Art Schools in Montana

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Those people in Montana, who want a rewarding and fun career, should consider training in one of the many fields of art that is available today.

There are many sectors for people to choose among including visual arts, performing arts, web design, game development and fashion design.

An excellent school is the key to a successful art career, and following are some of the best schools in Montana that will start art students off on the right foot.

Schools of Art

Below are some of the best Art Schools in Montana for Art Students.

Bear Canyon School of Art and Craft

Located in Bozeman, the Bear Canyon School of Art and Craft offers various art classes for people who love art. The classes they offer vary depending upon availability; however, current class offerings include Open Studios, The Next Best Class (jewelry making), Belt Buckles by Bryan and Jewelry for the Beginner. Individuals, who would like to register for any of these classes can call the school at-406-586-8770 or write to them at-3077 Bear Canyon Road, Bozeman, Montana, 59715. They can also find out about the schools current class offerings online at-www.bearcanyonschool.com.

School of Art

The School of Art in Bozeman, an extension of Montana State University and accredited with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, offers magnificent programs in graphic design, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, metalsmithing, drawing, art history and art education. Those people, who would like to begin a career in any of these fields, can phone the School or Art at-406-994-4501 or write to them at-213 Haynes Hall, Post Office Box 173680, Montana State University School of Art, Bozeman, Montana, 59717. They can also find out about the requirements of the programs by visiting the School of Art online at-http://www.montana.edu/art/.

Those students, who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, will need to complete the following general education curriculum-College Writing, University Seminar, Quantitative Reasoning, Diversity, Contemporary Issues in Science, Humanities elective, Natural Science, Social Science, Research and Creative Experience, and one additional General Education elective.

They will also need to complete the following program-oriented classes-Web Design, 2D Fundamentals, 3D Fundamentals, Drawing Fundamentals, Ancient and Medieval Art, Renaissance and Modern Art, FACTS Portfolio, Drawing Studio, Design Principles, Form and Content, two additional Beginning Studio electives (Painting, Metalsmithing, Sculpture, Ceramics or Printmaking), GD Portfolio, Professional Studio, Thesis and Portfolio, at least three 300-Level Studio courses (Identity Systems, Art Direction, Publication Design, Motion Graphics, Advanced Web Design, Illustration, Digital Visualization, Letterpress, Screenprinting or Design and Society), History of Graphic Design, at least two additional Art History electives, and at least five of the following classes-Advanced Ceramics, Advanced Metals, Lithography, Advanced Sculpture, Advanced Drawing, Advanced Relief, Serigraphy, Advanced Intaglio, Advanced Painting, Alternate Print Media, Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Metalsmithing, Printmaking, Ceramics, Design or Internship.

Colleges and Universities

Below are some of the most popular Colleges for Art Classes, Courses, Programs and Degrees.

The University of Montana

The University of Montana, located in Missoula and accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, offers unique programs in art education, art history, art criticism, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, photography and printmaking. Those people, who would like to view the full details of any of these programs, can do so online at-http://www.umt.edu/art. They can also request information by calling the university at-406-243-4181 or by writing to them at the following address-32 Campus Drive, FA 305, Missoula, Montana, 59812.

For students to earn a bachelor of fine arts degree, they must take the following liberal education classes-College Writing I, English Composition, Mathematics, three Modern and Classical Language electives, Writing elective, Expressive Arts elective, Literary and Artistic Studies course, Historical and Cultural Studies elective, Social Science elective, Ethics and Human Values elective, American and European Perspectives course, Indigenous and Global Perspectives elective, and Natural Science course.

They must also take the following art-specific classes-Visual Language/Drawing, Visual Language/2D Fundamentals, Visual Language/3D Fundamentals, Art of World Civilization I and II, Sculpture I Studio, Printmaking I Studio, Introduction to Art Criticism, Drawing I, Ceramics I, Photography I/Techniques and Processes, Painting I, 300-Level Art History elective, five additional Studio electives, Contemporary Art, Art Criticism, Seminar Professional Practices, and Senior Thesis/Capstone.

Carroll College

Carroll College in Helena holds accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and offers a first-class program in theater for those people interested in the field. If students would like to find out how to enroll within the college, they can call the information desk at-406-447-4300 or write to their mailing address-1601 North Benton Avenue, Helena, Montana, 59625. They can also read about the theater arts program online at-www.carroll.edu.

All new students of Carroll College need to fulfill several general education requirements as follows-Alpha Seminar, Theological Foundations, College Composition, Basic Communication, Fine Arts elective, History, Mathematics, Literature elective, Natural Science and lab, Philosophy, Social Science, Theology, two Writing-Intensive electives, Global Diversity, and National Diversity.

They will also need to fulfill the following program-specific courses to earn their bachelor’s degree in theater arts-Dance I/Elements of Dance, Theater Practicum, Introduction to Acting, Stagecraft, Theater Projects, History of Theater I and II, Survey of Drama, and at least four additional program-specific electives.

If students want to work within acting or directing, they must also complete the following classes-Improvisation, Acting/Advanced Methods, Play Directing, Choreography, and at least two of the following-Introduction to Basic Ballet, Dance II/Partner Dancing Through the Ages, Musicianship I, Sight-Singing and Oral Skills, or Voice I.

