WHAT CAN I DO WITH AN ART DEGREE? This is a great question that is asked by not only students, but also parents. "Artists can have good careers, earning a middle-class income," says Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. "And, just as important and maybe more, artists tend to be happy with their choices and lives." The opportunity to be happy is certainly valuable, but everybody wants to know exactly what jobs can they get with an art degree?
The common answer is that graduates can get jobs in advertising, museums, graphic and design companies. They can get paid to do photography, commercial animation, art therapy, and even teaching. An artist with a lot of talent could become a professional artist. Here is a website that lists 209 jobs that require a degree in art. And though all these professions hire artists, these certainly aren’t the only professions available to someone who majors in art. This is the tip of the ice burg.
It is the difference between Skills and Abilities. Let me explain. When you study art you learn skills that help you to develop your artistic talents. You learn how to use creative software on multiple computer platforms. You learn how to use power tools and how to make things out of a wide variety of materials. These are very important, but they are ultimately not the most important things one will learn in terms of getting a job. Every high level job is looking for special abilities in potential employees. As it turns out, those desirable abilities are at the core of a successful art program.
First and foremost employers want someone who has learned how to learn, to think critically, to approach problems with innovative and creative ways of thinking. They seek out graduates that know how to communicate verbally and visually, who can think outside the box, and who can carry projects through to completion. All of these important abilities are developed, practiced, and enhanced in an art program.
I read on an employer survey that 85% “agree that creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their career.” The two top abilities that employers are looking for are communication skills and creative problem solving. It is also important for employers to hire a person who is able to adapt, to be able to do multiple jobs within the company. Again, it comes down to creative problem solving. And artistically trained students have an advantage because this is an ability that many people have not developed in college.
This is why I believe that an art major gives one a distinct advantage in the job market over someone who was trained to do one specialized skill and can’t think outside their own box or they lack the ability to adapt to other responsibilities. Now granted, if you want to be a therapist, a lawyer, or a doctor, you should major in those fields. I don’t want a sculptor taking out my appendix! But if you have some creative talent and want to learn a broad base of marketable skills and abilities, then the art curriculum is a perfect place to bring your passion, your determination, your willingness to learn, and your energy! In my experience, it will pay off.
Professor Garin Horner
The Graph above is from Prospects.
The common answer is that graduates can get jobs in advertising, museums, graphic and design companies. They can get paid to do photography, commercial animation, art therapy, and even teaching. An artist with a lot of talent could become a professional artist. Here is a website that lists 209 jobs that require a degree in art. And though all these professions hire artists, these certainly aren’t the only professions available to someone who majors in art. This is the tip of the ice burg.
It is the difference between Skills and Abilities. Let me explain. When you study art you learn skills that help you to develop your artistic talents. You learn how to use creative software on multiple computer platforms. You learn how to use power tools and how to make things out of a wide variety of materials. These are very important, but they are ultimately not the most important things one will learn in terms of getting a job. Every high level job is looking for special abilities in potential employees. As it turns out, those desirable abilities are at the core of a successful art program.
First and foremost employers want someone who has learned how to learn, to think critically, to approach problems with innovative and creative ways of thinking. They seek out graduates that know how to communicate verbally and visually, who can think outside the box, and who can carry projects through to completion. All of these important abilities are developed, practiced, and enhanced in an art program.
I read on an employer survey that 85% “agree that creative thinking is critical for problem solving in their career.” The two top abilities that employers are looking for are communication skills and creative problem solving. It is also important for employers to hire a person who is able to adapt, to be able to do multiple jobs within the company. Again, it comes down to creative problem solving. And artistically trained students have an advantage because this is an ability that many people have not developed in college.
This is why I believe that an art major gives one a distinct advantage in the job market over someone who was trained to do one specialized skill and can’t think outside their own box or they lack the ability to adapt to other responsibilities. Now granted, if you want to be a therapist, a lawyer, or a doctor, you should major in those fields. I don’t want a sculptor taking out my appendix! But if you have some creative talent and want to learn a broad base of marketable skills and abilities, then the art curriculum is a perfect place to bring your passion, your determination, your willingness to learn, and your energy! In my experience, it will pay off.
Professor Garin Horner
The Graph above is from Prospects.
