Students who want to pursue a degree in art have several options at UA Little Rock. We offer a Bachelor of Arts in Art, with concentrations in Art Education, Art History, and Studio Art. We also offer a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art. Students pursuing a BFA can choose one of these emphasis areas: ceramics, drawing, graphic design, furniture design and woodworking, illustration, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting, photography, and printmaking.
Comparing Degrees
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is a liberal arts degree that allows a student to study art with room to study other subjects. For example, a student in the B.A. program might study both art and sign language in preparation to become an interpreter for a museum. The B.A. in Studio Art requires 45 credit hours in studio art and art history, plus a minor. The degree flexibility allows students to explore their interests through a variety of art making experiences.
The BFA is a professional degree for students who want to become working artists in their chosen fields. The BFA in Studio Art requires 72 credit hours in studio art and art history. It provides a broad range of art making opportunities while focusing on a singular emphasis to build professional skills.
Live on Campus
Art majors have the opportunity to live together on campus as part of artWING, our living and learning community in West Hall.
Bachelor of Arts in Art
The Bachelor of Arts in Art has three concentrations to choose from:
The Bachelor of Arts in Art: Art Education concentration provides a strong studio and art history background, while fulfilling the requirements for an Art K-12 Arkansas educator licensure. The Arkansas Department of Education has designated Art K-12 as a critical academic shortage area for the 2022-2023 school year.
Our art education method courses are taught from the perspective and experience of an art educator and the degree addresses multiple art education methods. Areas covered include art education history, child and adolescent development, differentiated instruction, student motivation and classroom management. The courses also address curriculum design, assessment, creativity, art history and art criticism approaches, and educational policy as well as inclusion of special needs students in the art classroom.
The curriculum mirrors the Arkansas Fine Arts Curriculum Frameworks by providing the best contemporary education philosophy and practices in arts education, along with courses that meet the needs of Arkansas students.
The Bachelor of Arts in Art: Studio Art concentration offers a general course of study in studio art and applied design. It has the breadth of a liberal arts degree while also providing students with foundational art-making skills. This degree is designed for students who have broad academic interests and goals beyond the art studio.
Potential Career Fields:
- Advertising Director
- Art Retailer
- Costume Designer
- Furniture Designer
- Gallery Director or Owner
- Graphic Designer
- Jewelry Designer
- Landscape Designer
- Museum Curator
- Photographer or Photojournalist
- Professional Artist or Sculptor
- Prop Designer or Set Designer
- User Experience User Interface (UX/UI) Designer
- Visual Merchandising
- Web Designer
The Bachelor of Arts in Art: Art History concentration offers a comprehensive study of art history by focusing on the history, theory, and criticism of the visual arts. Art History courses examine artists, works of art, patrons, historical events, and how they come together. The discipline of art history is closely connected to studio art and to other liberal arts fields such as history, literature, philosophy, and religious studies.
The major in art history encourages the development of analytical and critical viewing and writing skills useful in other careers such as law, medicine, and business. Students gain a solid foundation to pursue master’s or Ph.D. programs in art history.
Potential Career Fields:
- Art Administrator
- Art Appraiser
- Art Journalist
- Attorney
- Collections Manager
- Curator for institutional and corporate collections
- Development officer for nonprofit and public art programming
- Manager for private, corporate, or public art programming
- Visual Arts and Digital Media Archivist
- Volunteer and/or Docent Coordinator for a Museum
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art
Students pursuing a BFA in Studio Art can choose from several emphasis areas.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio Art is a four-year professional degree in studio art. Students pursuing a BFA can choose one of these emphasis areas: ceramics, drawing, graphic design, furniture design and woodworking, illustration, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting, photography, and printmaking.
Students admitted to the BFA program must show a strong sense of commitment and dedication to their art and to their own educational experiences. The goal of the BFA program is to highly develop the skills, historical knowledge, conceptual understanding, and the sense of visual awareness needed to become a professional working artist.
Admission Criteria:
Students are pre-admitted to the program and must complete the review before being fully admitted to the program. Admission to the selective BFA in Studio Art program occurs through a review process that includes a portfolio submission, transcript review, submission of statement of goals, and an application form.