Degree Type:
Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Minor
Mode of Study:
On Campus

Do you appreciate Botticelli, Ingres, Delacroix, Kandinsky, or Matisse? Does that sentence mean something to you? If so, you may enjoy earning a degree in Art concentrating in Painting. Pierre Auguste Renoir once said, “There isn’t a single person or landscape or subject which doesn’t possess some interest, although it may not be immediately apparent. When a painter discovers this hidden treasure, other people are immediately struck by its beauty.”

At Methodist University, we teach you how to stretch a canvas and mix colors. We also teach you to see the interest that Renoir is extolling. Your own creative point of view can then come through. And, although you may dream of your work hung in galleries so others can be “immediately struck,” this isn’t the limit to career options. Every work of art in a newspaper, magazine, book, or on a poster was created by an artist somewhere. It just took an appreciation to include it.

The Art Department is staffed by practicing artists and designers who regularly exhibit and/or publish their work.

The Art Department seeks students willing to work hard and perform with a degree of independence. Each student is encouraged to explore various media and techniques to provide a broad base from which to select and pursue his/her primary goal.

Demonstrated competency through actual performance is a basic criterion for being accepted and/or continuing in any of the programs.

Program Status

Effective Fall 2024, the A.A. and B.A. programs in Art are in teach out and no longer accepting new students.

Common Career Paths

Some of the top jobs for those with an Art bachelor degrees include art director, creative director, user experience (UX) designer, multimedia artist, animator, graphic design artist, and much more. 

Common Salary Ranges for Graduates

As mentioned above, there’s a long list of career opportunities for those with Art degrees. But, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual salary for the following positions (which may require additional education) in North Carolina in 2021:

  • Arts, drama, and music teacher: $86,240
  • Art and design worker: $58,910
  • Art director: $115,430
  • Animator: $86,220

Average Tuition Cost

The average cost for an incoming residential freshman to attend MU is less than $18,000 – similar to the cost of attending one of the big-box public schools, but with the enhanced value of a highly-regarded private school with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

While tuition varies, depending on a student’s financial aid package, it’s important to know that the average financial award for an incoming residential freshman at MU is more than $34,000.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

More than 97% of MU students receive some form of financial aid, with the University offering more than $24 million annually to students for scholarships. If a student is active military, family of active military, or a veteran, they may also qualify for MU’s military education benefits.

Goals

  1. Upon completion of the course of study within an Art Department curriculum, students will demonstrate understanding of the history and theory of art,
  2. Demonstrate ability to identify visual art objects and relate them to their historical and cultural contexts,
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary necessary to understand and discuss art,
  4. Demonstrate the ability to combine knowledge of art history and studio processes, and
  5. Demonstrate proficiency in at least one creative studio process.

Contact

Scott Marosek, D.M.A.

Division Head, Fine & Performing Arts; Union-Zukowski Professor of Music
Scott Marosek