Studies & Degrees in Art Studio
Art Studio Study Programs
Studio art is the practical study of making visual art. Where art history studies works that already exist, studio art students spend most of their time producing their own, in workshops and studios, under the guidance of practising artists. The usual disciplines are drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography and digital or video media. SUNY Cortland, for example, teaches in studios designed for sculpture, ceramics, painting, drawing, two-dimensional design, printmaking, weaving, surface design, graphic design and digital media.
A programme normally begins with foundation courses in drawing and design and with survey courses in art history. Students then choose an area of emphasis, take part in group critiques and build a portfolio. Professional degrees end with a public exhibition of the student's work.
Qualifications and levels
"Studio art" is mainly a North American name. In the United States it is taught at three levels, and the University of Colorado Boulder, which calls the subject Art Practices, is a clear example of each.
- Bachelor of Arts (BA). A liberal arts degree in which art is the major but not the whole programme. At CU Boulder the major requires 33 credit hours and no portfolio is needed to declare it.
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). A specialised degree with a greater number of art courses. At CU Boulder the major requires 57 credit hours, and students must pass a portfolio review to be admitted to it.
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA). The graduate studio degree. At CU Boulder it requires a minimum of 54 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and ends with a thesis exhibition and an oral defence.
Other countries teach the same content under different names. In Brazil, FAAP in São Paulo offers Artes Visuais as a four-year course of eight semesters, as a bacharelado or as a licenciatura (the teaching route). In Colombia, the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín lists Artes Plásticas as an eight-semester programme and a Licenciatura en Artes Plásticas, for future teachers, of ten semesters. In Spain the equivalent is a bachelor's degree (grado) in fine arts; Spanish bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 33 active schools for studio art. The United States has 29 of them, Colombia two, and Brazil and Mexico one each. The US schools range from large public research universities, such as The University of Texas at Austin, the University of Maryland, the University of Colorado Boulder and Florida State University, to smaller colleges such as Susquehanna University, Mars Hill University and Avila University. In Latin America the list includes the Universidad de Antioquia and FAAP.
Teaching is in English in the United States, in Spanish in Colombia and Mexico and in Portuguese in Brazil. When comparing schools, look at which media each department teaches, whether it offers the BA, the BFA or both, when the portfolio is reviewed (on admission or after the first two years) and what studio space and exhibition opportunities students have.
Careers
Graduates work as fine artists, illustrators and craft artists, and in galleries, museums, art education and design-related jobs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that most fine artists pursue postsecondary education to improve their skills and job prospects, and that education gives artists the opportunity to develop a portfolio, which is what gallery owners and clients look at.
The labour market is small. The BLS projects employment of craft and fine artists in the United States to decline 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,300 openings a year, all of them to replace people who leave the occupation. Self-employed workers were the largest group, at 58 percent. Those who want to teach art in public elementary or secondary schools in the United States usually need a teaching certificate as well as a bachelor's degree.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a BA and a BFA in studio art?
The BA is a liberal arts degree with fewer art credits; the BFA is a specialised degree with more studio courses. At CU Boulder the BA major has 33 credit hours and the BFA major 57.
Do I need a portfolio to be admitted?
It depends on the school and the degree. At CU Boulder no portfolio is required to declare the BA major, but students must pass a portfolio review to enter the BFA. Check the requirements of each school.
How long does a studio art degree take?
A US bachelor's degree is planned over four years. The Artes Visuais course at FAAP lasts four years and Artes Plásticas at the Universidad de Antioquia eight semesters. An MFA is a further graduate degree; at CU Boulder it requires at least 54 credit hours.
Can I become an art teacher with this degree?
Usually an extra qualification is needed. In the United States, public school art teachers usually need a teaching certificate in addition to a bachelor's degree, according to the BLS. In Colombia and Brazil the licenciatura is the degree designed for teaching.