Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Yes, in this online program, art studies students will get to make art. This art studies program is about looking, making, thinking and communicating. While most online art programs have a design or graphic design focus, this online art program is a studio arts program for students wanting a broad survey of art practices.

This hands-on art studies program looks to expand beyond the traditional fine arts degree pathway by offering experimental processes across a vast array of mediums and materials with the goal of pushing you into new generative thinking and problem-solving modes, by allowing you to discover rather than merely replicate.

What is studio art?

Studio art is defined as the practice of visual art made in a studio. This online art degree’s curriculum includes studio art courses, taught by professional artists, in the areas of printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, animation and illustration. While a large focus of this art studies program is studio art, you do not need any prior experience in it, as the program’s courses are built to bring everyone up to the same level of skills.

What skills will I gain from the art studies degree concentration?

In this online art degree, you’ll gain a wide range of career-focused skills, such as creative thinking, ethical reasoning, problem solving, verbal and written communication, cultural awareness and quantitative reasoning.

Additionally, through making and discussing art, you’ll become knowledgeable in a range of artistic practices, materials and processes, including:

• Creating artistic and visual designs or displays.
• Designing merchandise or product displays.
• Developing graphic art, artistic content and marketing or promotional materials.
• Learning about bookbinding.
• Telling stories through visual art.
• Understanding the composition and elements of design.
• Writing material for artistic or commercial purposes.

Traditionally, when picking a program, students are forced to choose between creative and technical fields. However, this program was created to break the mold and fill the growing demand for employees with multiple skill sets.

This program focuses on fostering a new kind of digital fluency — not only proficiency with design, tools and code, but also the ability to adapt to the rapid change associated with 21st century culture. As a media arts major, you’ll learn about the latest digital tools and systems while immersing yourself in the issues of lived experience in our new connected world.

What you’ll learn in this media arts and sciences program

You’ll master cutting-edge tools, engage in critical reflection of these tools and discuss their impact on our lived experience. Throughout your courses, you’ll also:

• Create images, animations and interactive programs.
• Examine the effects of digital technology on the way we live, communicate, learn and create.
• Experiment with techniques for physical, digital, literary and artistic prototyping.
• Explore techniques in programming in the context of images, sounds, interaction, networking and data visualization.
• Trace our evolution, look at current examples of hybrid cultural processes and discuss possible future trends.
• Learn how to use images, movies, sound files, microphones and cameras.

This program concludes with a hands-on capstone, in which you’ll integrate, extend and apply information, principles, theories and methods learned in previous courses while supervised by your instructor.

Please note: During the semesters spent completing your capstone, you’ll have access to all on-campus computing and fabrication resources, including a digital fabrication lab with 3D printers, a wood shop, laser cutters and an electronics lab.

Careers for media arts majors

As our world continues to evolve, there’s a surging demand for professionals who are both creative and technical. This program supports and fosters digital creativity, helping you stay ahead of the curve in our ever-changing digital culture.

Throughout your courses, you’ll gain computer, media, aesthetics and cultural literacy skills. With these skills and the hands-on experience gained in your capstone, you’ll have the knowledge and experience needed for a variety of jobs, including app designer, web developer, sound artist, UX designer and video game designer.

Graphic designers shape how information is shared through visual communication. You’ll study design principles, layout strategies and storytelling techniques to develop engaging messaging. This degree emphasizes responsible design practices and builds your ability to communicate visually beyond just mastering software tools. Upon graduation, you’ll possess a wide range of transferable skills and competencies needed to succeed as a graphic designer, such as:

• Book design
• Color
• Critical thinking
• Environmental design
• Motion graphics
• Seeing, drawing and translating
• Strategic problem solving
• Storytelling
• 3D design
• Typography
• Visual literacy

Who's a good candidate for this graphic design program?

This program is designed for students who are curious, adaptable and excited to learn through hands-on projects. You’ll be a great fit if you’re looking to sharpen your critical thinking while using design to communicate meaningful ideas.

You’ll also thrive if you appreciate deep, thoughtful learning and are ready to participate in digital coursework. Please note this program does not teach specific, in-depth design software. You will, however, have opportunities to develop your technical skills independently with support from resources.

Museum studies focuses on the global, contemporary, art historical and theoretical aspects of museums and cultural institutions. This field spans the design, organization and management of museums. 

The museum studies degree online combines the academic study of art history with the broad scope of museum practice. Through practical learning experiences, you’ll study the basic functions of museum operations. You’ll also learn about the important role museums and cultural institutions play in educating the public and raising cultural heritage awareness on local, national and international levels.

Earn your museum studies degree concentration online

This museum studies degree online features coursework on the study of art and all facets of museums, including curating, fundraising and marketing. With courses developed and taught by recognized professionals in museum studies, you’ll explore art galleries, preservation societies exhibitions, and public art programs from global, art historical and cultural contexts.

Through coursework and internships, you’ll become knowledgeable in art history, museum practice and visual thinking. You’ll gain the experience and skills needed to pursue careers in local, national and international museums.

How to get a job at a museum

Earning a museum studies undergraduate programs online is an excellent first step in getting a job at a museum. Upon graduating, you’ll possess a variety of skills and competencies needed to succeed in a range of roles in museums, art galleries, archives, art-based organizations and cultural institutions, including:

• Creative and critical thinking.
• Ethical decision-making and reasoning.
• Expertise on the art museums workings and ethics.
• Language and visual literacy.
• Problem solving and quantitative reasoning.
• Reading ability in at least one foreign language.
• Written and verbal communication skills. 

With an undergraduate museum studies degree, you can typically pursue entry-level assistant positions for curators, archivists, public relations and other key roles in the museum and other art institutions. However, you may need more education, experience and training to land professional positions in museums and related organizations.  

A master’s degree in museum studies prepares students for professional roles in museums. These higher-level roles may include curators, registrars, public relations specialists, educators and many other positions. For instance, a master’s degree in library science is necessary for a position as an art librarian. A Master of Business Administration may be necessary for museum administration. Also, a doctoral degree is often necessary for curatorial positions. We encourage you to look into the different educational requirements for museum careers you may want to pursue in the future.