25 Best Bachelor’s in Art and Design

Join the diverse and vibrant community of Florida Gators and be among the “unstoppable force for the gator good!” Among a handful of art degrees, UF offers a Bachelor of Arts that focuses on a comprehensive study of studio art and works well as a double major or with accompanying minors such as art history, digital arts and sciences, or jazz studies.

The BA entails 120 credit hours and includes critical tracking courses like Principles of Art History 1 and 2,  Perceptual Drawing, and Making and Meaning. You will also complete ten credits of foreign language and show proficiency through a placement test. As mentioned, this program is for students who want to gain a background in art along with another major or minor.

Many graduates will pursue professional programs in both art and non-art areas such as law, healthcare, business, etc. UF evaluates potential students on a holistic scale and reviews personal essays, academic awards, family background, extracurricular activities, and other life experiences. If you see yourself as a future Gator, check out the details for applying here.

Arizona State University is known as the nation’s most innovative school (U.S. News & World Report). Here you will find Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and more than 20,000 “thinkers, innovators, and master learners” who graduate each year (ASU “About”). Among 18 degree programs from ASU Herberger Institute School of Arts, you will find a BA in the arts with loads of possibilities.  

The BA in the arts is an interdisciplinary program for students who wish to study art from a theoretical, historical, and cultural perspective while focusing on either arts administration, entertainment design, or a customized track. This 120-credit hour program provides the knowledge and skillset to pursue multiple career paths such as:

• Art administrators
• Art critics
• Entertainment designers
• Media art authors and publishers
• Museum curators and directors
• Public arts specialists

Some students use this program as a path to pursue a master’s in arts, and if this is your goal, ASU offers accelerated bachelor’s + master’s programs in just five years. ASU offers a plethora of scholarship and financial aid options and reports that over 70% of students receive financial aid. Check out the application process details here.

Georgia Tech is a proud top 10 public research university representing all 50 states and 149 countries among its 40,000 students. If you’re interested in industrial design, check out Georgia Tech’s notable College of Design, which offers a myriad of programs combining technology and creativity, like the Bachelor of Science in industrial design.

Different from other approaches to industrial design, Georgia Tech sees this discipline as an “art that operates the intersection of design, technology, and business.” This 130-credit hour course of study includes core classes such as Industrial Design Fundamentals 1 and 2 and major requirements like Digital Design Methods, 3D Modeling, and Human Factors in Design.

You have the option of completing this program through the international plan, where you spend two semesters at an industrial design program in another country! Thinking about becoming an industrial design student at Georgia Tech? Check out a virtual tour here. Georgia Tech’s programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

More than 300,000 alumni from the University of Cincinnati are proud Bearcats, and perhaps you will also join this top tier research university and call UC home. UC’s Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a comprehensive program that teaches strong technical and critical thinking skills through visual studies courses in survey and seminar formats.

While this program is 120 credit hours, it will take five years to complete, which is a year longer than the average bachelor’s program. However, your five years will be packed full of courses in any type of art you can imagine and hands-on studio courses like Ceramics, Electronic Art, and Printmaking.

Graduates pursue careers such as photographers, ceramists, model builders, and video animators. Some use the BFA as a pathway for further education to become college instructors, art restorers, art administrators, and more. The opportunities are vast. UC seeks talented students from diverse backgrounds, and admission is based on test scores, class rank, and GPA.

NC State’s 36,000+ students “learn by doing,” which is why you will find alumni changing the world, all over the world! Through NC State’s College of Design, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts in design studies, a non-studio interdisciplinary program that encompasses thinking, research, process and methods, and writing and criticism. You can choose an optional concentration in business administration or non-profit studies.

Design studies students gain a strong background in design studies while applying their studies to other subjects like business, education, or social and cultural initiatives. Along with core classes such as Design Culture and Context and Contemporary Issues, you will take courses that match your interests, such as Graphic Design, Digital Imaging, American Art History, and so many more.

Along with courses, you will complete a capstone paper and an internship to apply your knowledge and skills in a professional context. There is no limit to what you can do with this degree. Current graduates are working in the art and design industry as educators, researchers, writers, managers, historians, and more.

