The University of Toledo

Studio Arts Degrees

Art means transforming feelings and ideas into visual expression. At The University of Toledo Department of Art's Center for the Visual Arts you’ll learn how to express yourself artistically by developing media skills and a visual and conceptual language. Studio Art is one of three distinct areas of study. The other two are Art History and Art Education. 

Depending on which path you choose, a Studio Art degree can provide a special avenue of liberal education for knowledge discovery and cultural engagement, creative skills that you can apply toward a range of career goals or going on to graduate study in art. Or if you’re interested in becoming a professional artist or a designer, you may apply to the special program in New Media Design Practices or to Bachelor of Fine Arts program where you’ll intensify your study in your chosen studio areas.

Unlike any other program in the nation, the University of Toledo Department of Art is connected to the galleries and library of the world-renowned Toledo Museum of Art. At our unique museum campus you can take advantage of the outstanding research facilities and collection of masterpieces in one of the nation’s finest museums.

Within Studio Art there are multiple undergraduate degree options:

• • Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts (BAVA)
  • Bachelor of Arts, New Media Design Practices (BA/NMDP)
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art, with three concentrations:
    • 2D Studies
    • 3D Studies
    • New Media Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art

This program provides students with a solid foundation in art through introductory courses in drawing, design and the history of art. It offers study in three areas of studio art, as well as advanced work in art history.
These departmental offerings are deeply integrated with the general education of the university’s colleges using visual art as a special instrument for cognitive growth, knowledge discovery and cultural engagement. The BA in Visual Art is a special liberal arts degree based in studio art — students seeking a professional degree should consider the BFA in Studio Art degree program. Though there are no concentrations offered, students may choose from 2D studies (drawing, printmaking, painting), 3D studies (sculpture, ceramics), and new media studies (photography, digital arts) for their advanced studio course work.

Bachelor of Arts, New Media Design practices

This program provides a unique degree track, incorporating the new media curriculum and adding externship and internship components to provide hands-on experiential and practice learning, in combination with the creative and theoretical new media course offerings of the department. Students in the program benefit from the following features:
(1) Learning the skills and conceptual aspects of both digital and photographic media as they apply to both print and interactive design fields;
(2) Undertaking an externship that provides students an observational, experiential learning opportunity;
(3) Undertaking an intensive internship that offers students experiential learning opportunities with direct practical application, such as special projects and opportunities with the Toledo Museum of Art, small businesses, university departments, and/or regional nonprofits; and
(4) Acquiring a solid foundation for commercial and instructional preparation to benefit students’ advanced studies and/ or intended career paths.

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Art

This program, which may be entered through successful application to the entire studio art faculty, provides the student, who is preparing for professional commitment to the field of studio art, with a more intensive educational experience. As distinct from the B.A. program, the B.F.A. curriculum provides the student with a more in-depth experience in the major area of studio concentration, and studio electives.
Students entering the B.F.A. program may choose from the following three areas of studio concentration: 2D studies (drawing, printmaking, painting), 3D studies (sculpture, ceramics, mixed media), new media studies (photography, digital arts).
Before applying to the B.F.A. program, a student must have completed or be in the process of completing 30 semester hours of undergraduate study. More thorough application details are available by contacting the Department of Art.

Curriculum checksheets for these degree programs, including legacy curricula, are available here.