The M.F.A. is generally regarded as the terminal academic degree in the Fine and Performing Arts. It is a degree concerned primarily with production rather than scholarship, although scholarly activities are an appropriate part of an M.F.A. curriculum.
The College Art Association's guidelines for M.F.A. standards state that "The M.F.A., unlike most master's degrees, is used as a guarantee of a high level of professional competence...," and this is a broadly accepted view of the role of the M.F.A.
The M.F.A. is considered by many to be a "teaching degree," as it is the degree required by colleges and universities for faculty in the arts, but few M.F.A. curricula offer substantial pedagogical training.
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