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Fine/Studio Arts, General

Program Description

Just the Facts

Fine/Studio Arts, General. A program that prepares individuals to generally function as creative artists in the visual and plastic media. Includes instruction in the traditional fine arts media (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, CAD/CAM) and/or modern media (ceramics, textiles, intermedia, photography, digital images), theory of art, color theory, composition and perspective, anatomy, the techniques and procedures for maintaining equipment and managing a studio, and art portfolio marketing.

This program is available in these options:

  • Certificate / Diploma
  • Associate degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Graduate Certificate
  • Master's degree
  • Doctoral degree

High School Courses

See the high school courses recommended for programs in this career cluster:

See the high school courses recommended for programs in this pathway:


Related Careers

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Additional Information

When some people hear "art major" they think of art history classes and hands-on studio courses in painting or sculpture. But today's art majors learn an even greater variety of skills and have dozens of exciting career opportunities.

Commercial artists, photographers, furniture designers and web designers often have art backgrounds, as do many film, video and animation producers, and video-game designers.

Students can earn a diploma at a community college (two years) where they learn the fundamentals of fine arts. Or, they can earn a bachelor's degree in fine arts (often four years), gaining a more in-depth education and more exposure to different art forms. Many universities even offer graduate degrees in fine arts.

"An art degree combines technical skill with cultural studies and criticism," says Charlotte Becket. She's an assistant professor and associate chair in the fine arts department at Pace University in New York City. "Students with art degrees understand how visual language is employed and operates in our culture. This prepares them for an enormous range of jobs and positions in a variety of industries."

Practical application of the arts is a strong focus at top art and design schools. Students learn how to turn their talents and skills into successful careers. Studio courses are still crucial, but art degrees today are about more than making art.

"In the school of fine arts, students address the proper way to approach a gallery, develop a business plan, run a print shop and hone their skills in museum and gallery studies," says Richard Gere. He's the print-making department chair at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia.

"This leads to diverse employment opportunities, including studio artist, screen or master printer, community arts administrator, frame shop owner, museum staff, photo editor, archivist or conservator, curator, preparatory, art director, business owner, gallerist, museum administrator and educator."

Some students arrive at their college or university knowing the medium they want to work in. Others haven't yet decided.

"Students take intro courses in 2-D, 3-D and digital video and graphics, and then focus in an area they choose," Becket says. "The intro courses provide students with a broad introduction to the methods and history of the medium, and give them a basic skill set to build on."

Earning a major with multiple minors, or earning a double major can increase students' knowledge and skills, as well as their career options.

Internships are also important for art students. Carla Aponte is an art student at Pace University. She has done two internships. "The experiences I've had and [what] I've learned couldn't be taught in a classroom," she says.

"I learned to trust my instincts and how to translate what I had learned in the classroom into a professional setting. I also learned what I didn't want to do in my field."

Pace offers internships with some of New York's top publishers, galleries and designers.

"Through extensive networking and faculty interaction with major museums, galleries and design firms, SCAD students enjoy an ever-growing pool of businesses to intern with," Gere says. "Many successful internships lead to full-time employment."

Some schools require students to submit a portfolio for review prior to being accepted. A portfolio contains examples of artists' work, which can be shown to potential employers, agents or galleries.

"SCAD recognizes that talented students can come from very humble backgrounds, and by and large do not have equal access to arts education in high school," Gere says. However, students are encouraged to present portfolios for possible scholarships.

That's what Jose Pimienta did. Pimienta is an art student at SCAD. "After I applied to SCAD, I also wanted to apply for a scholarship," he says. "Since my only training consisted of a few drawing courses in high school, I had my portfolio reviewed by a few professional artists before submitting."

There are more career possibilities for art majors than most first-year students realize. That's why schools encourage art majors to explore many disciplines and intern at different places.


Links

College Art Association
Learn more about art careers, grants, internships, residencies and other opportunities

Vocational Information Center
Peruse the center's visual arts career guide

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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