Gain hands-on experience in our personalized programs that emphasize your individual creative development.
Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree?
Adelphi University’s Department of Art and Art History offers future artists and arts professionals a rigorous training in the visual arts. Courses are designed to offer the next generation of visual thinkers the practical skills and the theoretical framework to reimagine the field and their place within it. Students are challenged to think critically, hone their aesthetic skills, and seek creative solutions as they explore a variety of media, including new and emerging digital forms.
You can create and exhibit your artwork or pursue a graduate degree to become a curator or art conservator. You can work towards becoming a professional exhibiting artist and prepared for applications to Artist Residencies and Master of Fine Art’s Programs. You can also choose to pursue a career in graphic design, multimedia animation or web design for marketing or publishing companies.
Why Major in Art at Adelphi?
We offer studio Concentrations in Graphic Design and Studio Arts. Our areas of study in Studio Arts include painting, printmaking, photography, digital art, illustration/cartooning, ceramics and sculpture.
- Receive one-on-one attention in small classes taught by our experienced art professors.
- Have the opportunity to take classes at some of the most famous museums in New York City.
- Become career-ready with the right tools and internship experiences to succeed outside the classroom.
An Adelphi art student cleans her printing screen as she works on an assignment during printmaking class.
93%*
* Adelphi University Career Outcomes Survey: Class of 2018Concentrations
Studio Art
Both the BFA and BA programs in studio art will equip you with the skills and confidence needed to build your own studio art practice while simultaneously providing you with the tools needed to pursue work in commercial art and design. As a studio art student, you will work closely with professional artists to help build your techniques and refine your vision.
Graphic Design
The BFA in Graphic Design combines rigorous coursework with industry experience. You will take classes in studio, advertising design, web design and computer graphics applications. In your final year, you will work with clients from industry pulled from both the University as well as neighboring communities, complete a semester-long professional internship, and develop a thesis project to be exhibited in one of the University galleries.
Minors
Art and Design Education Minor
The minor in Art and Design Education introduces students to contemporary issues and methodologies in the field of art and design education including cutting-edge technologies and new forms of cultural expression, across a range of settings including preK-12 schools, community arts programs, and museums.
Art History Minor
The minor in Art History gives an Adelphi student the opportunity to study art from passionate scholars who care deeply about research and teaching. Our art faculty regularly takes advantage of the University’s proximity to New York City by holding classes in museums and art galleries, inviting guest scholars and curators to campus, and encouraging students to pursue internships in the city.
Art Therapy Minor
The art therapy minor is useful for students majoring in either art or psychology who are interested in pursuing graduate training in art therapy (a requirement for both licensure and practice). The minor conforms to the recommendations made by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA).
Graphic Design Minor
The graphic design minor will introduce students to both traditional studio skills and cutting edge digital image making, providing them with the necessary foundation for contemporary visual communication.
Studio Art Minor
The studio art minor will equip students with the skills and confidence needed to build their own studio art practice while simultaneously providing them with the tools needed to pursue work in commercial art and design.
Video Game Design Minor
The video game design minor introduces students to the components of game design from the perspectives of Art, Film, and Computer Science. The program culminates in a course in which students collaborate in creative teams to develop and produce an original video game.
Adelphi’s art program gave me all the essential tools I needed to carry with me throughout my career. It has fostered the way in which I see myself in the world, as well as the type of artist I wish to be.
Galleries and Exhibitions
We proudly display the work of our students and faculty at ongoing exhibitions in gallery spaces in both Garden City and Manhattan:
- Ruth S. Harley University Center Gallery
- Swirbul Library gallery
- Gallery of the Performing Arts Center
- Manhattan Center Gallery
Here are some links to view our students’ art virtually:
Exceptional Hands-On Learning
Adelphi’s proximity to New York City gives you the opportunity to land an internship at some of the most famous museums, design and advertising firms, and publications. Our professors will guide and support you through this process. Students have gained work experience at companies such as:
- Atlantic Records
- Marathon Digital
- Marvel Worldwide Inc.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- O, The Oprah Magazine
Program Info
Course & Requirements
Application Requirements
To apply for this program, submit the appropriate application requirements along with a portfolio of recent work.
Transformative Educational Opportunities
All undergraduate students have the opportunity to apply for the following programs to expand their educational landscape:
- The Honors College – fostering intellectual perspectives and critical skills
- Levermore Global Scholars – preparing students to become global thinkers and leaders
- Study Abroad – providing opportunities to experience another culture and see the world from a new perspective
Awards & Recognition
