This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The MFA degree focuses on book arts as a hands-on practice, a creative medium, and a historical and cultural phenomenon. Its principal objectives are to provide aesthetic and scholarly contexts for the making of creative work and the study of book history, arts, and technologies. It also offers a structured program in book-related disciplines for graduate students interested in studio arts, librarianship, and literary and cultural history.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- have a breadth of hands-on and contextual (studio, art historical, cultural) experience with art, craft, and design disciplines within the book arts;
- deeply study one or more craft disciplines within the book arts;
- demonstrate sustained, project-based problem-solving accomplished through art-making;
- show proficiency in hand skills (scale: competence, proficiency, excellence/mastery);
- experience an interdisciplinary synthesis of studio art, scholarly practice, and material analysis;
- practice critical thinking within and across these book-based disciplines; and
- gain professional development experience and exposure to career tracks.
The Master of Fine Arts in book arts requires a minimum of 60 s.h. of graduate credit, including a thesis. Students complete core courses and work with a faculty advisor to design an individualized curriculum spanning several studio practice disciplines: artist bookwork, bookbinding, lettering arts, digital bookwork, papermaking, or letterpress printing. The degree culminates with the successful completion of a thesis. A Graduate College program grade-point average of 3.00 is required.
All courses must be taken on an A–F basis. A maximum of 12 s.h. of transfer coursework is permitted and requires program approval.
Courses should be selected in consultation with an advisor.
The MFA in book arts requires the following coursework.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 21 |
| Studio Practice Courses | 15 |
| Scholarly Inquiry and Material Analysis Courses | 6 |
| Additional Electives | 18 |
Core Requirements
With the permission of the advisor, students may be permitted to replace UICB:6520 Graduate Book Arts Workshop with a workshop taught outside of the Center for the Book.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| These courses: | ||
| UICB:6510 | Book Art Seminar: History, Practice, and Critique | 3 |
| UICB:6520 | Graduate Book Arts Workshop (taken three times for 3 s.h. each) | 9 |
| Three of these (9 s.h.): | ||
| UICB:4205/BKAT:4205 | Bookbinding I: Materials and Techniques | 3 |
| UICB:4300/ARTS:4300 | Letterpress I | 3 |
| UICB:4400/ARTS:4400 | History of Western Letterforms | 3 |
| UICB:4415/ARTS:4415 | Introduction to Classical Calligraphy | 3 |
| UICB:4420 | Introduction to Medieval Calligraphy | 3 |
| UICB:5110/BKAT:5110 | Papermaking I: East Asia, Nepal, and Contemporary Practice | 3 |
| UICB:5130/BKAT:5120 | Papermaking I: Central Asia, Europe, and Contemporary Practice | 3 |
Studio Practice Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 15 s.h. from these: | ||
| UICB:3280/BKAT:3280 | Elements of Book Art | 3 |
| UICB:3380/BKAT:3380 | Letterpress | 3 |
| UICB:4100/BKAT:4100 | Paperworks | 3 |
| UICB:4205/BKAT:4205 | Bookbinding I: Materials and Techniques | 3 |
| UICB:4210/BKAT:4210 | Boxes and Enclosures | 3 |
| UICB:4270/BKAT:4270 | Bookbinding II | 3 |
| UICB:4280/BKAT:4280 | Artists' Books | 3 |
| UICB:4290 | Historical Book Structures | 3 |
| UICB:4300/ARTS:4300 | Letterpress I | 3 |
| UICB:4370 | Topics in Letterpress | arr. |
| UICB:4380/ARTS:4380 | Letterpress II | 3 |
| UICB:4390/ARTS:4390 | Book and Publication Design | 3 |
| UICB:4400/ARTS:4400 | History of Western Letterforms | 3 |
| UICB:4405 | Introduction to Calligraphy Intensive | 3 |
| UICB:4415/ARTS:4415 | Introduction to Classical Calligraphy | 3 |
| UICB:4420 | Introduction to Medieval Calligraphy | 3 |
| UICB:4490/ARTS:4490 | Advanced Studies in Letter Arts | 3 |
| UICB:5110/BKAT:5110 | Papermaking I: East Asia, Nepal, and Contemporary Practice | 3 |
| UICB:5130/BKAT:5120 | Papermaking I: Central Asia, Europe, and Contemporary Practice | 3 |
| UICB:5140/BKAT:5140 | Papermaking II: Contemporary Papermaking | 3 |
| UICB:5170/BKAT:5170 | Papermaking III: The Papermakers | 3 |
| UICB:5180/BKAT:5180 | Advanced Projects in Paper | 1-3 |
| UICB:5210/BKAT:5210 | Bookbinding III | 3 |
| UICB:5220/SLIS:5535 | Book Conservation | 3 |
| UICB:5280 | Advanced Projects in Bookbinding | 3 |
| UICB:5330/ARTS:5330 | Letterpress III: Imagemaking | arr. |
| UICB:5340/ARTS:5340 | Letterpress III: The Handprinted Book | 3 |
| UICB:5380 | Advanced Projects in Letterpress | 3 |
| UICB:5520/SLIS:5520 | Studies in Book History and Technologies | 0-3 |
Scholarly Inquiry and Material Analysis Courses
Additional courses may apply to this area with departmental approval.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these for a total of 6 s.h.: | ||
| UICB:3140/ENGL:3140 | Literature and the Book | 3 |
| UICB:3142/ENGL:3142 | Topics in Book History | 3 |
| UICB:3401/ENGL:3401 | Literature and Book History | 3 |
| UICB:3980/ARTH:3980 | American Print Culture | 3 |
| UICB:4150/ENGL:4150/SLIS:4150 | Introduction to Book Studies | 3 |
| UICB:4910/HIST:4422/SLIS:4910 | The Book in the Middle Ages | 3 |
| UICB:4920/HIST:4429/SLIS:4920 | The Book in Early Modern Europe | 3 |
| UICB:4390/ARTS:4390 | Book and Publication Design | 3 |
| UICB:5600/SLIS:5600 | Reading Culture: History and Research in Print and Digital Media | 3 |
| UICB:5930 | Topics in Material Analysis | 3 |
| UICB:6100 | Book Studies Proseminar | 3 |
| UICB:6370/SLIS:6370 | Topics in Book Studies | 3 |
| UICB:6530/HIST:6130 | Book History Seminar | 3 |
| ARTH:3870 | History of Photography | 3 |
Additional Electives
Students complete 18 s.h. in additional electives from Center for the Book courses (prefix UICB) numbered 3000 or above, excluding UICB:3900. A maximum of 6 s.h. in UICB:6540 MFA Thesis Hours may be applied to this requirement.
