VISUAL ARTS AND DESIGN

General Description:
Visual arts are works created primarily for visual perception, such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture,
installation art, photography, graphic design, interactive design, etc.

Listed below are the most common specializations and degrees within this area of study. Please note that the
manner in which US institutions classify or name an area of study might differ from your home country.

Common
Specializations
Art Education Art Education includes the application of education methods in the teaching of
visual art. These programs are often geared toward preparing individuals for work
with primary and secondary school students and outreach programs.
Ceramics The art and science of forming objects from earth materials which contain or are
combined with silica and then heated or kiln-fired.
Digital Art/ Digital Art and New Media is art created with the use of digital technologies. It is a
New Media rapidly growing multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary field often used in the realm
of Sculpture and Installation as well as Interactive Design. (See Interactive Media/
Graphic Design; Sculpture.)
Drawing/ Drawing generally involves making marks on a surface by applying pressure from
Painting a tool, or moving a tool across a surface. Drawing is distinct from painting, in
which colored pigments are suspended in a liquid medium and usually applied
with a brush.

Expressive Expressive therapies include art therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, music
Arts/Art Therapy therapy, play therapy, etc. Students in art, dance, drama or music therapy should
have a background in that subject matter and should refer to the guides specific to
those fields for further information. A portfolio will be required, in addition to
prerequisite coursework in appropriate art and psychology / counseling courses.
Play therapy is a subfield that often falls under clinical or counseling psychology
and is used as a tool for diagnosis. Students studying play therapy should refer to
the criteria for clinical or counseling psych. This field requires a minimum of 12
credits beyond Intro to Psychology. Applicants must have also taken abnormal
psychology.
Glass The art of forming vessels and sculptures using glass as a medium.
Interactive Interactive Media is the integration of communication technologies and digital
Media/Graphic media including graphic, digital art, technology, film, internet, and sound. Graphic
Design is a form of communication in which visual information is used to convey a
Design (Visual specific message. (See Digital Art/New Media)
Communication
Design)
Installation Installation art is site-specific, three-dimensional work created to transform space.
(See Sculpture; Digital Art/New Media.)
Jewelry Design/ Jewelry Design is the art of creating wearable pieces, such as bracelets, rings,
Metal Arts necklaces, etc. using precious metals, gems and other materials. (See Fiber Art.)
Metal Arts is concerned with the shaping of metals into unique art forms.
Photography Photography is the art of producing images on photographic film or digital
technologies.
Printmaking Printmaking is the art of making prints as practiced in engraving, etching, drypoint,
woodcut or serigraphy.
Sculpture Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by sculpting hard materials.

Prepared by IIE’s Academic and Experiential Learning Division

 Fiber Art (Textiles) Fiber Art is the creation of art pieces using fabric, yarn, synthetic and natural
fibers.

Common Degrees
MA The MA is an advanced degree, usually 2 years in length. This degree is
extremely rare and almost never awarded in the Visual Arts. For academic art
studies, please see the Field of Study guidelines for “Art History.”
MFA The Master of Fine Arts is an advanced degree in an area of applied or performing
arts. It is considered a terminal degree; this means it is the highest degree offered
in that discipline. Requirements for the degree are of an applied or practical
nature. As a result, students will be creating work instead of theoretically studying
it. While program lengths can vary, it is important to remember that most MFA
visual arts programs require a minimum of 2-3 years. Nearly all students in the
Visual Arts will seek the MFA degree.
PhD The PhD is the highest degree awarded for academic, theoretical study. The PhD
programs include coursework followed by exams and an original research
dissertation. Programs often take about 5-7 years to complete. This degree is
extremely rare in the Visual Arts; the only exception is in the field of Interactive
and Digital Media Arts. However, there are very few programs that offer the PhD.

Special Notes on Applying: Visual Art programs are extremely competitive and have rigorous and
detailed application requirements, as well as very early application deadlines. It is imperative to review each
school’s website for specific application requirements and submit all writing samples and portfolio materials
exactly as requested. Failure to follow guidelines and submit exact materials in the format and length demanded
will likely result in an admission denial.
Special tips for MFA and doctoral applicants: The MFA degree is the terminal degree for applied
work; the Doctoral degree is the terminal degree for theoretical work. For MFA applications, the portfolio
submission is critical and each school sets its own application criteria. Students should review guidelines and
begin to prepare material well in advance of application deadlines. Doctoral degrees do not generally exist in
the Visual Arts, with the exception of Interactive and Digital Media Arts programs. There programs are rare and
extremely competitive. The applicant will be required to submit both a portfolio and academic work.
Special tips for non-degree applicants: Non-degree students should be aware that very few degree
programs will accept non-degree students. These students may also have limited classes available to them.
Special tips for Visiting Student Researchers: It is important to identify the faculty person in the US
with whom you would like to work; prior connection with the desired US department is helpful. Visiting Student
Researchers should be aware that participation in studio and performance courses is usually reserved for
degree candidates only; it is highly unlikely that a VR will be provided studio space.

Admission
Requirements
Admission & Admission deadlines begin as early as December 1st. Financial aid is extremely
Financial aid rare in the applied arts.
deadlines
Academic A well qualified applicant will hold a Bachelors degree in a specific applied art or a
background related field in the Arts and Humanities, have a strong overall academic
background, and a transcript with a Grade Point Average of 3.0 (B Average) or
higher. Significant past training in their visual art field is essential.
Work experience Work experience is invaluable at all degree levels. A detailed resume should
include previous training, teachers, schools attended and list of artwork indicating
the name of the piece, the medium used, the dimensions and date as well as the
exhibition in which it was displayed.
Tests TOEFL: Score requirements vary from school to school. The minimum
TOEFL requirement is often 80 iBT/550 paper-based for MFA programs;
100 iBT/600 paper-based for MA and doctoral programs.
GRE: All students must take the GRE. A strong score is crucial for PhD
applicants.

Prepared by IIE’s Academic and Experiential Learning Division

 Essays & Writing Essays and Writing Samples are required for PhD applicants. MFA students will
samples likely have to submit specified writing samples determined by application
guidelines.
Portfolios/ For the MFA degree, the portfolio/work samples are extremely important. As
Work Samples guidelines for each school will vary, students must review requirements far in
advance and prepare to submit materials exactly as requested for each school.
Please be aware that portfolios will not be returned. Students will need to prepare
a combination of materials which may include, a set number of 10-20 images of
work (this number will be dictated by the school) in a specific format, and a work
description sheet clearly defining the medium, dimensions, name of the piece, and
the date. Most schools use portfolio websites, such as SLIDEROOM in which the
applicant will have to upload all material to an online portfolio.

Prepared by IIE’s Academic and Experiential Learning Division