Admissions
Overview of Program
The University of Kentucky's Department of Art offers a comprehensive selection of programs with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Art Education, Art History, and Art Studio.
At the undergraduate level, our Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs prepare students for careers in fields that require skills in the creation of visual objects, the historical or theoretical interpretation of them, or the instruction of future generations of arts professionals. Designed on a liberal arts model, our B.A. degrees provide a broad-based and well-rounded education that has proven useful for our graduates who have conducted successful careers outside the traditional visual arts fields. The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree is a specialized, pre-professional program designed for students who wish to gain the maximum practical experience in the studio arts disciplines. It is especially useful for those contemplating specific careers in the visual arts, either as independent professional artists, in the corporate world as art directors or designers, or as a step toward a graduate degree to teach in the academy.
At the graduate level, our degree programs are designed for those students seeking professional qualifications. The M.A. programs in Art History and Art Education are useful for those seeking advancement in museums and galleries as well as in teaching.
Our Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) is both research and practice-oriented. The M.F.A. is recognized as the terminal, graduate degree in Art Studio practice, accepted by all major research universities in the United States as proof of the highest academic achievement in studio-based disciplines. Our M.F.A., the only such degree program in the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky, is nationally ranked by US News and World Report.