Applications for Fall 2025 will be accepted online starting in September, with a April 1st, 2025 admissions deadline.
Competitive tuition-based scholarships for 1st and 2nd-year students starting Fall 2025.
Possible part-time option for Fall 2025, please inquire about details.
[DIAP] MFA provides a community where students can work individually or collaboratively on creative projects in, or related to digital and interdisciplinary art.
The Digital & Interdisciplinary Art Practice [DIAP] MFA is a unique art program in which students engage with diverse cross-disciplinary and digital media practice such as interactive sculpture, movement, performance, dance and other movement based practices, video, non-narrative motion graphics, photography, online privacy, online/offline interventions, printing, spatial mapping, drawing, digital cultures, painting or digital fabrication and is supportive of different models of individual or collaborative work.
[DIAP] MFA students explore art making with a range of digital tools, but the focus is on the project, not the tool.
[DIAP] enables students to choose from the broadest range of digital tools (like video cameras, 3D printers, inkjet and laser printers, DSLR cameras, sound recording, GoPro’s, Drones, computing devices, laser cutter, projection devices, VR, motion capture, …). Projects are conceptually and thematically driven and students will research tools and processes to fit the project, not the reverse. Wherever appropriate to the project, we encourage integration of traditional media or processes and methodologies from dance, biology, comparative literature, computer science, robotics, math, psychology, architecture, or other areas of potential interdisciplinary connection and exploration.
[DIAP] MFA students will create projects in a range of Themed and Media Workshops as well as work on longer-term First Year and Thesis projects.
Themed Workshops are subject-focused and might include exploration of information architecture, performance, interactive sculpture, surveillance, socially-based gaming or motion graphics, and can utilize a variety of media.
Media Workshops have a specific medium-based topic, and consist of technical workshops, medium-related exercises, research, and independent and/or collaborative project development. They could include image or sound-based recordings, programming for artists, exploration of locative media, kinetics, or electronics for artists. Targeted media might include: digital video, animation, image processing, electronics/physical computing, web coding, database, or sound.
Past themed and media workshops: “Transforming Digital Spaces”, “Physical Computing using Arduino, Kinect, and Raspberry Pi”, “Writing for Digital Media”, “Performing for the screen”, “Programming for artists”, “Sousveillance”, “Objects and Non-objects”, “Artist in the Anthropocene: Ecological & Biological Practices in Contemporary Art”, “Projects in Video”, “Collection, Archive, Database”, “Database structures and an introduction to programming”.
What kind of applicants is [DIAP] looking for?
Self-motivated work, the ability to research complex technical issues independently, excellent written communication skills, and a commitment to pursuing highly original and critical perspectives related to digital media are crucial for admission to the program.
Cross-disciplinary interests are encouraged: applicants with undergraduate degrees in such diverse disciplines as architecture, biology, computer engineering, dance, geography, mathematics, theater, history, or other relevant areas of study who are interested in pursuing their research interests within the context of contemporary art are invited to apply.
[DIAP] MFA offers:
- An experimental curriculum that emphasizes creative research in art & technology using a broad range of digital and traditional tools
- The opportunity to work on individual and large-scale collaborative projects in a vibrant creative community
- Lectures, visiting artist studio visits, and extensive interaction with full-time and part-time faculty.
- A unique collaborative studio space with individual workspaces and access to shared installation spaces during the two-year residence
- CUNY’s modest graduate tuition
- City College’s excellent fulltime and part-time faculty of nationally and internationally recognized media artists, writers, and cultural producers.
- Competitive opportunities for practice teaching, internships, and college assistant ships within the Art Department
- Competitive tuition based scholarships
[DIAP] MFA Quick Facts:
- [DIAP] is a full-time program [2 year, 60 credit degree]. But we are reviewing requests for part-time on a case by case. Please get in touch with us if you consider a three year option.
- Admissions are for Fall semester only
- The admissions deadline is April 1st
- Admission is by portfolio review through the CCNY Graduate Admissions Online Application System
- Subscribe to our mailing list for events updates here
- Work by current and past DIAP graduate students has been included in major exhibitions at Museo el Barrio, Sao Paulo Biennial, Gwangju Biennial, Istanbul Biennial.
- Current and past DIAP graduate students have presented papers and research work at conferences in NYC, Portugal, China, Berlin and Mexico City.
- Current and past DIAP graduate students have received residencies at LMCC, Art Omi, the Watermill Center, Danspace Project, Vermont Studio Center, Wavehill, Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship (SARF) and many more
- Current and past DIAP graduate students have been awarded with a Guggenheim grant, a Harkness Promise Award, a MAP Fund Project Grant and many more.
This website provides an overview of the [DIAP] MFA program, facilities, and faculty. Please email diap@ccny.cuny.edu if you need additional information.