. As a graduate student in the program, you’ll learn to:
Explore the potential of combining written and visual media in storytelling.
Develop a personal voice to convey complex ideas through words and images.
Use humanities-based research to inform your visual narratives.
Build a drawing-based practice grounded in design and expressive figure drawing.
Master digital tools to expand storytelling with design, animation, and drawing.
Create original graphic narratives informed by history and contemporary trends.
Present your work professionally to the field.
Want to learn more?
Get more InfoBenefits
Make Your Mark By Doing What You Love
Boston University’s MFA in Visual Narrative is more than a program—it’s a launchpad for your creative and professional growth. From exceptional facilities to rich industry connections, discover the benefits that set this program apart.
Studio Facilities
Graduate students will have 24-hour access to a shared professional studio space with students in the program.
Facilities and resources also feature cutting-edge equipment to realize design projects, including:
- large-format printers
- a Risograph printer
- vinyl cutters
- bookbinding equipment
- black-and-white darkrooms
- printmaking facilities
- fully equipped wood shop
- welding shop
- ventilated spray room
- ceramics facilities
Students also have access to BU’s Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC), an impressive 15,000-square-foot, multi-million dollar engineering and manufacturing facility. This state-of-the-art facility features everything from laser etching to rapid prototyping, allowing designers to collaborate with engineering staff and students to see their projects through all stages of hands-on production.
Exhibition opportunities
Students are given numerous opportunities to display work in Boston University galleries. The culmination of the two-year program is the Thesis Exhibition, held in the Boston University Art Galleries.
Collections + Services
The Visual Arts Resource Library offers a vast collection of art books, magazines, and digital resources for SVA students and faculty. Explore rare books, use state-of-the-art technology, and borrow equipment to bring your creative visions to life.
The Karl Fortress Audio Archive features 269 recorded interviews with renowned 20th-century American artists like Romare Bearden, Louise Bourgeois, and Philip Guston. SVA students can borrow these recordings on MP3 players.
The Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, whose mission it is to convene researchers and practitioners from various disciplines to figure out novel and practical ways to understand, explain, and solve seemingly intractable problems of racial inequity and injustice.
The Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, which captures and documents history by collecting the manuscripts from individuals who play a significant part in the fields of journalism, poetry, literature and criticism, dance, music, theater, film, television, and political and religious movements.
Industry connections
Boston University’s strong academic reputation and location in Boston’s vibrant cultural hub offer you countless opportunities to connect with industry professionals.
- Learn directly from experts: Award-winning critically acclaimed cartoonist faculty mentors bring real-world knowledge and connections to the classroom.
- Gain practical experience through internships: Intern with publishing houses, animation studios, or other organizations—build skills and contacts.
- Tap into BU’s Alumni Network: The program’s alumni are an excellent resource for mentorship and career advice.
- Explore Boston’s creative scene: Boston’s thriving community of publishing houses, animation studios, and design firms offers plenty of opportunities to network and grow professionally.
Funding Options
BU’s MFA in Visual Arts offers various funding options to help you manage tuition and associated costs:
Lower Tuition Rates for CFA Students: The program benefits from reduced tuition rates compared to standard BU tuition, as part of the university’s support for the College of Fine Arts.
Scholarships and Financial Aid: Merit-based scholarships are available to MFA students. Additional financial aid options may include federal student aid and other resources tailored to graduate students.
Work Opportunities: Students can explore paid opportunities through BU’s resources, such as internships for credit or collaboration on faculty-led projects. Teaching assistantships are available for numerous undergraduate courses, and Graduate Assistantships are also available in the BU Art Galleries and in numerous facilities in the School of Visual Arts during the first and second year.
What can you do with a MFA in Visual Narrative?
Become a visual storyteller: Work as a comic book artist, graphic novelist, illustrator, or storyboard artist.
Enter the publishing industry: Pursue careers in editing, art direction, or book design.
Explore entrepreneurial opportunities: Start your own business as a freelance illustrator, comic book creator, or graphic designer.
Work in various industries: Find jobs in gaming, animation, film, medical humanities, and digital media.
Prepare for a teaching career: Gain experience as a teaching assistant and pursue a career in higher education.
By the end of the program, you’ll emerge as a well-rounded visual narrative artist with a strong body of work and the ability to articulate your ideas effectively.
Love visual storytelling?
The Visual Narrative MFA is a 60-credit interdisciplinary program that exists within the space between narrative and imagery. In just 4 semesters, you’ll dive deep into the world of the visual narrative.
The First Year
Because visual narratives provide an approachable first-person perspective on social issues, you’ll spend your first year creating nonfiction narratives that align with your personal interests and artistic focus. Your work may explore topics such as social justice, history, gender studies, healthcare, psychology, or other areas that inspire you.
The Second Year
In your second year, you’ll dive deeper into your thesis project, working closely with faculty mentors to refine your concept and execution. You’ll have the opportunity to experiment with different visual storytelling techniques and to push the boundaries of your artistic practice. You’ll also participate in workshops and critiques, gaining valuable feedback from peers and professionals in the field. As you near graduation, you’ll prepare your final thesis project for exhibition and potential publication.
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Training Storytellers to Use Words and Pictures
Joel Christian Gill is a cartoonist and historian who speaks nationally on the importance of sharing stories. He is the author of the acclaimed memoir Fights: One Boy’s Triumph Over Violence, cited as one of the best graphic novels of 2020 by The New York Times and for which he was awarded the 2021 Cartoonist Studio Prize. He wrote the words and drew the pictures for Fast Enough: Bessie Stringfield’s First Ride and the award-winning graphic novel series Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History, as well as 3 volumes of Tales of The Talented Tenth, which tell the stories of Bass Reeves, Bessie Stringfield and Robert Smalls.
Gill is the Chair of the MFA in Visual Narrative at Boston University.
“I train people to be cartoonists. I’m training storytellers to use words and pictures. We’re all connected with visual language. The tools that I give students are akin to a compass. They will work, if they know how to think about what they’re going to do and how they’re going to tell their story. I want students who have a passion for wanting to tell stories—but don’t think that you have to be able to draw. [The program] can give you all those things. It can give you that expressive drawing.”
Joel Christian Gill
