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What are some good schools for smart people who want to study the visual arts but also want to go a school with great academics and a bit more diversity than just an art school? Most ivies and sub-ivy colleges have one "fine arts" program and nothing else... So far I have Wash U and NYU. And by art i mean more than just painting/drawing, illustration and design and animation would be nice too... Any gems that I've overlooked? Thanks.

By Sac (Sac) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 07:09 pm: Edit

UCLA, Brown (offers chance to take classes at Rhode Island School of Design), Carnegie Mellon

By Mdell (Mdell) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 07:18 pm: Edit

I have a question about the Brown/RISD situation. If I want to MAJOR in art, then it would be ridiculous to apply to Brown solely for other classes, and do most of my work at RISD. Does it make any sense to apply to Brown?

By Soozievt (Soozievt) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 07:24 pm: Edit

I do not think you would be taking most of your work at RISD. Some of your art courses would be at Brown and some at RISD. I am sure the major outlines how many courses at RISD can count toward your major in art at Brown. In fact, I highly encourage you to read about that specific major on their website and/or talk to the department. My daughter is applying to Brown intending to major in architectural studies. I know in that major, you may take up to four courses at RISD toward the degree. Hope this helps a little.
Susan

By Mdell (Mdell) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 07:44 pm: Edit

That does help very much, thank you, but it seems to me that the Visual Arts program at Brown is very very small and unimportant when compared to medicine and law and majors like that. What I like about WashU is that their art department is very large and serious, and it offers ceramics and fashion design as majors along with your typical painting and printmaking.

I was wondering if there were other schools that very good in general AND take art very seriously.

Also, does anyone have any info on art at Vassar, Cooper Union, or Bennington? Their websites are awful and completely uninformative.

By Sac (Sac) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 08:02 pm: Edit

Cooper Union is free and therefore very hard to get into. It offers basically art and engineering. It's great if you are positive about what you want, but does not meet your description of a school with more diversity and academics than an art school.

By Soozievt (Soozievt) on Friday, November 21, 2003 - 10:05 pm: Edit

Have you looked into Tufts? They have a joint program with the Museum School in Boston. When I went to Tufts, I was not an art major but I always enjoyed art so I took four art classes while at Tufts. Two were drawing (nude figures), one was ceramics, and one was calligraphy. These were all through the Museum School. Some of them were right on campus as they sent faculty from the Museum School over to Tufts. And for some, I went into Boston to take the classes at the Museum School. Just an idea you might want to look at online at least.
Susan

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 05:17 pm: Edit

Syracuse University has an excellent art school that includes majors in illustration, textile design, graphic design, architecture, etc. in addition to typical fine arts majors like sculpture, painting, and photography. The studio facilities are quite good. Art students take a full load of liberal arts courses in the other Syracuse schools and it is possible to double major.

By Emeraldkity4 (Emeraldkity4) on Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 05:30 pm: Edit

I haven't been to Syracuse but I do know of several excellent art teachers who have sent their protoge's and their progeny to Syracuse

By Haon (Haon) on Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 07:11 pm: Edit

Brown has a joint program with RISDE
Williams has excellent visual arts and art history departments.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 06:50 pm: Edit

Thought of a few other possibilities: Connecticut College, Skidmore, Macalester, Vassar, Smith (if female), Scripps (if female).

By Taxguy (Taxguy) on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 03:21 pm: Edit

Although Brown can send folks to RISD, it usually doens't happen. RISD is on trimester and Brown isn't. Also they start and end semesters at different times.

I am looking into good liberal arts schools that have strong arts, especially graphic arts, programs. Here are my recommendation based on what a number of art professors have told me:

1. Carnegie Melon
2. Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
3. Syracuse
4. UCLA
5. University of Cincinnati

These are not necessarily in the order of ranking since they specialise in different areas of art.