Among the top 20 public universities (U.S. News), UT Austin boasts an alumni base of more than 482,000 Longhorns, including Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey! As you can imagine, UT Austin offers a ton of degree programs across its 13 colleges and schools, one particular one being the Bachelor of Arts from one of the largest art and history departments in the nation.

Here, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts in studio art, art history, or design. All tracks are 120 semester hours and include core classes in writing, global cultures, cultural diversity, ethics, quantitative reasoning, and foreign language. Between major requirements and electives, you will focus on your specific field of study along with adding some others that pique your interest.

One thing is for sure at UT Texas: you will feel a part of a strong community of creatives through your courses, programs and research centers, or study abroad opportunities. Oh, and did we mention the small student-to-faculty ratio? Yeah, it’s only 10:1, so you will receive the instruction and personal attention you need to be successful.

A highly ranked research university in the mountains of Northern Virginia, Virginia Tech includes nine colleges, a graduate school, 110 undergraduate majors, and 170 master’s and doctoral programs. You can earn a BFA in graphic and visual communication design, which will prepare you for a dynamic career in graphic design, possibly working for Google, Amazon, or NASA!

This program includes a great deal of “individual creativity, teamwork skills, and adaptability” while focusing on courses and projects in print, product and packaging, web and interaction, along with other fields. You will take a series of courses in Typography and Design, as well as courses like Web Design, Mobile Design, Hand-Lettering, and Motion Graphics.

Current VT graduates are working in web and interaction design, advertising, product and packaging design, and other fields for notable companies such as Amazon, the Brooklyn Art Museum, NASA, Google, ESPN, USA Today, and more. To meet requirements for acceptance into this program, you must complete the School of Visual Arts Foundation Program and pass a portfolio review.

Auburn University boasts many rankings among the best public universities, the best values in public colleges, but here’s a fun one from Princeton Review: #1 in the nation for “Colleges with the Happiest Students!” (Auburn “About”) Auburn’s BA curriculum in art includes a focus on art history or studio art. You can also choose a minor in either, so if you’re stuck between the two, choose both!

The BA in art with an art history focus provides an in-depth exploration of the global history of art from ancient times to today. You will have internship opportunities and study abroad with this one! This program prepares students for careers in museums, galleries, cultural institutions, as well as other fields such as education or business.

The BA in studio art is for students who aim to focus on the hands-on aspects of art-making, like ceramics, drawing, photography, sculpture, and printmaking. As a studio art major, you will take courses like 3-D Design for Studio Art, Sculpture as Space, and Hand-Built-Ceramics. If you’re interested in joining the Auburn family, check out the admission requirements here.

A New York City premier public institution, Fashion Institute of Technology has so much to offer for those interested in design, fashion, art, communications, or business. FIT offers very specific undergraduate programs, such as footwear and accessories and fabric styling, but we are focusing on the BFA in animation, interactive media & game design.

Known as one of the nation’s most comprehensive bachelor’s in animation, interactive media, and game design, this program features a solid background in 3D modeling and animation through courses in “real-world production environment, including scripting, storyboarding, modeling, rigging, animation, lighting, camera, compositing, sound editing, music, and effects” (FIT program page).

As a student at FIT, you will be immersed in the perfect place for 3D animated content, motion graphics, and visual effects training: New York City! You will learn from industry experts and alongside a supportive community of other media and game design enthusiasts. To apply for this major, you need to already have an associate, bachelor’s degree, or 60 credits toward a bachelor’s degree.

One of the nation’s 15 largest private universities, Drexel is a global research institution with far-reaching influence. Westphal College of Media Arts and Design provides dynamic programs to empower students to succeed. Among many design-related undergraduate programs, you will find a Bachelor of Science in design and merchandising, a highly ranked program in both Fashion Schools and Business of Fashion.

Drexel divides up its D&M program into four parts, each part of your student journey: engagement, multidisciplinary, experiential, and synthesis. During your third year, the experiential part, you will complete a six-month co-op, where you work full-time in a design and marketing headquarters. The courses you take in this program are hands-on, so you will be learning in recording studios and design labs alongside a diverse community of faculty and peers.

Graduates are prepared to jump right into employment in all sorts of design and merchandising fields. Examples are retail operations, marketing, product development, and entrepreneurship. You can see current Drexel D&M alumni and what they are doing today here. Check out the undergraduate virtual experience to see if Drexel is for you.

