YOUR ART HOUSE: The five floors of Sprowls Hall give you room to grow as an artist, with seven studio areas, three galleries, and classrooms. Robertshaw adds another 13,000 square feet of newly renovated ceramics and sculpture studios.
Major in the Medium You Love
We offer outstanding bachelor’s degree programs in Art Education, Art History, Fashion Merchandising, Interior Design, and seven studio areas:
- Art Education
- Art History
- Fashion Studies
- Interior Design
- Graphic Design and Illustration
- Painting
- Ceramics
- Jewelry and Metals
- Woodworking
- Sculpture
- Drawing
Bring Meaning and Purpose to Your Creativity
For works of art and design to endure, they need to be created and appreciated. Whether you create or curate, at IUP you will be immersed in a world of ideas and history that will feed your creativity.
As an art major, you will be given the skills, the context, and the history to bring meaning and purpose to your work. You will be taught and mentored by an energetic faculty of acclaimed artists and art historians, and you will have access to the broad range of studio art facilities.
Art Pays Off
“I constantly use what my professors taught me while I was at IUP. I look back and think of everything they were showing me and how it paid off.”Matt Nauman, BFA, MFA; went on to become a commissioned furniture designer; Education Director, Woodworkers Club, Rockville, Md.
Why Art?
Art is a building block of civilization. It is everywhere, and it is essential.
With a BA or BFA in studio art you can:
- Choose from a broad range of studio disciplines such as ceramics, jewelry and metals, sculpture, wood and furniture design, painting, and drawing.
With a BFA in graphic design and illustration you can:
- Hone your ability to develop creative concepts and learn a variety of in-demand design skills.
With a BA in art history, you will:
- Gain a solid foundation in the history of art, from ancient through modern times.
With a BSEd in Art Education, you will:
- Get an excellent preparation for the teaching profession while further exploring the many elements of art.
The World Needs Art Majors
What can you do with an art major?
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With a BA in Art History, you are on a path to graduate study that can lead to careers in museums, galleries, fine art libraries, visual resources, teaching, and research.
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With a BA in Studio Art, BFA in Studio Art, or BFA in Graphic Design and Illustration, you can pursue careers in the commercial and fine arts, such as graphic design, art direction, illustration, furniture design, ceramics, jewelry and metals, sculpture, wood, and furniture design.
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BSEd in Art Education is a professional degree program that leads to certification to teach K-12 art in Pennsylvania. Not only can you gain an excellent foundation for your career as a teacher, but you will also have the opportunity to explore a variety of arts, art history, criticism, aesthetics, and culture.
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There is a greater awareness of the impact that interior spaces have on people's lives. Greater emphasis is also being placed on environmentally sustainable designs. Whether dealing with homes, office spaces, museums, or healthcare environments, we need creative interior designers who can make a difference.
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With a degree in Fashion Studies from IUP, you will have the industry communication skills and the ability to mesh with team members—highly sought-after attributes in the challenging fashion industry.
The IUP Difference
Art in a Liberal Arts Environment. We like to say that there is more to life than paintbrushes. Technique is one thing (and we teach that very well). But content is another, and a liberal arts education informs meaningful content.
The Art and Design Faculty. With 15 full-time members—a carefully chosen group of renowned scholars in their specialties, internationally respected artists covering a broad range of disciplines, and commercially successful designers—are dedicated to teaching you. No course is taught by graduate students. Learn more about the Art and Design faculty.
Small Classrooms and Renovated Facilities. By the time you choose your major, you get to work in groups of 15–18 students in newly renovated facilities.
Galleries and Museum. Faculty and students exhibit works in galleries that also host national and international exhibitions.
The only state program in Pennsylvania for interior design. Don't go deep into debt. If you're a Pennsylvania resident, take full advantage of the great value we offer you.
Cultural diversity. At a time when global expansion is the norm for many fashion corporations, students are exposed to numerous cultures both in and out of the classroom at IUP. By sharing business, style, and education experiences with students from China, Taiwan, and Japan, you begin to see the world through a new lens.