When considering a professional career in the visual arts, individuals must first determine if they possess the talent, motivation, and discipline to become an artist or designer. The next step is deciding on career goals. After analyzing professional goals, the prospective artist must carefully research training options that are pertinent to his or her needs and goals. This could mean choosing a vocational school or entering a four-year program in the fine arts at a college or university.

U.S. education recognizes the need for a wide range of institutions in which to educate the artist. Consequently, they have worked to develop high-quality programs and resources in professional art schools, conservatories, and colleges and universities. Over 1,700 programs in the visual arts currently exist at a variety of U.S. institutions, from degree-granting universities, colleges, and art schools to vocational schools offering only certificate programs. Almost three hundred of these programs hold professional accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Visual Arts Programs

Individuals enrolled in an undergraduate program in the visual arts usually obtain either a professional degree or a liberal arts degree. Professional degree programs at U.S. institutions emphasize highly specialized education, including preparation in the intellectual as well as the technical skills necessary for the professional artist.

The undergraduate liberal arts degree, either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a major in art or design, concentrates on an extensive program of general studies with at least one-third of the course work in the visual arts. If a specialization in a particular arts area, for instance photography, is to be awarded, then, following NASAD guidelines, at least 35 percent of the visual arts course work would focus on that particular specialization.

The professional degree granted at the undergraduate level in art and design is normally the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.). To achieve such a degree, NASAD guidelines suggest that at least 60 percent of the course work be in studio work or related areas with additional supportive courses from other disciplines. Most often, an area of specialization or major is part of the B.F.A. degree title, for example a B.F.A. in Painting or B.F.A. in Graphic Design is the degree awarded. When a specialized B.F.A. major is selected, 25 percent of the total credits required for completion of the program must be within the area of specialization.

At the graduate level, the initial more broadly focused degrees are the Master of Arts (M.A.) in art history, art criticism, art education, museum studies, or a field of studio art and the Master of Science (M.S.) in either art education or art therapy. The terminal degrees are the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in art history or art criticism or the Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Education in art education.

The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) is also considered a terminal degree and is awarded following completion of a graduate program that stresses full-time professional studio practice in a visual arts specialization. M.F.A. degree programs will emphasize practice in a particular medium of the visual arts and usually involve at least two years of full-time graduate study. An M.F.A. curriculum also includes art history, criticism, and aesthetics. A final project demonstrating professional competence is required of M.F.A. candidates.

B.F.A. Admission Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to a B.F.A. program at a U.S. institution are the same as the general admission requirements for any other undergraduate program, with a few exceptions. A student applying to an art school, college, or university program must have a secondary school diploma, take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Assessment Program (ACT), and perhaps submit letters of recommendation and undertake an interview with a school official. International students usually must prove English language competence and, therefore, should check the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) requirements of those schools in which they are interested.

It is also important that a student's secondary school transcript include art and design courses. However, if for some reason a student's secondary school does not offer any art courses, it is highly recommended that the student take courses at a local art school or study privately with an artist or designer.

In addition, most postsecondary institutions require the submission of a portfolio containing the student's artwork or design projects. Usually a school will specify exactly what is expected in a portfolio. Generally, the portfolio should contain ten to fifteen works of art in the form of originals, slides, or photographs. Submission of slides or photographs of three-dimensional art (sculpture, jewelry, furniture, ceramics, crafts, etc.) may be preferred over the original pieces.

Review of a portfolio is conducted by faculty committees of the prospective institution. A student's portfolio is judged on originality, creativity, ability to draw from real objects, and strength of color and design skills.

M.F.A. Admission Requirements

Completion of an undergraduate degree program in some area of art or design is usually considered mandatory for graduate study in the visual arts. Although a B.F.A. degree is not an absolute prerequisite for admission to an M.F.A. program, most graduate schools do require that the applicant have taken forty to sixty hours of studio course work at the undergraduate level.

In general, minimum admission requirements include the submission of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. Some schools require Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. All schools ask for a portfolio with the same general requirements as an undergraduate portfolio. A candidate for a graduate-level program should have demonstrated ability in a particular medium of the visual arts.