Discover your potential and prepare for your creative future
In the YSU Department of Art, we recognize that each student is unique with individual talents, goals, and passions as artists and designers. Our programs focus on your future and you. Our student-to-faculty ratio allows you to explore your interests in depth and shape your education to suit your passion. This personalized experience helps you develop your niche and position yourself for the countless opportunities in our communities, schools, and today’s creative industries.
The Department of Art offers degrees and programs in several areas of study, with studio instruction in ceramics, digital media, graphic + interactive design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Our Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) programs will broaden your understanding of the concepts of art and the language of visual form. We concentrate on your development and involvement with the processes and practices of the visual arts. You'll be exposed to various techniques, processes, and experiences; learn from acclaimed guest artists; and be encouraged to participate in a variety of learning opportunities. As a student in the Department of Art, you'll receive a significant amount of individual attention from our world-class faculty and find a community of mentors and colleagues who are committed to your success.
We’re dedicated to providing dynamic and integrated experiences that are enriched by our state-of-the-art resources. Housed in Bliss Hall, our art facilities support your engagement in collaborative, groundbreaking work that cultivates new ways to assimilate art into our communities, schools, and the industry. Exhibition venues available for your use include the McDonough Museum of Art, the Judith Rae Solomon Gallery, and the Student Project Gallery.
We know that you have interests that lie beyond what you're studying or making. Becoming involved in art or university student organizations is an ideal way to pursue those interests, interact with community members on and off campus, and find your own unique niche in the department and at YSU. We encourage you to join a student organization and improve your leadership skills, develop professional contacts, and have a positive impact on your campus and surrounding community. For art students, the Empty Bowls Fundraiser, the Red Press Collaborative, a study abroad trip to Glasgow, Scotland, and the Student Art Association may be of special interest.
Learn about our programs
To learn more about our degree programs and scholarships or to schedule a campus visit, contact Cliffe College Program Coordinator of Admissions and Recruitment at sawaltman@ysu.edu or 330.941.2346. We would love to hear about your interests, introduce you to our outstanding faculty and students, show you our exceptional facilities, and become an important part of your future.
Step into the vibrant world of Graphic + Interactive Design at Youngstown State University. Our program houses a dynamic studio art major with a concentration in graphic design that ignites creativity and equips students with the tools to shape the design landscape. The program explores typography, illustration, layout design, identity systems, package design, motion graphics, and web design. This program is not just about pixels and vectors; it’s about critical thinking and creative problem-solving with a strong core of fine art studio courses.
The Interdisciplinary Studio Arts (ISA) program at YSU was designed specifically for students with interests in ceramics, digital media, graphic + interactive design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Students enrolled in the program explore and combine a variety of media to investigate and examine relevant topics across studio areas. The program fosters innovative thinking, and students in the ISA program have the flexibility to select the upper-division coursework that corresponds with their unique vision. In addition, the program prepares students for success in the contemporary art world, with a focus on career readiness and building business skills for artists. Career preparation is built into the degree through required business minors that may be layered with certifications in both art and business. The Interdisciplinary Studio Art degree prepares our students to tackle the workforce head-on, creating visually skilled, financially savvy artists who are ready to make their mark nationally and internationally.
The Minor in Digital Media for Non-Art Majors provides students with the opportunity to explore how digital media works and teaches skills related to motion graphics, modeling, and animation.
The Minor in Interdisciplinary Game Studies is offered by the Department of Art, the Department of Computer Sciences and Information Systems, and the Dana School of Music. The curriculum allows students to focus on their area of interest while also broadening their collaborations with colleagues in other areas.
The Minor in Photography for Non-Art Majors is designed for students seeking to develop formal, conceptual, and technical skills and knowledge necessary for photographic image making, processing, and manipulation.
The Minor in Studio Art for Non-Art Majors provides students with strong technical and critical thinking skills along with experience in working with a variety of media.