With the permission of an advisor, students may be able to apply a maximum of 6 s.h. of coursework outside of the Center for the Book toward this requirement.
MFA/MA in Library and Information Science
The Center for the Book and the School of Library and Information Science offer a combined Master of Fine Arts in book arts/Master of Arts in library and information science. The combined degree program allows students with strong interests in the book arts, book history, and material book studies to also gain expertise in library and information science. The degrees provide book artists and librarians with credentials reflecting a depth of skills and knowledge that have been used to secure positions in special collections libraries and archives. Students in the combined program earn both degrees by completing fewer semester hours than if each degree was completed separately.
Separate application to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program. For more information, see the MA in library and information science in the catalog.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website. Visit Admissions on the Center for the Book website for more information.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Book Arts, MFA
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 60 s.h. of graduate level coursework must be completed; graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a | ||
| Graduate College program GPA of at least 3.00 is required. b | ||
| Work with academic advisor to determine appropriate graduate coursework and sequence. | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Any Semester | ||
| Core course c | 3 | |
| Core course c | 3 | |
| Core course c | 3 | |
| Studio Practice course d | 3 | |
| Studio Practice course d | 3 | |
| Studio Practice course d | 3 | |
| Scholarly Inquiry/Material Analysis course e | 3 | |
| Hours | 21 | |
| Fall | ||
| UICB:6510 | Book Art Seminar: History, Practice, and Critique | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Any Semester | ||
| Studio Practice course d | 3 | |
| Studio Practice course d | 3 | |
| Studio Practice course (if needed) d | 3 | |
| Scholarly Inquiry/Material Analysis course e | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fall | ||
| UICB:6520 | Graduate Book Arts Workshop f, g | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| Participate in third semester review, usually at the beginning of the fourth semester. Refer to UICB Student Handbook and academic advisor for more details. | ||
| UICB:6520 | Graduate Book Arts Workshop f, g | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Any Semester | ||
| Additional elective course h | 3 | |
| Additional elective course h | 3 | |
| Additional elective course h | 3 | |
| Additional elective course (if needed) h, i | 3 | |
| Additional elective course (if needed) h, i | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fall | ||
| UICB:6520 | Graduate Book Arts Workshop f, g | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| UICB:6540 | MFA Thesis Hours j | 0 - 6 |
| Exam: Master's Final Exam k | ||
| Hours | 0-6 | |
| Total Hours | 60-66 | |
- a
- Students must complete specific requirements in the University of Iowa Graduate College after program admission. Refer to the Graduate College website and the Manual of Rules and Regulations for more information.
- b
- Graduate College program GPA is comprised of all courses that are approved degree requirements. If a student takes more than the minimum required number of semester hours to complete the degree, but all courses taken are eligible to count toward the degree, those courses will be included in the Graduate College program GPA.
- c
- Choose three courses for a total of 9 s.h. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses.
- d
- Complete a total of 15 s.h. of studio practice courses. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses.
- e
- Choose two courses for a total of 6 s.h. See the General Catalog for list of approved courses.
- f
- Must be taken three times for a total of 9 s.h.
- g
- With the permission of the advisor, students may be permitted to replace UICB:6520 with a workshop taught outside of the Center for the Book.
- h
- Complete 18 s.h. of additional electives from Center for the Book courses (prefix UICB) numbered 3000 or above, excluding UICB:3900. A maximum of 6 s.h. in UICB:6540 may be applied to this requirement. With the permission of an advisor, students may be able to apply a maximum of 6 s.h. of coursework outside of the Center for the Book toward this requirement.
- i
- Hours may be required for this additional elective if fewer than 6 s.h. of thesis credits are completed.
- j
- Maximum of 6 s.h. of thesis credit allowed.
- k
- Thesis defense.