What is MVA: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Syllabus, Salary & Scope

The Full form of MVA is Master of Visual Arts which is a two-year postgraduate programme that focuses on advanced artistic skills, techniques and research in visual arts. It includes painting, sculpture, applied arts, printmaking, digital arts, and photography, etc.

The course includes both practical and theoretical subjects, such as portrait painting, mural design, aesthetics, and Indian contemporary art. After graduation, students can work as professional artists and participate in art shows and gallery exhibitions and earn upto INR 10 LPA or more depending on their skills and experience.

Studying an MVA provides advanced training in visual arts. The programme covers various disciplines like painting, sculpture, photography, and digital media. It combines theoretical and practical elements, fostering critical thinking and hands-on studio work. Specialization options allow a deeper focus on specific mediums or themes.

The MVA often concludes with a final thesis or exhibition, showcasing developed skills. The programme enhances understanding of contemporary art practices and theories. It serves as a pathway for aspiring artists, educators, and curators. Networking opportunities within the art community are a valuable aspect of the MVA. Overall, it equips individuals for a successful career in the visual arts. Check Art Courses After 12th.

To successfully complete the MVA course, the student must have the following skill set:

• The student must be creatively oriented
• Must be well versed in color theory and colors
• Posses good presentation skills
• Must be well-versed with basic IT skills considering online media is such an important part of the profession these days.
• Be an excellent communicator and have refined interpersonal skills
• An eye for detail
• Last but not the least, the candidate must have an aptitude for drawing.

Yes, You can pursue a Master of Visual Arts (MVA) degree after earning a Bachelor's degree in a suitable discipline, such as Fine Arts or Visual Arts. To accomplish this, you usually need to fulfil the prerequisites for admission to the particular MVA programme you are interested in, which may include turning in recommendation letters, academic transcripts, and a portfolio of your creative endeavours.

It's critical to do your homework, select a programme based on your interests, and be aware of application deadlines. After being accepted, your MVA studies will allow you to advance your creative abilities and understanding in a specific field of the visual arts. Check Bachelor of Arts (BA) Admission.

Hi Subodh,

The eligibility to pursue a course in visual art is pass in 10+2 from any stream with minimum 50% marks.

All the best

Hi Tina,

Various institutes across India and abroad provide online course in visual arts, listed below are some of them :

• Session college
• Academy of art university
• International institute of Fine arts
• International fine art academy

All the best

Yes, most programs require a portfolio to assess an applicant's creative ability, technical skill, and artistic style. The portfolio is often a crucial component of the application to apply in Master of Visual Arts Course.

Yes. The upper age limit for applying in Bachelor programmes is restricted to 20 years relaxable up to 3 years on proving genuine evidence of discontinuity in education profile. However for postgraduate programmes there is no age limit.

It is important that the candidate meets the eligibility criteria for the programme they are applying for admission. If the candidate fails to meet the criteria, he or she can be disqualfiied at any stage of the admission process.

Main subjects for visual arts depends the specialisation. The course may include subjects like Design and Layout, Photographic Seeing, Visual Culture, Visual Language, Art History, Typography, Sketch and Composition, Ideas and Stories etc. Main characteristics of Visual Arts are size, line, space, form, texture, shape, colour, tonal values, design, aesthetic organization, etc. in an object composition. 

Students may also explore graphic design, multimedia arts, or other modern forms of visual expression, depending on the programme. These courses are included in Visual Arts degrees to promote a multidisciplinary skill set and a sophisticated comprehension of the creative process, as well as a holistic approach to artistic development.

Hi Tina,

There are lot of subjects that one need to learn in a course for visual arts, mentioned below are some of them :

• Drawing from Nature/Object
• Print – Making
• 3 D Design
• Still Life (Rendering)
• Head Study (Rendering)
• Pictorial Composition
• Western Aesthetics
• Dissertation

All the best

There are various specializations one can pursue under MVA Coures also known as Master of Visual Arts which are as follows:

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Applied Arts
• Printmaking
• Photography & Digital Arts
• Ceramics & Pottery
• Textile Design

There are almost 130+ best Humanities colleges in India. Out of these,  77 are private whereas 46 are government owned and the remaining 11 are semi government owned. Some of the popular colleges are Hindu College, Miranda House, Hansaraj College, Gargi College, Ramjas College. Humanities, Social Studies, and Liberal Arts are some of the subjects covered in a Bachelor of Arts degree. Bachelor of Arts specialities include History, English, Philosophy, Economics, Political Science, Geography, and Sociology,  among others.

There are 35 colleges in India that provides Master of Visual Arts. Here is the list of some colleges:

Below table showing list of top government colleges with their annual fees:

Hi Tina,

The fees for the course in visual arts depends on the course you are pursuing i.e. whether its Bachelors,certificate, diploma or a post graduate course. The fees may range from INR 23,000 to INR 3.5 lakhs for the entire course.

