Art: Studio Art
Major, Minor
Program Overview
Find your creative voice and build your skills as an artist. As a studio art student here at CMU, you’ll gain experience working with various media and gain a comprehensive understanding of visual art. The program assists students in developing concepts and individualized creative practice. The studio art program provides students opportunities to work with nationally acclaimed artists and exhibit their work.
Program Snapshot
Why This Program & What You'll Learn
Build the real-world skills and perspective you need to thrive in the visual arts. The studio art courses focus on the hands-on understanding of fine art principles and cultivate creative solutions with various methods, materials, and technology that fire up your imagination.
In small classes, you’ll learn from instructors who have exhibited their work around the world. You can tailor your studies to focus on animation, ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture. Whichever path you choose, you’ll work across disciplines, learn by doing, and emerge with an impactful creative portfolio.
Beyond the classroom, you’ll have the opportunity to work with acclaimed artists-in-residence and participate in workshops with visiting artists. In our art gallery, you’ll get hands-on experience in exhibiting your work.
Program Highlights
As a studio art student here, you can:
- Customize your education with courses like Gender and Art, Modern Architecture, Art of the Ancient Near East and Egypt, or Special Topics courses that focus on distinct methods or concepts in art.
- Learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including a letterpress shop, designated print lab, two animation labs (digital & traditional animation), a metal shop and foundry, digital fabrication studios (laser cutter/plasma cutter/3D printers), versatile printmaking studio, and two professional lighting studios for photography.
- Apply for scholarships designed specifically for art students.
- Join a community of artists in student organizations such as the Ceramics Club, Printmaking Club, and Photography Club.
- Spend the summer honing your drawing skills in Florence, Italy.
- Earn a scholarship to attend a workshop at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
- Travel to national conferences for professional visual artists.
- Exhibit your work at the Central Michigan University Art Gallery.
Careers & Outcomes
Our studio art program prepares you to thrive in a wide range of careers, including publication design, illustration, animation, comics and video games, film, identity and branding, advertising, web development, and studio art.
Our alumni work across the country in all areas of art and design, from the entertainment industry to nonprofit institutions to art galleries and beyond.
| Career | Projected Salary |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $100,890 |
| Artist/Illustrator | $49,960 |
| Graphic Designer/Desktop Publisher | $50,810 |
