Turn your creative passion into a creative profession.
A studio art program allows you to develop your talent, technical skills and conceptual thinking. You’ll learn what inspires you as an artist and explore career opportunities in a variety of creative industries.
See what develops in your photography courses. Discover what you can bring to life in your 3-D art courses. Imagine the possibilities for that blank canvas in front of you.
At the University of Saint Francis, you will learn more than just how to create successful art: You’ll develop the skills needed to sustain a career as a professional artist.
Highlights of USF’s Student Art Program include:
At USF, you’ll get to create for you: express yourself, your faith, your feelings. Make a statement, make a splash, make something incredible.
art galleries on campus
Expected increase in demand for archivists, curators and museum workers through 2029 (BLS, 2019)
National median salary for craft and fine artists (BLS, 2019)
In your core art courses, you’ll develop your composition skills and build your technique. You can then hone your talents in one of three concentration areas:
Adding a minor, such as graphic design, illustration, sequential art, visual development, art history, community arts or museum studies, can expand your portfolio and creative career opportunities.
Artwork that Works.
Studio art majors build their portfolios and gain professional experiences through internships at galleries, museums, schools, nonprofit organizations, independent artist studios and other locations. Recent examples include BFA Commercial Photography, South Bend Museum of Art, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Artlink Contemporary Gallery and Northside Galleries.
Art that is Good for the Community
Art majors also participate in project-based learning that benefits the community; recent projects include:
As a studio art major, you’ll get personalized attention and learn from accomplished, working artists with a range of educational, professional and artistic backgrounds, including:
Eric D Carlson earned his BFA in ceramics and jewelry from Illinois State University and an MFA in ceramics and fibers from the University of Missouri – Columbia. His passion is ceramics, which he often combines with other materials, like metal, fiber and wood. His art process is closely connected to his blue-collar upbringing.
Monika Meler earned her BFA in printmaking from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and her MFA from Temple University allowed her to study between Philadelphia and Rome, Italy.
Tim Parsley, program director and associate professor of studio art (painting and drawing) earned his BFA from the University of Cincinnati and his MFA from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). In addition to his work as an artist and art educator, he is a professional muralist who has created large-scale murals in Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, New York City and Nairobi, Kenya.
Cara Lee Wade’s life changed when she first entered the darkroom; now, as an associate professor of photography, she shares her passion with students. She earned her MFA in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Our Annual Student Art Exhibition
Share what you’ve made with the campus community at our annual student exhibition:
View our 2020 Virtual Showcase
Clubs for Creatives
The USF campus is full of creative-minded students, and they get together to create, learn and make a difference in the community through clubs and activities such as:
One of the biggest things I’ve learned at USF is to focus on what I love. For me, that’s art. The professors teach us how to be stable and productive in the field we love. They teach us to live our dream and to apply our art and creativity wherever we are.
August Pengelly ’20
Studio Art major
Bring your creativity to life in a collage of career opportunities in:
Possible roles and job titles:
USF Studio Art graduates are making, creating, teaching, designing, curating and managing projects in places such as:
They also own studios, run art collectives and work as independent artists and makers, freelance photographers and designers and private art teachers and instructors throughout the region and around the country.
Some USF art majors and minors pursue graduate programs and have been accepted into MFA programs at schools such as:
I am impressed with how the professors work with us and how intentional they are. They really get to know the students – our interests and goals — and they challenge us to dream big and work hard. It’s also very exciting to have high-quality artists as my professors. They inspire me to do well.
Sophie Knox ’19
Studio art major
Your first step to becoming a USF Cougar is applying for admission. Our online application makes the process as convenient as possible.
Apply NowWhether you know what you want to see, who you want to meet or are just exploring your options, we will personalize your campus visit to fit your needs.
Visit USFAn academic plan is a general blueprint showing how one might complete the degree, semester by semester. Get an idea on what each semester could look like.