This question was posted to the NACAC listserv for college counselors:

“I am seeking suitable colleges for a senior who would like to study fine/ studio art at a liberal arts college or university with the goal ultimately of working in some type of art field (restoration? gallery management?)...prepared to provide a portfolio, but specifically is not seeking education at an art school.”

Here are the collected responses (by no stretch of the imagination comprehensive, but a start):

 

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Barry Beach (http://www.artscounselor.com) offered these helpful overall tips:

 

Numerous colleges offer visual art as a major. Because of this, a primary question which will help students determine where to study art is:

how much of your studies do you want to be devoted to art? The answer to this question is determined by the type of degree you wish to pursue, not the college.

 

Types of Visual Art Degrees

There are two types of visual art degrees: BA (Bachelors of Art) and BFA (Bachelors of Fine Art). Students in BA programs spend on average 20-40% of their studies in art. Students in BFA programs may spend up to 65% of their studies in art. Of course, when 60+% of courses are art, liberal arts offerings are reduced.

 

BFA programs are typically offered at colleges of art, and BA programs are typically offered at universities and liberal arts colleges. However, several universities and liberal arts colleges offer the BFA as an option to students majoring in art, usually requiring a mid-program review for acceptance into the BFA program.  Colleges of art, on the other hand, admit directly into their BFA programs - using the portfolio as part of the admissions requirement. (More about portfolios is on the colleges of art page - http://collegelists.pbworks.com/w/page/16119410/Colleges%20of%20Art]

Recently, several colleges of art (particularly in Canada) offer a BS (Bachelors of Science) degree in newer science oriented majors involving computing such as animation, motion graphics, graphic design and digital arts.

 

Dual or Joint Degree Programs in Art

Some colleges of art have teamed up with universities to offer joint degree programs as well. Such joint degree, dual degree or exchange programs are listed here - http://collegelists.pbworks.com/w/page/16119381/BFA-BA%20Dual%20Degree%20Programs.

 

Two organizations can be checked to help determine the quality of an art program at a college:

The first is NASAD - National Assoc. of Schools of Art & Design,  a national accrediting agency for visual arts programs. While voluntary, it is one level of an institutions commitment to visual art as it takes time and effort to become accredited. Their website lists member institutions at the link below once you hit the "submit" button at the bottom of the page (don't enter anything to get the complete list of institutions)

https://nasad.arts-accredit.org/directory-lists/accredited-institutions/

 

The second organization to check is the National Portfolio Day Association. The Association consists of representatives from regionally accredited colleges and universities, which are also members of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The NPDA is the only organization of its kind, and its membership represents the highest standard of visual arts education available in the United States and Canada.

This organization exists to host National Portfolio Day events around the country. These events provide free artistic feedback to high school student artists. Students can bring their art portfolio (collection of artwork) to the event to receive free advice from college professionals/artists in the field from numerous institutions. I think that getting a portfolio review by a representative of a college is the next best thing to visiting the college to determine fit.

Current information about National Portfolio Day is available at the link below:

https://nationalportfolioday.org

 

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Alfred University (NY) - http://www.alfred.edu

 

American University (DC) - http://www.american.edu

 

Bard (NY) - www.bard.edu

 

Boston College (MA) - http://www.bc.edu/

 

Boston University (MA) - http://www.bu.edu

 

Brown (RI) - www.brown.edu [students can take courses at Rhode Island School of Design & has a joint degree program with RISD]

 

Cal State University Fullerton (CA) - http://www.fullerton.edu

 

Cal State University Long Beach (CA) - www.csulb.edu/

 

City University of New York (CUNY) Hunter (NY) - http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/art/welcome-page

 

Clark University (MA) - http://www.clark.edu

 

Colgate University (NY) - http://www.colgate.edu

 

College of Charleston (SC) - http://www.cofc.edu/

 

Columbia University (NY) - www.columbia.edu

 

Connecticut College (CT) - http://www.conncoll.edu

 

Drew University (NJ) - http://www.drew.edu (includes a "semester in NYC" option to study art)

 

Drexel University (PA) - http://www.drexel.edu

 

Furman University (SC) - http://www.furman.edu/

 

Goucher (MD) - http://www.goucher.edu

 

Hollins (VA) - http://www.hollins.edu 

 

Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY) - www.hunter.cuny.edu/

 

Lewis & Clark (OR) - http://www.lclark.edu

 

Lycoming College (PA) -  www.lycoming.edu (Added by a staff member at Lycoming College.)

 

Manhattanville (NY) - http://www.manhattanville.edu

 

Marist College (NY) - http://www.marist.edu

 

New College of Florida (FL) - http://www.ncf.edu

 

New York University (NY) - www.nyu.edu

 

Northeastern (MA) - www.northeastern.edu - [students can take courses at School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston & has a dual degree program with them]

 

Oberlin (OH) - http://new.oberlin.edu

 

Occidental College (CA) - art students can take courses at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena - http://www.oxy.edu/academics/programs-majors/exchange-cooperative-programs

 

Princeton University (NJ) - http://www.princeton.edu

 

Reed College (OR) - http://www.reed.edu/

 

Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) - http://www.rit.edu

 

Sarah Lawrence College (NY) - http://www.slc.edu

 

Shepherd University (WV) - http://www.shepherd.edu

 

Skidmore (NY) - http://www.skidmore.edu

 

Southern Oregon Universtiy (OR) - http://www.sou.edu/art

 

Southwestern University (TX) - http://www.southwestern.edu

 

State University of New York (SUNY) New Palz - http://www.newpaltz.edu

 

Susquehanna (PA)- http://www.susqu.edu/ 

 

Syracuse University (NY) - http://www.syracuse.edu

 

Transylvania University (KY) - https://www.transy.edu/academics/program/art-and-art-history/studio-art/ 

 

Tufts (MA) - www.tufts.edu - [students can take courses at School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston & has a dual degree program with them]

 

University of Arkansas Main Campus (AR) - http://www.uark.edu

 

University of California Davis (CA) - http://www.ucdavis.edu

 

University of California Los Angeles (CA) - http://www.arts.ucla.edu

 

University of Cincinnati (OH) - http://www.uc.edu

 

University of Delaware (DE) - also has major in Art Conservation - http://www.udel.edu/art 

 

University of Louisiana (LA) - http://www.louisiana.edu

 

University of Maine (ME) - http://www.umaine.edu

 

University of Michigan (MI) - http://www.umich.edu

 

University of North Carolina Greensboro (NC) - http://www.uncg.edu

 

University of South Florida (FL) - http://www.usf.edu

 

Vassar (NY) - http://www.vassar.edu

 

Virginia Commonwealth University (VA) - http://www.vcu.edu

 

Washington University (MO) - http://www.washu.edu

 

Wesleyan University (CT) - http://www.wesleyan.edu

 

Wheaton (MA) - http://www.wheatoncollege.edu

 

Williams (MA) - http://www.williams.edu

 

Yale (CT) - http://www.yale.edu/