It’s said that life inspires art—and what better place to get inspired than in art school? (Or at least a college or university with a great Visual Arts program.) With so many programs across the country to explore, where do you start? Right here, of course! Below you’ll find amazing schools that offer Visual Arts majors throughout the Northeastern and Southern US. This is a great place to get to know colleges and universities quickly and see if they offer programs you’re interested in.
But that’s not even the best part! You’ll find a brief overview of each school’s Visual Arts offerings on this page, but if you want more info, each school's name is linked to its CollegeXpress profile so you can learn more. Better still, you can click the green “Connect me” button below each school to have your CollegeXpress profile information sent directly to the admission office—then they’ll reach out to you with more information. There are so many ways to research and learn about schools on CX, so let’s get started.
Alfred University
Alfred University is a private, four-year comprehensive institution situated on a 600-acre campus in Alfred, New York—75 miles south of Rochester. Renowned for its world-class visual arts education, the University is home to the statutory School of Art and Design within the New York State College of Ceramics. Art students explore creative disciplines like ceramic art, glass, digital media, graphic design, printmaking, and sculpture in extensive, modern studio facilities with personalized guidance from dedicated faculty.
College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross is an exclusively undergraduate private liberal arts institution located on a 174-acre campus in Worcester, Massachusetts—around 50 miles from Boston. At Holy Cross, students design their own course of study with a curriculum consisting of common requirements, a major, and freely elected courses, which allows you to combine majors and/or add a minor or concentration. Art students can choose from an Art History path in areas of studies such as pre-1800, cross-cultural, modern and contemporary, architectural studies, and museum studies; or Studio Art with paths like drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and digital media and new media.
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology is a public institute of art, design, business, and technology in Midtown Manhattan, New York. With 2,160 Visual Arts students and a 16:1 student-faculty ratio, FIT offers 17 specialized Art & Design degree programs ranging from Fine Arts, Toy Design, and Photography to Animation, Interactive Media, and Game Design. FIT also provides opportunities for professional consultation, industry-sponsored competitions, and internships in the heart of New York City.
The George Washington University
The George Washington is a private research institution in the federal section of Washington, DC. The University is home to more than 11,000 undergraduates studying in 75+ majors and 2,000+ courses, including programs in Art History, Dance, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Interactive Design, Interior Architecture, Music, Photography, Photojournalism, and Theatre. As a GW art student, we encourage you to think unconventionally and give you the tools and critical-thinking skills for a lifetime of innovative creative practice.
High Point University
High Point University is a private comprehensive institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church on a 420-acre campus in High Point, North Carolina. Known as The Premier Life Skills University, HPU is rooted in the liberal arts and offers 63 majors and 65 minors, including in Fashion Merchandising, Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Studio Art. The University produces highly sought-after students and graduates who garner internships and professional careers at companies like Disney, Pixar, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, Anthropologie, and many more.
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private comprehensive university in Hempstead, New York—25 miles east of New York City. Home to more than 10,000 total students, the University offers over 175 undergraduate programs, including fine arts concentrations in Painting, Design and New Media and Industrial Design, Sculpture, and Art History. Hofstra visual arts students benefit from access to state-of-the-art studios and equipment designed to inspire and support creativity, including specialized studios for painting, sculpture, printmaking, and digital arts.
New York University
New York University is one of the largest private universities in the country, located in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City, New York—with additional degree-granting campuses in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi. Majors, minors, and concentrations include Studio Art, Digital Art & Design, Game Design, Interactive Media Arts, Photography & Imaging, and individualized study in Visual Arts or Design & Media. Studio art practice and the study of art throughout history come together in a two-track program at NYU Abu Dhabi, while Interactive Media Arts majors at NYU Shanghai make discoveries that push the boundaries of visual expression.
Connect me with NYU Abu Dhabi!
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology is a private technical institution in Rochester, New York—75 miles from Buffalo and 97 miles from Syracuse. RIT’s nine colleges offer over 80 bachelor’s programs and 90+ minors, including cutting-edge programs such as Illustration, Fine Arts Studio, Film & Animation, 3D Digital Design, Photography, and Graphic Design. At RIT, students work in state-of-the-art facilities and studios equipped with the latest tools, software, and technologies professionals use, from traditional art studios to VR and 3D modeling equipment to photographic darkrooms.
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University is a private coeducational university—and the second-largest Catholic university in New England—with a main campus in Fairfield, Connecticut, and international campuses in Ireland and Luxembourg. With more than 9,000 pupils enrolled, art students take foundational digital visual communication design and traditional fine arts courses through the College of Arts & Sciences, then choose to major or minor in Graphic Design, Illustration, or Studio Art. Sacred Heart also offers five art studios and art and design gallery exhibitions.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private technological university in Worcester, Massachusetts, where art and technology converge. WPI offers visual arts pathways including an Interactive Media & Game Development major—delving into 2D and 3D design, virtual reality, and animation—as well as a Humanities and Arts major concentrating in Art. Students gain hands-on experience in high-tech makerspaces, team project centers, and local creative partnerships with the Worcester Art Museum and Worcester Center for Crafts.
Interested in learning about even more great art schools? Check out the full list of featured Visual Arts School Profiles.