Founded in 1873, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design claims its original mission of providing an “inclusive, academically excellent, rigorous curriculum” to future art and design professionals. Among the many BFA programs that MassArt offers is a BFA in art education. This program emphasizes justice and equity and social activism and includes two areas of study: studio breadth and studio specialization.

Liberal arts courses take up one-third of this program, and then you get into your specific major. The studio breadth specialization offers a comprehensive program in studio work as a pathway to state licensure to teach visual arts. The studio specialization also leads to state teaching licensure, but you will focus on a specific studio area.

A large part of this program is hands-on experience through internships in schools, community centers, galleries, or museums. The state licensure requires a minimum of 150 hours of student teaching, but MassArt believes that 150 hours is not enough, which is why they require 300+ hours! You will be fully prepared to jump right into an art education career. Check out MassArt’s interactive art gallery here!

Artist, film director, and producer Andy Warhol is known as one of the most influential artists of the 21^st century and graduated from the notable Carnegie Mellon University. Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design is one of the oldest and well-respected in the country. Among the programs, you will find a Bachelor of Design (BDes) with a curriculum that highlights “the importance of designing for interactions between people, the built world, and the natural world.”

The BDes provides a holistic framework with three specific tracks: products (industrial design), communications (graphic design), and environments (physical and digital design). As a student, you can customize your course of study to match your design interests. While your first year will consist of general education courses and design basics, you will dive into your chosen tracks during your second year.

During your final year, you will research, design, and present a capstone project that focuses on design areas for service and social innovation. Other perks of being a student at Carnegie Mellon are career events, like Confluence, which hosts more than 70 top companies and can open up the doors for internships as well as study abroad opportunities.

Another excellent BFA comes from Syracuse University, a dynamic community of “innovators, thinkers and creative solution finders” (Syracuse “About). You can choose from over 200 customizable majors and 100 minors, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts in arts education. This major is for students who wish to earn certification as art teachers in Pre-K-12 public and private schools.

Through 130 credits of art education, art history, and studio art courses, along with community-based fieldwork, you will gain a strong background in how to teach art to a wide range of learners. Specific courses include The Creative Classroom: Reexamining School Art Misconceptions Through Studio Inquiry, Literacy Across the Curriculum, and Visiting Artist Lecture Series.

During your junior year, you will teach art lessons to children (ages 5-15) in weekly workshops, so you will be prepared for your student teaching the following year. You also have the opportunity to join the Student Art Education at Syracuse University (SAEASU), which is affiliated with the National Art Education Association, which will help you learn and network with others.

Founded in 1887, Pratt Institute is a globally recognized college, dedicated to preparing students for successful art and design careers. Currently, there are 62,000 alumni worldwide, all “advancing the creative economy through their remarkable work.” If you want to teach art, check out Pratt’s BFA in art and design education, a 126-credit program with lots of opportunities.

Pratt’s program website states that you can pursue either a NY State Certification in visual arts (pre-K-12), or immersion in community art and design education. Both of these courses of study include 18 credit hours in core art or design discipline, a teaching experience, community engagement, and a capstone project.

The community engagement portion of this program is Saturday Art School for Brooklyn’s neighborhood kids that has been in place for over a century! Pratt also offers two minors: one in Teaching Art and Design in NYC and one in Museum and Gallery Practices. If you see yourself at Pratt, review the undergraduate admissions guidelines here and start making plans!

“Bringing creative visions to life” is what Ringling College of Art and Design is all about. But it’s more than that because there is an increasing demand for design and creativity in the business world. That’s why Ringling offers a Bachelor of Arts in business art and design—the degree for when “creativity meets business management.” 

As a business of art and design student at Ringling, you will gain a strong business background in art and design through courses such as Design Thinking for Business, Project Management, and Design and Typography. You will also take on real client projects through the “Collaboratory Commitment” and collaborate with your team to assess, design, and create solutions.

Overall, this program is 120 hours and should take four years (Check out the color-coded course of study chart here). The critical thinking and creative expression skills you gain from this program are invaluable and will help you land your dream job in this dynamic field. Graduates from the business and art design program work for companies such as DreamWorks, Panasonic, Pixar, and more.

