Focused on the needs of 21st-century artists, the art major prepares students with the conceptual and technical abilities needed to succeed in the professional world.

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BFA

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What courses will you take?

Video by James Joutras '19

The B.F.A. in Art at UMass Lowell is designed to help you develop a rigorous art practice, with 80+ credit hours spent on making fine art or animation and interactive work. From Foundations to Advanced Studies, you'll take courses that integrate traditional art forms with new technologies.

At UMass Lowell, we offer two concentrations, which lead to a wide range of career opportunities.

Small classes (average class size is 15 students) offer individualized attention and allow you to become fluent in the discourse of your discipline. In the senior capstone project, you will develop a portfolio for your continued professional career.

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the B.F.A. program prepares you to enter your chosen art discipline at a professional level.

Visit the Academic Catalog for:

Visit the Academic Catalog for all degree pathways, including those from prior enrollment years.

  • Students who graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will:

    • Be informed and intelligent citizens, and as such be valuable members of society committed to making a difference as influential cultural producers, leaders, and trend-setters
    • Acquire fluency in the major discourses informing their concentrations in Studio Art and/or Graphic Design
    • Exhibit literacy in the history of art and visual communication
    • Be exposed to current trends in art and design
    • Be ready for careers in the creative industry as studio artists, photographers, illustrators, graphic designers, interactive-media practitioners, animators, gallery administrators, art critics and/or researchers.
    • Be qualified to enter graduate study in art, design, visual studies, and/or art education
    • Be able to integrate multiple disciplines and media for their creative projects in both personal work and professional pursuits
    • Demonstrate preparedness to navigate waves of cultural production and adjust to changing modes of visual expression in both art and graphic design fields
    • Not only excel in the area of concentration within their degree, but also in their ability to continually embrace, innovate and advance the ever-changing developments in art and design production and research.

Why study art at UMass Lowell?

Art student painting in a UMass Lowell studio

Fun Outside the Classroom

Put your learning into practice. Check out some of the fun ways UML students come together.

Professor and student review artwork in a UMass Lowell art studio

Experiential Learning

Gain hands-on experience through professional internships and co-ops. Students have worked with clients that include:

  • NASA
  • Reebok
  • Adidas
  • iRobot
Student photographing another student with a tablet computer in a UMass Lowell studio

Cutting-Edge Technology

Our facilities offer ample studio space and current technology including:

  • Cintiq drawing tablets
  • Laser cutters
  • 3-D printers & scanners
  • Motion capture & virtual reality technology
Group of students seated at a round table discussing video game design

Interested in Video Game Design?

Learn how you can combine programs to prepare for the fast-growing video game industry.

What can you do with a degree in art?

We're ranked the No. 1 art program for return on investment by Payscale.com. UMass Lowell’s art & design graduates are in high demand, with 96 percent landing jobs or being accepted into graduate programs within six months of graduation.

Art and design student painting in a UMass Lowell studio

Alumni of our program have worked at:

  • Adidas
  • Converse
  • Curriculum Associates
  • Disney
  • Draft Kings
  • Hill Holiday
  • IBM
  • iRobot
  • National Geographic
  • The Paper Store
  • Reebok
  • Rumbletree
  • Workhuman

Meet Our Students and Alumni

Adam Norton
Adam Norton ’10
Graphic Design

Adam Norton’s experience at the UMass Lowell robotics lab and Revolving Museum allowed him to work with iRobot on educational school visits to get the next generation hooked on robotics.

I may not know a person, but if I find out they’re from UMass Lowell, we automatically have a connection.
Read More About Adam Norton 
Ayah-Awadallah-1400
Ayah Awadallah '16
English, Journalism and Professional Writing; minor in Graphic Design

Ayah Awadallah is starting an online magazine for young American Muslim women caught between American culture and the tenets of their faith.

I came to UMass Lowell because it's a great school – and because I could live at home.
Read More About Ayah Awadallah 
Lisett Córdoba Pren poses in her graduation cap and gown
Lisett Córdoba Pren '23
Graphic Design

Lisett Córdoba Pren found support to overcome personal tragedy and earn a degree.

I never thought that I'd have so much support from others as I did at UML.
Read More About Lisett Córdoba Pren 
UMass Lowell Image
John Huikku '90
Art

John Huikku, using his art degree from UMass Lowell, is responsible for some of our most beloved movie characters, including Elsa from "Frozen."

It was all new, all self-led exploration…we did some pretty cool stuff [at UMass Lowell].
Read More About John Huikku 
Urdilinya Smith painting the new mural on South Campus at UMass Lowell
Urdilinya Smith ’23
Art

Urdilinya Smith helped paint the new mural on South Campus.

I want to carve out my own path, my own art, my own brand.
Read More About Urdilinya Smith 
Hillary Scott holding a paintbrush in front of a landscape painting
Hillary Scott '02
Art and Design

Hillary Scott ’02 has won national recognition for her landscape paintings.

Lighting in landscape is so magical.
Read More About Hillary Scott