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Art Degrees ExplainedCollege Curriculum
|
|
Degree Earned |
Studio Arts classes |
Liberal Arts classes |
Type of College |
Years to complete |
|
BA |
1/3 |
2/3 |
Most Colleges & Universities |
4 year degree |
|
BFA |
2/3 |
1/3 |
Some Colleges & Universities All Art Schools |
4 year degree |
|
MA |
1/2 |
1/2 |
Most Colleges & Universities |
1 year degree (30 credits) |
|
MFA |
2/3 |
1/3 |
Some Colleges & Universities Some Art Schools |
2 year degree (60 credits) |
BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts
The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is an undergraduate degree for students who intend to enter a profession in the arts and design. This degree is not offered at all colleges and universities.
Serious art students will usually seek out independent colleges whose focus is on art and design where the BFA and MFA degrees are the only degrees offered. Colleges, which offer the BFA, attract highly qualified instructors and talented students who are committed to the intense study of the visual arts.
Two-thirds of the BFA course work focuses on creation and study of art or design. One-third of the degree requires general liberal arts study. The BFA is the preferred degree for any serious art student who is seeking a future in the arts profession.
Students enrolled in a BFA degree program usually will have a one or two year foundation program. The foundation classes are to be completed prior to focussed study in the student’s major. The foundation classes are intensive art studio courses which give the student a solid knowledge of drawing and composition, 2D and 3D design. Students have the opportunity to try new mediums such as clay, metal, charcoal and many times learn their talents extend into areas other than their future major.
For a complete list of Art and Design colleges in the United States, use this link to search by majors or location: at ArtSchool.com
BA: Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts degree in the visual arts has a two-thirds focus on liberal arts study and a one-third focus on the study of art and design. This degree is based on liberal arts study and does not have the same professional regard in the design industry as the BFA.
MFA : Master of Fine Arts
The MFA and MA degree differ in much the same way as the BFA and BA. Again the MFA is the standard graduate degree for students seeking a profession in the art and design field.
The Master of Fine Arts is a professional degree at the graduate level for serious art students. 65% to 85% of the study is focussed on studio art. The degree requires 60 credits of completed course work that takes two years to complete.
The MFA is the highest level of degree offered in the art and design field.
MA: Master of Arts
The Master of Arts degree is a graduate level degree requiring 30 credits of completed course work. 50% of the MA classes focus on art and design. The degree is obtained after one year of study.
Certificate in Design
With the constantly changing technology available in the art and design fields, many colleges and universities are now offering certificate programs in Graphic Design, Multimedia and Web Site design.
Currently there are no standards or ratings available for these certificate programs. A student receiving a certificate demonstrates a commitment to learning the newest techniques in their field.
However, the additional training received is only as good as the program attended. Some certificate programs are well known and stand in very high regard. Contact the school for additional information about the certificate to understand the scope of the training, the teachers’ credentials and actual number of credits required for certificate completion.