A global leader in art and design, ArtCenter is a private, nonprofit school founded in 1930. As a student, you will be a part of 2,335 students representing 40+ countries! At ArtCenter, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts and focus on a comprehensive education or painting and illustration. In addition, you can earn a Designmatters minor in social innovation.

ArtCenter fosters a “healthy fearlessness” into its program, so be ready for experimentation and risk here. You will enjoy small classes (8:1 student/faculty ratio!), talented and devoted faculty, and of course, hands-on opportunities to explore drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and more. Check out ArtCenter’s online student gallery here.

Graduates showcase their work in prestigious institutions across the world, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo. If you’re interested in Art Center, You will submit a portfolio that represents your talent and skills in the major you will choose and a video or audio essay. Check out the additional admission requirements here.

Founded in 1919, The New School is a unique university in the City That Never Sleeps, and when you see all that this school has to offer, you will agree that it is perfectly located! This is a vibrant place where artists, designers, and scholars come together as one and create. While The New School offers many dynamic programs, an especially exciting one is the BFA in art, media and technology through the Parsons Paris campus.

This BFA is unique in that it is one of the few degree programs that encompasses a comprehensive study of where and how art, media, and technology intersect. You study storytelling, creative expression, artistic communication, ideation, and prototyping, all through a social and political context lens. During your third year, you may spend a semester at another Parson’s campus or at an international partner institution!

Notable courses include Dynamic Drawing and Letterforms, Intro to Visual Culture, Space/Materiality, and many studios and seminars. In addition, you will have access to exhibitions and performances at Paris venues like the Palais de Tokyo and the Gaité Lyrique. Check out The New School’s blog to get an idea if this program is right for you.

Established in 1877, Rhode Island School of Design is one of the nation’s oldest fine arts and design schools. Being a premier design school, you can imagine that RISD (pronounced “RIZ-dee” has loads of options, and you are correct. RISD’s BFA degree includes 15 majors from apparel design to textiles, but if you just can’t decide on one, no worries because you can also customize your degree to an interdisciplinary concentration.

As a first-year student, you will take studio courses in Experimental and Foundation Studies and then you will dive into your specific fine arts or design discipline while also taking liberal arts courses along the way. All tracks include a degree project that showcases your strengths, experiences, and interests.

In addition, you will be a part of an inspiring community, united by creativity and strong work ethic. To apply, you can use the Common Application and submit your academic transcripts, college essay, portfolio (requirements vary depending on the major sought), recommendation letters, and optional SAT/ACT scores.  Check out additional details on applying to RISD here.

What is so special about the College for Creative Studies? Well, for starters, it’s in Detroit, the only city in the U.S. designated as a United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Education (UNESCO) City of Design! Founded in 1906, CCS is a private, accredited college that offers both bachelor’s and master’s programs, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

The best part about CCS’s BFA program is you can customize it to match your interests and future goals. You will start with conceptual classes on materials, content, history, theory, and process, and then you get to choose among classes in painting, sculpture, print media, video/digital media, and performance, totaling 127 credit hours.

You are fully equipped with the best resources in the nation like the latest 3-D modeling and printing, a digital print studio, and more. As a junior and senior, you have 24-hour access to “semi-private studios,” so you can work around the clock! Check out these impressive alumni portfolios and get inspired! Yours may be displayed if you choose CCS.

If you’re looking for a small yet prestigious college, check out Laguna College of Art and Design. This private school boasts national awards in best BFA and MFA programs from Princeton Review, and we should also mention that Nike chose LCAD’s design + media program as one of the top three in the world!

LCAD’s BFA in graphic design + digital media utilizes a multidisciplinary approach that trains you to develop creative solutions between print, web, motion, and video. You can choose an emphasis in either illustration or action sports design, depending on your interests. The program entails 122 credit hours and provides you with the training to be “industry ready” upon graduation.

Graduates have no problem finding employment for the world’s leading companies such as Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Fox Entertainment, Lexus, Pixar, and many more. In fact, LCAD graphic design + media graduates achieve a 98% employment rate. We aren’t going to sugar coat it: LCAD is competitive, and to apply, you need at least a 2.5 GPA and a strong portfolio. Interested? Check out the details here.

