About our Undergraduate Programs in Art + Design
The Sam Fox School's College of Art offers three primary majors: Studio Art, Communication Design, and Fashion Design. We offer both BFA and BA degree programs, so you can earn a degree with a deep studio focus, or one with a broader liberal arts orientation. Whether you want to publish illustrated books, create sculptural installations, design for public health initiatives, launch your own fashion line, produce aerial drone videos, or make interactive websites, you can forge an educational path to pursue a career in any field you choose.
Download the Art & Design brochure>>
Areas of Study
Studio is a place for collaboration and creative development. Our students are bright and driven, but they are also incredibly supportive of one another and engaged with social issues and the community. You will learn to make exceptional visual work with technical and conceptual depth, working with faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized in their fields.
| Animation | Fashion Design | Installation Art | Sculpture |
| Book Arts | Foundry | Narrative Design | Textile Design |
| Comics | Hybrid + Experimental Media | Painting | Typography |
| Design for Social Practice | Illustration | Pattermaking | Time-Based + Media Art |
| Eco-Art | Interaction Design | Printmaking | Visual Reportage |
BFA + BA Degrees at a Glance
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree is ideal for students who want to pursue professional careers as designers or artists and want an intensive studio experience.
- Majors in Studio Art (with optional concentrations in Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, or Time-Based + Media Art), Communication Design, or Fashion Design
- Capstone experience (required), culminating in an exhibition/public showcase of your work
- 65 credits of studio work (about 1/2 your total coursework), providing greater disciplinary depth within the major
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is ideal for students who want a deep liberal arts experience that integrates a studio major.
- Majors in Studio Art or Design (with optional concentrations in Communication or Fashion)
- No capstone experience or culminating exhibition/public showcase of your work
- 30-36 credits of studio (about 1/4 of your total coursework), providing greater flexibility to pursue second majors/minors and to take courses across the University
Second Majors & Minors
Undergraduates from any school at WashU can add a second major in Studio Art of Design to their existing degree path. These second majors provide an opportunity to grow your creativity, expand the horizons of your education, and give you new professional opportunities after college. Learn more>>
The Sam Fox School also offers several minors—Studio Art, Design, Creative Practice for Social Change, and Human-Computer Interaction—open to students from across WashU. Learn more>>
Student Work
See more images of student work>>
Alumni + CareersOur alumni are uniquely innovative and engaged, with careers in art & design, publishing, law, education, business, and more>> |
FacilitiesLearn about our expansive spaces for learning and making, including digital fabrication, printmaking+book arts, and textile design, and take a 360 tour>> |
Study in ItalyWe offer immersive programs in Florence, which combine studio courses with Italian language and art history, and travel throughout the region>> |
Online Exhibition: Foundations
In their first year of study, art and design students take several core studios—Drawing, 2D Design, 3D Design, and Digital Studio—and a weekly seminar. Check out this online exhibition of work produced in those courses.
How to Apply
Learn about the application process, including submission guidelines for the portfolio, here>>
Questions? We’d love to speak with you by email, phone, or video about our program.
Please email Rachel Youn at youn@wustl.edu.