Career development is an integral part of the School of Art curricula.
Students develop professional skills in their major classes as well as through meeting with industry professionals, completing internships, organizing exhibitions, attending conferences, and participating in study abroad opportunities.
Arts education students are prepared for certification as art teachers in pre-K-12 public and private schools, teach in our Saturday Arts Workshops, and complete student teaching in area schools. Illustration students participate in the Society of Illustrators’ MoCCA Festival and student competitions, workshops with visiting artists, discuss their portfolios with industry professionals. Studio arts students exhibit regularly, work with Alpert Fellow Visiting Artists and other professional artists, teach in our Saturday Arts Workshops, attend conferences, and study abroad in Florence, Italy.
[Above, Chloe Crookall is a studio arts major and aspiring printmaker.]
Internships
Many students have internships with museums, galleries, arts organizations, media companies and small studios. The College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Office has dedicated career advisors for art students.
Our alumni are part of the large arts and cultural sector. In 2017, there were over 5 million workers employed in The U.S. Arts Economy (1998‐2017): A National Summary Report.
Careers in the Arts Include:
Studio Arts
- Artist
- Ceramicist
- Fabricator
- Fiber artist / textile designer
- Furniture maker
- Jeweler
- Master printer
- Media producer
- Painter
- Product designer
- Public artist
- Sculptor
- Small business owner / entrepreneur
Art and Cultural Sector
- Art critic
- Art teacher
- Art therapist
- Arts administrator
- Conservator
- Cultural journalist
- Curator
- Gallerist
- Museum administration
- Museum educator
Illustration
- Animator
- Art director
- Book and comic book illustrator
- Concept artist
- Greeting card artist
- Editorial illustrator
- Product designer
- Visual development artist for video games
- Animation
- Technology
- Small business owner/entrepreneur
See available art minors.
See School of Art alumni.
See Visiting Artist Lecture Series.
Undergraduate Opportunities
- VPA Los Angeles Semester (for illustration students)
- Study Abroad in Florence
- SOURCE grants
Graduate Opportunities
Graduate Residencies
- Turner Art Week in LA, a Spring Break immersion experience for M.F.A. students generously supported by Marylyn Turner ’56 G’57 and Chuck Klaus G’05
- The Turner Semester, a residency program in Los Angeles generously supported by Marylyn Turner ’56 G’57 and Chuck Klaus G’05
- Summer Residency Program at Governors Island, New York
Creative Opportunity Grants
These small grants will provide support for single or multiple-student projects with preference being given to projects that both enhance the development of the student and the prestige of the school.
Teaching Opportunities
M.F.A. candidates have the opportunity to develop their teaching skills through the University Future Professoriate Program. The School of Art provides over 40 courses annually for graduate students to teach and gain experience.
Professional Practices
The School of Art provides courses in professional practices including portfolio development, writing for artists, project proposals and budgeting, grant writing, teaching portfolio development, etc.
New York City Thesis Exhibition
The School of Art, School of Design and Department of Film and Media Arts hold an M.F.A. exhibition in New York City in addition to a Syracuse exhibition. The New York exhibition provides an opportunity for our M.F.A. candidates to connect to alumni, peers, and arts professionals in the New York area.