Bachelor of Arts in Art Practices

Our students become adept writers, thinkers and cultural leaders who understand the transformative power of art and who enjoy careers in museums, galleries, libraries, public relations, commercial illustration, advertising, marketing and publishing.

Art has the power to transform people and society, which is why we prepare our students to become adept writers, thinkers and cultural leaders uniquely equipped to enter society and the job market. From ceramics to digital media, our students gain a broad understanding of the field of art practices. 

  • Learn a wide range of stylistic approaches to art
  • Explore critical issues in art practice
  • Understand what it means to be a creative, empathetic thinker

Our art practices program offers the broadest professional art training in the Rocky Mountain region, including: painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics and electronic media of video, photography and digital art 

Art faculty have showcased their art at more than 2,500 solo and group exhibitions across the globe and have won numerous residencies and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, Fulbright and Guggenheim

Our fine arts program is considered one of the best in the nation—#23 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report ranking

Be successful.

A BA in art practices strategically equips students with tools needed to succeed in, and contribute to, today’s culturally pluralistic society and job market.

  
$71,420

mean annual salary of fine artists, including painters, sculptors and illustrators

(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

 

Graphic designer, art director, creative director, artist are common job titles of our graduates; those with art degrees report working in curatorial positions in museums, galleries or libraries, or in public relations, commercial illustration, advertising, marketing or publishing

 

At CU Boulder, art practices graduates earn more than the nationwide average of comparable majors, as reported by PayScale

Academic Plan & Requirements

Portfolio submission is not required to declare art practices as a major or minor. First-year students study a range of art-focused coursework, including studio art, history of world art, global art and visual culture, and U.S. art across cultures. Students must complete 33 credits in the major.

And an additional degree option for art practice students:

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in art practices: This degree is intended for motivated students interested in and committed to pursuing a professional career in the arts. 

Community & Involvement

We offer students many opportunities to network with peers and faculty, further their studies, and get the most out of their undergraduate experience.

Be inspired.

The Department of Art and Art History has an extensive list of alumni working and performing in a variety of fields across the globe.

Some alumni of the program include:

Steve Ells

(BA'88)
Founder and CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill

Molly Hatch

(MFA ceramics, '08)
Artist designer for Hatch Designs LLC who has sold her work to Anthropologie, Galison, Chronicle Books, Quarry, Graphique de France and more

Ben Jackel

(BFA'00)
A sculptor living in Los Angeles who has had solo exhibitions at L.A. Louver and other galleries; in 2014 he was artist-in-residence at Fullerton College, Fullerton, California

Willis Pyle

('37)
An animator with Walt Disney Animation Studios who worked on such films as Pinocchio, Fantasia and Bambi

Dexter Williams

(MA'80)
Director of fixed income markets at Capital Group Companies in Los Angeles

News & Stories

College of Arts & Sciences magazine cover