All the best

Here are some of the job options for the student after completion of the MVA program:

• Visual arts teacher
• Studio Manager (Visual Arts)
• Visual Arts Instructor
• Art therapist
• 3-D Modeling
• Assistant Designer
• Assistant Art Director
• Fine Arts Professor
• Creative Designer
• Performing Arts Teacher
• Multimedia programmer

Candidates who complete the Master of Visual Arts courses are absorbed in a variety of sectors, some of the popular being listed here.

1. Animation industry
2. Sculpture industry
3. The entertainment industry, including television, films, and animation.
4. Advertising industry
5. Art Studios
6. Fashion Houses, etc. 

Based on your interests, creative preferences, and professional objectives, you can decide whether to pursue a career in fine arts or visual arts. A wider range of materials for inquiry, including painting, sculpture, and digital media, is provided by the visual arts, which also provide prospective professions in illustration, graphic design, and curation.

However, fine arts, which frequently concentrate on traditional forms, can lead to jobs in teaching, gallery exhibitions, or cultural institutions with a stronger intellectual and historical focus. Your decision should be in line with your artistic vision, enthusiasm, and preferred degree of structure or freedom in your creative endeavours. When choosing a career path that aligns with your values and objectives, take into account market demands, networking possibilities, and your schooling preferences.

Career in Visual Arts: A career in visual arts involve professionals, who need to produce stunning and creative results in campaigns, organizational or business presentations, publications and media and professionals in this field would work with design art, filmmaking, photography, animations, computer aided design, graphically designed works.

Visual artists include a broad field of action and these professionals carry out a number of assignments meant for attracting the attention of public and potential customers.

Government jobs after Masters in visual arts in India: When talking about government jobs in the field of visual arts, candidates can take up teaching as their profession, which will enable them to find job opportunities in higher secondary schools as art teachers. These professionals can also find job opportunities in government-run museums and art galleries. Recently, University of Kalyani invited applications from eligible candidates for the position of Assistant Professor in Visual Arts and likewise, many other universities running under the control of central and state governments call for eligible candidates with an appropriate qualification in visual arts. Not only colleges, government schools also offer job opportunities for professionals with appropriate qualification for the position of teachers in visual and other forms of arts. When taking up job in government-run museums, these professionals can find job opportunities in positions like gallery technician, art collection manager and art gallery manager since they have subject knowledge preference will be given to candidates with degree in visual arts rather than candidates with other qualifications in art galleries and museums working under the control of government.

A visual arts job requires education, skill development, networking, and perseverance to get started. Here are some actions you can do to get started:

1. Take formal schooling or art classes to acquire knowledge and abilities.
2. Create a portfolio with your best works of art in it.
   Look for ways to obtain experience through volunteer work, internships, and exhibitions. Make connections with other professionals, artists, and organisations in the art world.
3. Make use of social media and a website to advertise yourself online.
4. Proactively look for chances to share your work, work with others, or take on freelance assignments.
5.  When pursuing your artistic profession, remember to be tenacious, tough, and receptive to criticism.

Candidates can find below the difference between Fine Arts and Visual Arts in the table given below:

Drawing, painting, sculpture, printing, photography, digital media, and mixed media are just a few of the visual arts disciplines that are studied and practiced in an academic programme leading to a visual arts degree. These degree programmes usually encourage creative experimentation and discovery while offering students a thorough understanding of art history, theory, techniques, and concepts.

Degrees in the visual arts may be offered at many levels, such as:

·       Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): A four-year undergraduate degree programme called the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) offers a wide foundation in the visual arts, frequently emphasising studio practice and artistic development.

·       Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Visual Arts: The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Visual Arts is an alternative undergraduate degree programme that gives students the opportunity to study a wider range of academic subjects in addition to art by fusing studio practice with a liberal arts background.

·       Master of Fine Arts (MFA): The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a specialised postgraduate programme. The course is of two-year duration (usually divided into four semesters) and most of the colleges or universities offer the course with a specialisation. 

The Master of Visual Arts (MVA) programme offers a variety of specialisations, which students can select from depending on their interests and professional objectives. Here are some popular specialisations in MVA:

• Painting: Concentrate on conventional or modern painting methods and styles.
• Sculpture: Emphasis on three-dimensional art, encompassing both conventional and contemporary sculpting techniques.
• Photography: Expertise in taking, processing, and analysing still photos while experimenting with different camera techniques.
• Printmaking: Focus on printmaking methods such screen printing, lithography, and etc.hing.
• Art in Digital Media: Investigation of digital tools and technologies for multimedia installations, digital animation, and digital illustration as a means of artistic expression.

No, MVA is not mandatory but it provides technical expertise, industry exposure and better career opportunities in the visual arts field. If you think you have skills and a strong portfolio then you can easily be suscessful in this field. You can also pursue certificate Courses to become a professional artist.

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Yes, defintely MVA graduates can work abroad as artists, curators, illustrators and designers. Many countries like the USA, UK, Canada and Germany offer residency programs, art fellowships and teaching positions to the Master in Visual Arts Graduates. If you want to work abroad then you just need additional factors like relevant experience, portfolio showcasing your skills and potentially obtaining necessary work visas depending on the country you want to work in.