Bachelor's Programs
Our undergraduate programs challenge students to think, create, and act in transformative ways. An education in art and design is also an education through art and design, enabling you to develop valuable transferable skills in creativity, communication, organization, problem-solving, and expanding the possibilities for your future.The creative industries are now recognized as a vital and growing sector of the national economy, employing around 30% of the working population. The job market for artists and related workers continues to expand, and our graduates are well prepared to take advantage of these growing career opportunities.
We are a thriving community of artists, designers, educators, and historians committed to excellence and innovation in the practice, study, and teaching of the visual arts. Our students benefit from learning in professional programs administered in conjunction with the interdisciplinary resources of a Tier 1 research university.
The School of Art & Design is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), and is regarded as one of the outstanding public university art programs in the United States.
The BFA in Art Education offers a pathway for motivated students to become licensed to teach K-12 art in Illinois public schools.
Why are the objects that we call “works of art” made? Who makes them? Who sees them? What functions do they serve? What kinds of meaning have they offered to viewers in the past? What kinds of meaning can they have for us now? Questions like these are central to the study of art history.
Fashion at Illinois is a vibrant, forward-thinking program where creativity meets innovation and cultural insight. Students explore the full spectrum of fashion, from the history and social dynamics of style to cutting-edge sustainable practices and emerging technologies like wearable tech. Our interdisciplinary approach combines hands-on studio work with critical inquiry, preparing students to lead in design, production, and brand development within a rapidly evolving global industry. Whether imagining the future of fashion or rethinking its role in society, students gain the skills and vision to make meaningful impact through what we wear.
Negotiate challenges at the intersection of traditional craft and rapidly evolving communication technologies to create positive change in today’s social and cultural systems.
Ever wonder about why products look and work the way they do? From cell phones and computers to the microwave of the future, industrial design students explore the conjunction of form and function.
New Media at Illinois invites students to explore how art, technology, and culture intersect. The concentration emphasizes experimental, time-based, and code-driven practices. Students work with digital imaging, video, animation, performance, and interactive systems. They also engage with emerging tools such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and social media platforms. This path prepares students to shape the future of art, communication, and digital experience.
Painting at Illinois is where tradition meets transformation. Students begin with foundational skills in drawing, color, and technique, then push the boundaries of what painting can be across surfaces, spaces, and disciplines. This concentration invites students to develop a distinct visual language, exploring both personal expression and critical engagement with today’s social, cultural, and visual landscapes. From classical methods to experimental media, students are empowered to create bold, meaningful work that connects the past to the future.
Photography at Illinois is more than taking pictures. It’s about shaping how we see the world. This concentration prepares students to become image-makers, storytellers, and cultural critics who challenge conventions and reframe narratives. Through hands-on studio practice and critical seminars, students explore everything from analog darkroom techniques to digital imaging, installation, and lens-based media. Whether working with documentary, experimental, or conceptual approaches, Photography students gain the tools to navigate and influence a visually saturated world.
Printmaking at Illinois empowers students to combine technical skill with radical imagination. This concentration explores both traditional and experimental approaches (from screenprinting, intaglio, and letterpress to zines, comics, and digital processes) all within a dynamic, hands-on studio culture. Students use print to amplify voices, remix culture, and tell stories that matter. Whether you’re drawn to the precision of craft, the immediacy of multiples, or the rebellious energy of DIY publishing, Printmaking offers tools to make your mark in today’s visual landscape.
Sculpture at Illinois invites students to reimagine how we shape the world around us. From intimate objects to immersive installations, this concentration encourages bold experimentation with materials, space, and meaning. Students work with everything from wood, metal, and clay to found objects, textiles, and digital fabrication, learning to think across dimensions and challenge traditional boundaries. Whether you’re drawn to public art, performance, social practice, or speculative design, Sculpture provides the tools to build a practice that is as physical as it is conceptual, and as personal as it is political.
This concentration is designed for students who want to break boundaries and forge their own path. Interdisciplinary Practice encourages creative experimentation across fields like fashion, digital media, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, and illustration. Students build unique toolkits, develop hybrid practices, and explore new ways of making that reflect their individual interests and the complexities of contemporary culture.
The Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art (BASA) focuses on the study of art, design, and art history in the context of a broader program of general study offered by the diverse research and teaching activities across the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign campus. The BASA degree is intended for those students who have strong interests in blending the study of art and creative practices with coursework in other academic areas.
Illustration at Illinois blends the power of storytelling with the precision of visual design. In this concentration, students develop strong foundations in drawing, painting, and digital image-making while exploring how illustrators shape culture—from publishing and animation to games, editorial, and emerging media. With an emphasis on narrative, innovation, and professional practice, the program prepares students to become versatile creators who bring ideas to life across industries and platforms.
We offer three campus-approved undergraduate minors.
