Undergraduate Degrees
- BS–Art and BS-Art with Graphic Design option
- BS–Art Education
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) with Graphic Design option
Undergraduate Certificates
About
The UW–Madison Department of Art is a national leader in the cultivation and production of creative expression within Art and Design. Art students are presented with a balance of interdisciplinary rigor in studio classes, the importance of a study in liberal arts, and knowledge of art and design movements throughout history. The mission of the art department values the diverse contributions, backgrounds, and experiences that each student brings to the classroom.
For more than a century, the department has nationally set the standard for arts learning by establishing the first glass-blowing lab in the country, 1 of only 5 universities in the nation with a neon program, continually ranking as the #1 printmaking program in the country, and is home to internationally acclaimed faculty members and visiting artists. The diverse faculty work across creative disciplines to help students develop the creative, critical, and technical skills needed for life-long engagement in the visual arts. Faculty prepare students for careers in a broad array of creative fields and/or graduate study.
The art department offers two professional programs, Art and Art Education. Art majors may pursue either the Bachelor of Science degree or the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Art majors wanting to complete a strong emphasis in graphic design may pursue either the Bachelor of Science: Graphic Design or Bachelor of Fine Arts: Graphic Design options. Art Education majors receive the Bachelor of Science–Art Education degree and eligibility to apply for licensure to teach in both elementary and secondary schools. Entrance requirements vary for each program.
The department also offers the Art Studio Certificate and Graphic Design Certificate. These two programs allow students from across campus, regardless of their major or degree program, to engage in a meaningful and rigorous sequence of coursework. Students should work closely with their major advisor to see how the certificate requirements can fit into their degree plan. Note: Most art courses do not carry the LAS (L&S) designation.