Fine Arts in the US

(Source: http://www.fulbright.co.uk/eas/studyus/subjects/art.html)

Are you interested in studying art or design in the US? This article provides an overview of undergraduate and postgraduate art degree programmes in the United States. It includes an explanation of the differences between an art school and an art department and between an art and a fine art degree.

 

Crayons.jpgTable of Contents

  1. Art School or Art Department?
  2. Undergraduate Art Degrees
  3. Postgraduate Art Degrees
  4. Additional Resources - for more information and how to find schools

 

Art School or Art Department?

In an art school, all the resources (faculty, facilities, student services and educational programmes) are designed to help students develop into professional artists.

Programmes offered by an art department within a university also focus on the needs of art students, but depending on the size of the art department, the number of specialisations may be fewer than those in an art school.

At the undergraduate level, university art department programmes allow students to explore interests in other subjects, such as languages, literature, business and sciences. A university can also offer social opportunities, such as chances to get involved in university clubs and to meet students with other interests.

At the master's level, all art programmes are demanding and focused on a particular area of art. Both art schools and university art departments will offer strong academic degree programmes. In making your decision between art school and art department, look for opportunities to exhibit your work, take part in internships, teach and enrol in professional practice courses.

Art degrees can be obtained in a variety of specific areas. The following list is not exhaustive and not all institutions will offer every major.

  • Art Education - This is for prospective art teachers or professors who will develop skills in a wide range of areas but will usually specialise in one area. Education courses will usually be required as well.
  • Art History - This is a study of the history of art from the various regions of the world.
  • Ceramics - This is the use of clay for sculpture and other projects
  • Commercial and Advertising arts - students learn how to connect the dots between art and business by using their artistic talents to create ads and other sales tools.
  • Digital Arts - These courses investigate theoretical, aesthetic and technical information and students can go into computer animation, imaging and interactive multimedia studies.
  • Drawing Fibres - Students use a variety of fibre and fabric techniques including loom weaving, crochet, silkscreen printing, felt making.
  • Glass - This teaches utilitarian glass formation and its use as an artistic medium
  • Graphic Design - This emphasises visual communication through logos, symbols, brochures and books with the use of computers, television, video and film among other resources.
  • Illustration - students learn techniques for drawing according to someone else’s specifications, such as those of an author. Topics covered include book illustration, fashion illustration, map illustration, rendering, exhibit preparation, and cartooning.
  • Jewellery and metalsmithing-Design jewellery and create other works of art from metals.
  • Painting - students learn the technical skills they need to create art using paint and related materials. Students work in oils, acrylics, and watercolors as they develop their own personal style.
  • Photography - classes often emphasises invention over documentary or journalistic intent.
  • Printmaking - Students learn imaging, photographic, and bookmaking processes.
  • Sculpture - This can include sculpting in bronze, aluminium, marble, granite, limestone, and other mediums.

The College Board has extensive information on the different specializations within the field of art.

 

Undergraduate Art Degrees

BA or BFA?

There are differences between the two main undergraduate degree programmes for art, the Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) and the Bachelor of Arts (BA).

The BFA programme is highly centred around art courses, with as much as 70% of coursework within the art field, and is designed to be a professional degree.

The BA programme offers a wider range of liberal arts courses with art as the field of specialisation, and entry is sometimes less competitive than the BFA programme.

A BFA degree is generally considered the qualifying degree for entrance into a postgraduate Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programme. However, students with a BA are not necessarily ineligible for an MFA; they are usually just required to take some prerequisite courses before beginning it.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for students interested in pursuing art as an undergraduate degree are usually similar to traditional undergraduate degree application requirements. For an overview of the general application procedure to US undergraduate degree programmes, please see our article on the Bachelor degree.

 

Postgraduate Art Degrees

MA or MFA?

There are differences between the two main master's degree programmes for art, the Master of Arts (MA) and the Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

The MFA degree is considered the terminal degree in art (the highest qualification possible), although it is possible to receive a PhD in Art History. An MFA programme generally takes two or three years to complete and certifies a certain level of technical proficiency and ability to make art.

The MA programme can be completed in as short as 18 months, and enables students to advance professionally through attainment of an advanced degree. An MA programme provides focused experience in one art medium, develops artistic growth through academic means and can often be followed by additional study leading to an MFA degree.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to graduate art schools and art departments are very much the same. You will be required to submit a portfolio of your work, recommendations from former art instructors, transcripts of past art courses and sometimes a General Record Exam (GRE) score. Art students whose native language is not English will also be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Admission is often based on the careful evaluation of art work done at the undergraduate level, so your portfolio and recommendations are the most important components of your application as these will give admissions officers a clear idea of your ability and experience. For an overview of the general application procedure to US postgraduate programs, please see this article.

Admission to an MFA programme usually requires a completed BFA as the qualifying first degree. Students with a BA degree are not ineligible for an MFA programme but may be required to take some prerequisite courses or complete an MA programme before being granted admission.

 

Additional Resources

Other On-Line Resources

Off-Line Resources

The Fulbright office's reference library contains several directories concerning art education in the US (listed below), advice on how to apply, and test preparation guides for reference use. You are welcome to consult these materials during our opening hours. Specific resources for art education available in the EAS library are as follows:

American Art Directory. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker.
Directory of MA and PhD Programs in Art, Art History and Related Areas. New York: College Art Association.
Directory of MFA Programs in the Visual Arts. New York: College Art Association.
Guide to Arts Administration Training and Research. Washington, DC: Association of Arts Administration Educators.
National Association of Schools of Art and Design Directory. Reston, VA: National Schools of Art and Design.
The Performing Arts Major's College Guide. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
Professional Degree Programs in the Visual and Performing Arts. Princeton, NJ: Peterson's.

 
 
U.S.- Norway Fulbright Foundation | Arbinsgate 2 | 0253 Oslo | Norway
Tlf: (+47) 22 01 40 10 | Fax: (+47) 22 01 40 18