Born in 1918, Otis College of Art and Design is a non-profit academic institution with a mission “to educate a diverse community of students to become highly skilled, well-informed, and responsible professionals–empowering them to shape the world” (Otis “About”). You can earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts here at Otis, and join a tight-knit, supportive community of creatives all working towards a common goal: shaping the world with their talents.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts includes three concentration options: painting, photography, or sculpture/new genres, and each concentration includes a further emphasis in drawing, editorial/fashion photography, or film/video. Otis College’s BFA programs are small and mentor-based, so you will be gaining one-on-one support no matter what areas you choose to study.

While this program is rigorous, it is also flexible and can be tailored to your interests and goals. Graduates pursue a plethora of art careers, including studio artists, designers, performers, gallerists, business owners, and more. Not to mention, alumni are currently working for companies such as Apple, Pixar, DreamWorks, Nike, and Disney!

Open since 1886, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit school that is a preeminent art and design school known all over the world. The small student body of 800 is super diverse, representing 45 states and 15 countries! MCAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts features 14 majors, from animation to web and multimedia environments.

One of the best parts of this BFA degree program is the options. You can choose one of the following majors:

• Animation
• Comic art
• Drawing and painting
• Entrepreneurial studies
• Filmmaking
• Fine arts studio
• Furniture design
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Photography
• Print paper book
• Product design
• Sculpture
• Web and multimedia environments

Your first year focuses on the MCAD community; you will take foundation classes, participate in student activities, and explore your interests. The second year will focus on your specific major, and your third and fourth years will focus on gaining hands-on experience through internships, studying abroad, and building your portfolio while networking with the professional world. Check out how to apply to MCAD here.

Check out the California College of the Arts, one of the best art and design schools in the nation. This private, nonprofit college is known for its top-notch academic programs and commitment to social responsibility. Currently, CCA offers 22 undergraduate programs, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts in industrial design, which emphasizes “design thinking and the craft of making.”

As a CCA industrial design student, you will gain inspiration from art and critical theory, along with studio courses such as Advanced Design Drawing, Model Making, and User-Centric Design. In addition, you will complete an internship for a Bay Area or other designer company. Past graduates have completed internships at Frog Design, Health Ceramics, The North Face, Pixar, and other notable businesses.

Graduates are armed with a “robust skill set that empowers them to become specialists in everything they take on” (CCA program page). Current alumni have opened their own design studios or work for notable companies as industrial or product designer/engineers. To apply to CCA, submit an online application, which includes transcripts, a personal essay, a recommendation letter, and of course, a portfolio.

Founded in 1826, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA pronounced “my-ka”), is the oldest independent college of art and design in the United States. Currently, 3,500 students from 49 states and 52 countries call MICA home. If you want to teach art and design, you can earn a BFA/MAT in art education in only five years.

This program is perfect for motivated students who want to teach Pre-K-12 grades and also earn a master’s in the process. The BFA/MAT in art education includes courses in art history/criticism, teaching art, and two internships prior to a full-time student teaching position. Along with art education coursework, you will complete a graduate-level thesis exhibition during your final year.

All students take the Praxis exams as part of this program, and passing scores are required to graduate. Some BFA/MAT graduates begin teaching in classrooms both nationally and internationally, others take on educational leadership positions, and others pursue doctoral studies. If you’re interested in MICA, check out the admissions details here.

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For over 70 years, the School of Visual Arts has graduated over 38,000 students, which include Academy-Award and Emmy-Award winners and MacArthur Fellows.  “Designers are strategists, communicators, makers and entrepreneurs. We make cool stuff, and we make stuff cool. It’s a great time to join such a multifaceted profession,” says BFA Design chair, Gail Anderson.

The BFA in design is a multidisciplinary program that includes four majors: graphic design, motion graphics, interaction design, and 3D design. However, as a student, you won’t fall into a “cookie-cutter” major. You can further refine your program by adding focuses such as package design, editorial design, CD packaging, website design, and more. The BFA program includes courses in studio art, humanities, sciences, art history, and electives, totaling 120 credit hours.

As a student, you will participate in workshops, exhibitions, competitions, professional networking, internships, and so much more. The award-winning faculty and innovative programs make SVA a top choice for many creatives. Plus, New York City is a fabulous place to study art and design!