Masters Degree in Arts, Glassblowing

I have some time before I have to make any decisions. I also don't have a lot of money to go to school someplace far away. I was going to go to University of Oregon but I did not have the money to go there. So I had to stay at a State Universtiy of New York school. Right now I am going to get a lot of financial aid to go to school full time for a year. It would be my last year of school. Then I am thinking about staying at the same college for a MA in Liberal Studies. It takes a lot of work to apply to a masters degree program so I will have to see. Writing is not my major, fine art is. I think I could use another 2 years to work on my drawing and painting with my mentor though.
I presently go to SUNY Empire State college. I am in a program for adult students. Since I am older than most student I enjoy it. I am almost the same age as my professor (mentor).

I am also an under grad and am about to graduate. I also focus solely on torch work and not hotshop glass. So we seem to be in the same boat.

My plan now is to apply for a paid internship with the Pittsburgh Glass Center. It wont be a graduate program, but it will be a huge learning experience and it will look great on a resume for grad school in the future should I find a good university that actually offers torch work concentrations.

There are a lot of glass blowing community centers in the country and they almost all have similar positions available, so maybe look into that?

sorry, also Salem CC has an unbelievable 2 year under grad program where you can choose to focus in scientific or artistic torch work, but you take both to earn the degree. I have been blowing glass for 5 years and I was still considering doing that just becuase I would learn so many techinical skills and they have a great team of educators. plus networking and exposure.

I have been making my living blowing glass for 15 years now. I am not going to stop anytime soon.
I already have an associates degree in fine art. I had a paid internship with my associates degree at a hotshop. It was cool until I taught myself how to make pipes. Then I just started lampworking all the time. The money used to be better if you made pipes back then. So that is what I did.
I had about 6 months glassblowing experience before this. I had the oldest friend of my families teach me how to gather out his furnace and marver and make some simple bottles and tumblers.

sounds like a waste of time and money to me honestly. I would either just try to perfect my technique on my own or find a master glassblower you can apprentice under.

I think I can get credit for taking workshops at my college? I will have to check that one out.
Getting an education is never a waist of time. Think education is expensive try ignorance.
I don't actually have to pay anything anymore. I got full financial aid plus a little bit for personal expenses also. So I don't believe that money should be the issue.

Wouldn't you be better off just getting your masters in business? Seems like most colleges are focused more towards furnace work & the schools that do support flameworking are more geared towards the scientific aspect of glassblowing IMO. Your right, furthering your education is never a waste of time, but if not chosen wisely, it can be a waste of money.

You might have to define waist of money here with school... I have been an art student since high school. So I don't think I could get my MBA or something like that.
I am just going to say what the f*#% and go for it in the arts. This is not supposed to be vocational training here. It is all about art.

It sounds like you like the school your at, But, considering you location. Have you thought about transferring to RIT to finish up your undergraduate degree?

Do you mean the rochester institute for technology's scientific glassblowing program?
I have like 130 credits right now. I can only tranfer 65 or so if I go to another school. I am about to graduate anyways. I have to take one course that is a requirement. It is a course that I have to write 3 essays that are going to be review by the SUNY board to see if I am aproved for a graduation degree plan. Then I get to graduate. It takes some time though and I am going to take a few courses wile it is the aproval process. I am planning on doing the walk next spring. I am going to do graduation for my parents.

I am almost done with my degree and I am still thinking about graduate school. I think that the only thing I can do with degrees in drawing is teach foundation drawing in a college or something like that? If I made it to foundation drawing instructor I could try to start a torchworking program. Drawing is a really important subject in college.
I just draw objects and people from life and photographs. I don't do much from my imagination or anything about fantacy.

I was just approved for graduation this spring. I only have to hand in 2 more paintings and I am done with my bachelors degree.
Since my house is going to be sold in a year I am not going to be staying long enough to get my masters degree. Which is writing intensive and I am not sure I should stay for another degree. I might just blow glass and do my own paintings and move to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
I might take non credit classes at a cooking school close by for a year? But there expensive and there is no financial aid for non credit classes. So I will see about doing that. I can't get into the school because you have to be working at a resteraunt to begin with. But I can learn to cook some awesome food at home for my family.....

I got my invitation to graduation this spring.
I also finished writing my essays and resume' for the application to SUNY Empire State graduate program. I am applying for a Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies. It is online with residencies. Each class has a weekend residency and I am going to try to do mine at the metropolitan center. Which is located in New York city.
I hope I get accepted and I like the program. Check it out if you want at www.ESC.edu .

congrats bud!! i'm very happy for you!

Right on man, congratulations!

I have been through enough to know I will probably need a second job. Something like college professor would be nice. It is a possibility even know I am not getting a MFA. Since I am probably going to be moving right after I finish to Colorado. I see there hiring out there at the local college where I am moving.

I don't know anything about your question, but just wanted to say good luck and consider taking coursework outside your main area of interest. It will round you out and expose you to different ideas, a good thing for an artist to do.

I am getting a Bachelors of Science with a concentration in drawing and painting. The difference between the BFA and the BS degree is that you have to take more academic classes to get your BS. The BFA focuses more time on just art.
Same thing with the MALS and the MFA. My college does not offer at BFA or MFA program either. I am going to have to do a lot of essay writing. Half the classes would be studio art classes. The other half are all essay writing classes. With an interdisciplinary theme too.

I just started my application to graduate school. I think I am going to use my art teacher and a gallery curator as a recommendation.
I have the first draft of the two essays and my resume' done. I am rewriting it now then I will hand it in.
M.A. in Liberal Studies at www.ESC.edu

I was just informed that there is no financial aid for masters students. So I am going to miss getting money every semester from the government to go to school.
This might impact my plan on going. My parents are going to retire in a couple of years and I am not sure they will help that much. Cost like $10,000 a year in tuition.
I was approved for $20,500 a year in student loans. But you have to pay them back and I already have some from being an undergraduate. So I am not sure. You can't go bankrupt on student loans. So you have to pay them back no matter what. I am not sure of the job I am looking at when I graduate. So it is unlikely that I will borrow money from school.