What Can I Do with an Art Degree?

When many of us think about art, our minds immediately conjure up images of a French man with a mustache that curls up on both ends wearing a black and white striped shirt and a beret. He’s got a paintbrush in one hand and a multi-colored palette in the other as he looks inquisitively at his work propped up on an easel in the middle of a large art studio. While creating in a studio is one facet of the arts, it’s certainly not the only one. If this is all that you think of — you’re missing the bigger picture. Today, we are out to answer the question that creatives have been asking for years: what can I do with an art degree? We will answer the questions: What is an art degree? What can I do with an art degree? And why should I get an art degree at a Christian liberal arts institution?

What is an art degree? 

Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

Aaron Winey, professor of visual communication design, expounded on this definition: 

“The best artists cross-discipline; they are curious and explore outside of the realm of art. Every influential artist I can think of is well-read, an effective speaker, and an articulate writer. Grace’s Liberal Arts Core provides an excellent opportunity to develop these parallel skills as well as a mindset of curiosity as the foundation of becoming a life-long learner.

It is important for Visual and Media Arts students to find a school that mixes foundational ideas and theory with practical application. In visual communications, every job is a bit different, and having a foundational understanding of the creative process is key to approaching each job. It is also important to learn practical application: how to work with clients to understand the project, how to move from ideas to presenting those ideas, and how to produce the final work. These principles drive our curriculum and what we present in the classroom.”

An art degree at Grace allows you to major in any of the following: 

• Art and Visual Culture Major
• Music Production Major
• Photography Major
• Visual Communication Design Major: Graphic Design Concentration
• Visual Communication Design Major: Illustration Concentration
• Visual Communication Design Major: Media Arts Concentration
• Worship Arts Major

What can I do with an art degree? 

This is by no means a comprehensive list of what you can do with an art degree, but it’s a good start. The truth is, every organization and corporation has a brand — whether good or bad. Many of those brands could benefit from the strategic and creative eye of an artist to improve their reputation and boost their public image. Here are some of the most common art degree jobs:

• Graphic Designer
• Art Teacher
• Web Developer
• Community arts worker
• UI/UX Designer 
• Curator
• Product Designer
• Freelance Artist / Illustrator
• Advertising art director
• Marketing Director / Strategist
• Art therapist
• Commercial art gallery manager
• Conservator
• Exhibition designer
• Photographer
• Animator
• Package Designer
• Fine artist

Why should I study art at a Christian liberal arts institution?

Today, more than ever, we are in need of confident, compassionate, and skilled artists who create beautiful, educational, and sometimes even jarring pieces with purpose. A liberal arts education affords artists-in-training exposure to a variety of courses outside of their major — including theology courses. These courses help to expand student worldviews in ways that other art and design colleges do not. These worldviews eventually inform their artistic decisions. And these decisions, in turn, affect diverse groups of people who are made in the image of God.

According to Don Swartzentruber, an art professor at Grace, “Grace College is an institution dedicated to helping students mature in the Christian faith, build a foundational collegiate knowledge base, and explore specialized interests. As an art department, we are aware that students arrive with different ability levels. We are not the last step on the stairway from K-12. We are a map to a lifetime of learning and exploration. We have the technology, facilities, and caring instructors to help ambitious students become successful.”

If you’re someone who has ever asked the question, “What can I do with an art degree?” you’re in the right place. 

Learn more about Grace’s art degree programs.