Art schools, in Pennsylvania, are some of the best art institutions in the country.
These schools offer superb programs and many different degrees that allow aspiring artists to increase their existing skills while learning new ones, as well.
There are many fabulous art schools in Pennsylvania, and following is just a few.
Schools of Art
Below are some of the best Art Schools in Pennsylvania.
The University of the Arts
Located in Philadelphia and accredited with the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, The University of the Arts offers a vast array of art programs for aspiring artists. Some of the remarkable programs they offer include theater, visual arts, music, dance, design and film. Those persons, who would like to study within any of these areas, can contact the university at-215-717-6030, or they may write to the school at-320 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102. They can also find helpful information on the school’s website-www.uarts.edu.
For students to gain admission to The University of the Arts, they must turn in at least one letter of recommendation along with their applications and an essay describing their talents and intended career path and goals. They must also submit a portfolio of at least 10 to 15 original and recent works of art. Students, who want to enroll in the dance or music programs, will need to perform an audition first. Finally, they will need to discuss their educational goals with a school adviser, and they will need to either attend an orientation or a tour of the university.
Those individuals, who wish to earn their bachelor’s of fine arts in painting and drawing, will need to take the following basic education classes-First-Year Writing I and II, Scientific Inquiry, Texts and Contexts/Perspectives on the Humanities, 20th Century Interpretation, Pre-20th Century Interpretation, three History courses, Literature, Philosophy, Science, Mathematics, and Social Science.
They will also need to take the following program-oriented classes-Drawing I and II, Two Dimensional Design Principles, Three Dimensional Design/Time Motion, Art History Survey I and II, Two Dimensional Design, Three Dimensional Design, Time Motion, Sophomore Painting I and II, Drawing/Form and Space, Sculpture I or other Art elective, Subjects and Formats, Research Practices, Etching Studio or other Art elective, Junior Painting I and II, Color Studies, Junior Drawing I and II, Intermedia, Junior Seminar, Senior Fine Arts Seminar, Senior Painting I and II, Drawing References I and II, and Art History.
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Located in Lancaster and accredited with the Middle States Commission of Higher Education, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design has exceptional programs in fine arts, graphic design, illustration and photography. Those people, who would like to attend the college, can learn how to apply by calling-717-396-7833 or by checking out the college’s website at-http://www.pcad.edu. They can also write to the campus at-204 North Prince Street, Post Office Box 59, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17608.
All new students entering Pennsylvania College of Art and Design must attend an open house and schedule an interview with a school official to discuss their education goals. They must also submit a 250 to 500 word essay describing their talents and career goals. The school also requires all new students to submit a 10 to 15 piece portfolio containing a variety of recent, original artwork. Students, who have a GPA lower than 2.5, will need to submit at least two letters of recommendation.
Students, who want to earn their bachelor’s of fine arts degree in illustration, will need to complete the following liberal arts courses-Foundations of Verbal Communications I and II, Social and Behavioral Science, Physical or Life Science, Mathematics, and four Humanities electives.
They will also need to complete the following program-specific courses-Non-Western Art and Architecture, Introduction to Western Art I and II, Visual Thinking, Materials and Techniques, Digital I and II, Typography I, Introduction to the Web, History of Communication Arts, Figure Anatomy, Introduction to Time-Based Media, Advanced Materials and Techniques, Illustration Studio I and II, Advanced Figure I and II, Summer Internship, Senior Illustration Studio I and II or Motion Media Studio I and II, Self Promotion and Social Media, Professional Practices/Portfolio Preparation, three additional Art electives, four additional Illustration electives, and three additional Studio electives.
The Art Institute of Philadelphia
The Art Institute of Philadelphia, accredited with the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, offers a broad range of art programs including illustration, web animation and design, fashion and accessory design, interior design, film and video production, and culinary arts. Those individuals, who would like to learn additional information pertaining to any of these programs, can chat with a live operator online at-www.artinstitutes.edu/philadelphia/. They can also request information by phoning the institute at-215-567-7080 or by writing to them at-1622 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103.
For students to gain admission to the institute, they must submit a portfolio of their most recent art work. Portfolios should contain at least 10 to 15 pieces of work, and at least half of them should be observational works. Culinary arts students must submit at least two letters of recommendation, and they must have at least two years of experience in the food service industry.
Those students, who choose to earn their associate’s degree of science in graphics design, will need to fulfill the following basic education requirements-English Composition I and II, College Mathematics, Effective Speaking, Ethics, Computer Science, and three additional basic education electives.
They will also need to fulfill the following career-related requirements-Art History/Prehistoric to Mannerist, Art History/Baroque to Contemporary, Portfolio Foundations Graphic Design, Fundamentals of Drawing, Fundamentals of Design, Color Theory, Typography I and II, Concept Development, Analysis of Form, Digital Layout, Digital Illustration, Digital Imaging and Manipulation, Print Production, Graphic Symbolism, Introduction to Web Design, Product Graphics, Corporate Identity, Publication Design, Business, Collateral Design, Portfolio Preparation, and at least one additional Graphics Design elective.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, also accredited with the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, also offers an array of delightful art programs for aspiring artists. Some of the programs the institute offers are culinary arts, web design, graphic design, fashion design, illustration, web animation, and video production. Students can find out about all of these fascinating programs by visiting the institute’s website at-www.artinstitutes.edu/pittsburgh/. They can also call the school’s general office at-412-263-6600, or they can write to the school at-420 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219.
Many programs in the institute of Pittsburgh require new students to have a portfolio of at least 10 pieces of their most recent art work. These pieces should represent the students chosen career path, and about half of them should be observational pieces. Culinary students will need to submit at least two recommendation letters, and they should have two or more years of experience in food service.
