Choosing the best art graduate school requires many different considerations. The first is identifying major, since there are many possible majors in this field including art history, fine arts, or art education. After choosing a major, students will need to reflect upon the type of graduate degree they’d like to earn. They may also want to think about school reputation and accreditation, location, types of learning programs, faculty strengths, and costs.
Selecting a major is without a doubt the most important first step toward deciding on the best art graduate school. Students may be interested in a technical degree where they are practicing some of the fine arts like creative writing, drama, or painting. They could be interested in studying art from a scholarly perspective or teaching art to others. Obviously, choice of major will significantly affect choice of school, and schools don’t always have equally strong programs in all majors.
While thinking about their major, students often need to think about the type of graduate degree they want to earn at an art graduate school. Many schools that have fine arts programs only offer a master’s degree, though there are a few doctorates that might be earned in this area. Generally, the master in fine arts (MFA) is considered a terminal degree. Art history and art education programs are more likely to offer PhDs, so choice of degree may determine choice of major.
Once major and degree type have been selected, most students will be interested in the reputation of any art graduate school they consider. Reputation and connections of the school can be important, particularly for fine arts majors. It means a lot to get a degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, and possibly less to receive an MFA from an unknown school with no connections to Hollywood. School reputation, provided a school is accredited may matter less in different majors where jobs are not as competitive. Of course, reputation means higher cost of tuition, and more intense competition to get in.
Students will also want to consider other features of any art graduate school. These could include location, which might be better if a school is close to home or more attractive if the college is near major art centers. It’s worthwhile to find out information about faculty and what particular strengths and interests they offer to students. Another issue for many is the way a program is conducted. A number of students look for programs with flexible schedules, or they may want solely online learning opportunities.
The term "starving artist" is not made up, and art graduate school can be expensive. Consideration of cost is important and students should determine how well a future career would supply the funds to repay student loans. There are very good cheaper art schools and these might be at the top of the list for students who favor practical considerations most.
