Visual arts bachelor’s degree program

Areas of Study

A Look Inside the Visual Arts Bachelor’s Degree Program at Wells

Our visual arts program emphasizes flexibility and self-discovery, supported by a level of individual attention and one-on-one mentorship you won’t find at many universities. We’re a small college with small classes, but you won’t have to wait for studio time or equipment. Wells is also centrally located to the major art capitals of the eastern United States, with a strong regional culture of art production in and around Aurora, N.Y. We travel often to look at art and work in the field, and bring visiting artists and critics to campus as well in partnership with the String Room Gallery.

As a visual arts major, you’ll have a variety of opportunities to interact with working artists and develop your craft through responsive coursework, internships and many forms of experiential learning. You’ll work towards the design and execution of your own senior thesis art exhibition, preparing you for experiences and careers beyond undergraduate study.

As a Visual Arts Major, You’ll . . .

Work across disciplines, methodologies and materials to develop and sustain your personal art practice in a studio setting
Engage the stakes of a professional visual arts practice through interaction with the String Room Gallery, Book Arts Center, and professional internships
Explore the complex relationships between art and society (and culture, and ecology, and . . .)
Become conversant in modern art concepts and contemporary trends, global traditions and frameworks, and past artistic epochs
Participate actively in shaping your own path through the major!

Visual Arts Clubs and Other Aurora Campus Programs

Visual arts majors can enhance their work in the studio and classroom by participating in student life—especially cultural activities. Here are a few opportunities that might catch your interest:

Student Art Shows
Morgan Colloquium (art history and history lectures and discussions)
String Room Gallery Shows
The Sycamore (student social issues magazine)
The Cardinal (yearbook)
The Chronicle (literary magazine)

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Beyond the Classroom: Experiential Learning in the Visual Arts

Learn how to curate and install an exhibition for the public, and hold an opening reception as a student assistant with the String Room Gallery. Create a cohesive body of work and plan your own senior thesis exhibition. Interact closely with working artists through internship programs as well as our partnerships with galleries, museums, and archives in the local New York region and beyond. As a visual arts major at Wells, you’ll have abundant opportunities for hands-on learning to prepare you for real-world endeavors.

Internship and Study Abroad Opportunities

These are just a few of the internships in the field of visual arts held by Wells students in recent years:

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
Everson Museum, Syracuse, N.Y.
Testfabrics, Inc., West Pittstown, Penn.
Bill Stone Photography, New York City
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.

Paint from a rooftop in Florence as you study Renaissance art at its roots. Or pursue your artistic vision in Japan, England or Germany. Visual Arts majors can pursue programs around the world.

Career Options for Visual Arts Graduates

A bachelor’s degree in visual arts from Wells College will prepare you for a variety of careers and professional opportunities. Graduates of our program work in museums, art galleries, and art studios, as well as fields such as art therapy, communications and media. Others have gone on to prestigious graduate school programs to pursue further study in the arts. A visual arts major can also lead to jobs with educational nonprofits, historical societies, marketing, libraries and a variety of other settings.