Those students, who wish to pursue an associate of science degree in digital film making and video production, will need to take the following general education classes-Composition and Language, Freshman Studies, Speech, College Math, Fundamentals of the Internet, Advanced Communications, and two additional General Education electives.
They will also need to take the following program-related classes-Survey of Digital Film Making and Video Production, Color Theory for Multimedia and Web, Desktop Video, Photography, Video I and II, Lighting I and II, Introduction to Audio, History of Art in Early Civilization or Survey of Modern and Contemporary Art, Editing Theory, Intermediate Audio, Conceptual Storytelling, Scriptwriting I, Video Field Recording, Intermediate Editing, History of Film and Mass Communications, Studio Production, Film Making, Digital Cinematography, and Video Portfolio.
Colleges and Universities
Below are some of the most popular Colleges and Universities offering Art Classes and Courses.
Albright College
Albright College in Reading offers many astounding art programs, accredited with the Commission on Higher Education. Some of the fantastic programs the school offers include art, art history, music, photography, theater, art education, and film/video. Prospective students can find out about the admission requirements by calling-610-921-2381 or by visiting the college’s website at-http://www.albright.edu. They may also request information by writing to the campus at-1621 North 13th Street, Reading, Pennsylvania, 19612.
Those students, who choose to pursue certification in art education, will need to complete the following basic skills courses-General Psychology, Literature, Communication Skills, and Mathematics. They will also need to complete several art-related and educational-related courses as follows-Drawing, Design, Survey of Art History, Art History elective, Painting, Sculpture I, Printmaking, Painting II or Sculpture II, Computer Graphics, Studio Topics, Early Field Experience, Educational Psychology, The American Education System, Educational Technology, Teaching Art in Elementary School, Teaching Art in Secondary School, Middle Level and Secondary Inclusive Practice, Assessment and Adoption/Adolescents with Special Needs, Strategies/Adolescent, Elementary Art Student Teaching, and Secondary Art Student Teaching.
York College of Pennsylvania
York College of Pennsylvania, accredited with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, has terrific programs in fine arts, graphic design, music, art history, and photography. Those persons, who would like to attend the college, can find out about the enrollment procedures by calling them at-717-846-7788 or by checking out their website at-http://www.ycp.edu. They can also write to the college at-441 Country Club Road, York, Pennsylvania, 17403.
Students, who want to earn their bachelor’s of Art degrees in fine arts will need to complete many different general education and art-related courses. Following are the general education courses within the program-Analytical Reading and Writing, Critical Thinking/Problem Solving, Academic Writing, Human Communication, Information Literacy, two Physical Education electives, and four additional General Education electives.
The art-related courses within the program are as follows-Computer Graphics I, Design I and II, Drawing I and II, Painting I, Sculpture I, Survey of Western Art I and II, two Art History electives, Sophomore Portfolio Review, Professional Development Seminar, Senior Portfolio Review and Exhibition, Fine Art Seminar, Art Internship or Independent Study, and at least 10 additional art-related electives.
Keystone College
Keystone College, located in La Plume and accredited by the Middle States Association for Colleges and Schools, offers several art programs for people pursuing art careers. Some of the wonderful programs they offer include art education, art history, culinary arts, and visual arts. For people to acquire information pertaining to any of these programs, they can call the college at-570-945-8000 or visit them online at-http://www.keystone.edu. They can also write to Keystone at-Post Office Box 50, La Plume, Pennsylvania, 18440.
Students, who wish to earn their bachelor’s degrees in visual arts, will need to complete a curriculum of both general education and art-related courses. The general education courses included in the curriculum are as follows-College Writing I and II, First-Year Seminar, PC Office Applications, Speech Communication, Basic Algebra, Math, Science, three Social/Behavioral Science electives, Wellness and Fitness, and Science with lab.
The art-related courses including in the curriculum include the following classes-Drawing and Composition I and II, Two-Dimensional Design, Color Theory, Art History Survey I and II, Figure Drawing I and II, Three-Dimensional Design, Fundamentals of Sculpture, Modern and Post Modern Art, Senior Seminar A, Senior Seminar B or Advanced Studio/Seminar, Professional Ethics/Practices, eight Studio electives, and six additional art-related electives.
Other Top Art Schools in Pennsylvania
There are many other fabulous art schools in the state of Pennsylvania other than the ones listed above. Following are some more schools that aspiring artists will want to consider.
Philadelphia
- Chestnut Hill College
- Community College of Philadelphia
- Drexel University
- Holy Family University
- La Salle University
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pittsburg
- Carlow University
- University of Pittsburg
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Chatham College
- Duquesne University
- Community College of Allegheny County
- Point Park University
Pennsylvania Art Schools Offer Bright Futures
All of the schools listed above offer some of the best art programs in the country for people who want to begin careers in art. While all of these schools have their own admission and graduation requirements, there are some common requirements among many institutions as listed below.
Common Admission Requirements
1. Transcripts, Applications and Fees
2. Placement Tests, Essays and Interviews
3. Orientations or Tours
4. Letters of Recommendation, Work Experience, Auditions and/or Portfolios
Common Graduation Requirements
1. Completion of Basic/General Education Curriculum
2. Completion of Major Core Curriculum
3. Art Capstone, Thesis, and/or Junior or Senior Project
Common Supplies Required for Many Programs
1. Sketchbooks and Tracing Pads
2. Writing and Drawing Utensils
3. Sharpeners and Erasers
4. Masking Tape and Glue Sticks
5. Stapler
6. Measuring Tools
7. Painting Supplies
8. Digital Camera
