Students

MCA has an overall student population of 320, of which approximately 14 are MFA candidates.  Historically, graduate students have represented 30 states and 17 foreign countries.  Our rigorous selective admissions process ensures a small student to teacher ratio and intimate classroom environment.

Location

1930 Poplar Avenue, Overton Park, Memphis, TN 38104

The college’s main building, Rust Hall, is located within Overton Park, a 342-acre wooded area in midtown Memphis adjacent to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art and the Memphis Zoo.  The Graduate Center, including studios, exhibition spaces, and computer labs, is located at the southeastern edge of Overton Park.  Our downtown gallery on the street is located in the historic South Main Arts District. With over 1.1 million residents in the greater metropolitan area, Memphis is home to a rich history of blues, literature, the Mississippi River and the National Civil Rights Museum.

Rust Hall, built by architects Harrover and Mann in the late 1950s, inspired Progressive Architecture magazine to recognize it with a distinction for design award.  Inspiration can be found nearby within the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the state's oldest and most distinguished art collection, and the Memphis Zoo, a recently renovated, animal-friendly wildlife sanctuary.  More practical features include two on-campus auditoriums where guest lecturers are regularly scheduled and a library equipped with slide viewers, computers, printers and audiovisual equipment.

Adjacent to the graduate center are MCA owned student residences providing housing for 100 students. Spacious and furnished, these apartments and efficiencies include fully equipped kitchens, bedrooms, and studio space.  Off-campus housing is available throughout the city.