If students wish to work within design or stagecraft, they will also need to complete the following courses-Costuming, Scene Design, Stage Lighting, Advanced Design Practices, and at least two of the following classes-Scenic Art, Stage Make-Up, and Sound and Stage.

Flathead Valley Community College

Located in Kalispell and accredited with the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, Flathead Valley Community College has top-notch programs in culinary arts, goldsmithing and jewelry arts, and graphic design. If people would like to attend Flathead Valley, they can contact them at-406-756-3822 or write to them at-777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell, Montana, 59901. They can also find useful information online at the college’s website-http://www.fvcc.edu/.

If students want to earn an associate of applied science degree in graphic design, they must fulfill a two-year curriculum consisting of a variety of general education and program-related class work. Following are the general education classes within the curriculum-Web Development Tools/Dreamweaver, Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, College Writing I or Introduction to Business Writing, and Intermediate Algebra.

The program-related courses within the curriculum are as follows-Design for Graphic Communications, Digital Imaging I and II, Visual Language/Drawing, Visual Language/2-D Foundations, Understanding Photography, Digital Illustration I and II, Visual Language/3-D Foundations, 3D Animation and Modeling I and II, Principles of Marketing, Digital Portfolio Preparation, Interactive Media for the Web, Internship/Cooperative Education, and at least one additional program-related elective.

Rocky Mountain College

Rocky Mountain College in Billings offers spectacular programs in art, art education, creative writing, music education, music performance and theater, all accredited with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Those individuals, who would like full details pertaining to any of these programs, can read about them at the college’s website-http://www.rocky.edu. They can also acquire information by calling-406-657-1000 or by writing to-1511 Poly Drive, Billings, Montana, 59102.

The bachelor’s degree program in art education consists of several general education and program-related courses. The general education classes that they will need to take are as follows-Freshman Seminar, two Mathematics courses, First-Year Writing, Critical Reading and Evaluative Writing, Public Speaking, one additional Communications elective, Introduction to Wellness Concepts, Student Health and Safety, two Fine Arts electives, Sophomore Practices, History elective, Literature elective, one Humanities elective, Human Development I and II, Economic Decision Making, Psychology elective, Sociology elective, and two Natural Science courses and one lab.

The program-related classes that they will need to take consist of the following courses-Foundations of Education, Drawing I and II, Design, Art History Survey I through III, Educational Techniques, Exceptional Learners, Sculpture, Educational Psychology, Classroom Management, Painting I and II, Topics in Art History, Junior Field Experience, National American Education, Photography Options, Issues in Curriculum, Clay I and II, M/M K-12, Seminar, Standards/Instruction and Assessment, Senior Project, Student Teaching K-12, and Final Seminar.

The University of Montana Western

The University of Montana Western, located in Dillon and accredited with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities offers sensational programs in music education, studio art, illustration and visual arts. Those people in the Dillon district, who would like to apply to the university, can contact them at-406-683-7331, or they may choose to write to them at-710 South Atlantic Street, Dillon, Montana, 59725. There is also valuable information on the school’s website at-http://www.umwestern.edu.

Students, who choose to pursue a bachelor of arts degree in visual arts/studio art, must complete the following general education curriculum-Foundations of Language, Mathematics, Behavioral and Social Science, History, four Humanities electives, two Natural Science courses, and Cultural Diversity.

They must also complete the following art-related curriculum-Color and Design, Drawing, Art History I and II, Sculpture, two 3D courses (Ceramics, Glass or Fibers), two 2D courses (Introduction to Photography, Digital Media, Printmaking, Watercolor, Painting or Photography), two 300-Level Art-Related electives, Senior Exhibition and Thesis, Cooperative Education and Internship, Senior Project and Thesis, and at least five of the following classes-Digital Media II, Ceramics II, Drawing II, Human Figure, Printmaking II, Glass II, Painting II, Sculpture II, Fibers II, Art Media Workshop, and Advanced Studio.

Outline to an Exciting Career in Art

There are several steps that people need to take in order to begin a career in an art-related field. While many of these steps are standard procedures that pertain to most art schools in Montana, some of them vary depending upon the program and/or the school that students may choose. However, the following outline may help people determine what they may need to expect and may help them prepare for the requirements of the school of their choice.

A. Prerequisites for Art Schools in Montana

1. Standard Applications and Applicable Fees
2. SAT/ACT Exam Scores
3. High-School and/or any other Relevant Transcripts
4. Placement Tests in Writing, Mathematics and English
5. Portfolios or Auditions (some Schools and/or Programs)
6. Letter/s of Recommendation (some Schools and/or Programs)
7. Relevant Skills and/or Work/Volunteer Experience (some Schools and/or Programs)
8. Essay/Statement of Purpose (some Schools)
9. Orientation or Tour and Interview (most Schools)

B. Program Completion Requirements in Montana

1. Art Capstone and/or
2. Apprenticeship or Internship and/or
3. Junior or Senior Project and/or
4. Junior or Senior Thesis

C. Ways to Complete an Art Capstone

1. Art portfolio
2. Research Papers or Essays
3. Presentations or Essays
4. Art Projects
5. Exhibitions/Galleries

D. Basic Art Supplies Necessary for Many Art Programs

1. Basic Painting Supplies
2. Basic Drawing Supplies
3. Measuring Tools
4. Cutting Tools
5. Staple Gun, Masking Tape and Glue Sticks
6. Digital Camera and Laptop

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