INFORMATION FOR
The Department of Art will prepare you for careers in a variety of exciting creative fields, including animation and game design; advertising and graphic and web design; photography, film, and video; certified art education; fine artistry and arts advocacy in galleries and museums; and textile and wallpaper design.
"Creating my own stories and seeing them come to life – that’s been my joy." Hiromi shares her story.
Alumni in arts, humanities, and social sciences are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in Art fields (NACE)
Noteworthy Art Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
The BFA degree is oriented for those students whose objectives are inclined toward liberal arts training within a most rigorous professional studio arts program. Both our BA and BFA degrees are planned to enhance visual perception, cultivate independent thinking and prepare students for a variety of careers that require a keenly developed sensitivity in the visual arts.Concentrations: Sculpture and 3D Design - Photography - Painting, Drawing and Printmaking - Graphic Design and Interactive Design - Animation and Multimedia - Interdisciplinary.
View academic program requirements and course descriptions in the University Course Catalog:
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Within the BA, majors are offered in art history and studio art. Certification for teaching is also offered. Both our BA and BFA degrees are planned to enhance visual perception, cultivate independent thinking, and prepare students for a variety of careers that require a keenly developed sensitivity in the visual arts.
Accelerated program:
The Art Department offers an 18-credit minor in Art History which emphasizes critical thinking, research, and writing about visual art of all kinds. Our courses, most of which count toward UCC areas from creativity to writing and global connectivities, cover the breadth of art historical time periods, geographic locations, and visual media, from cave painting to contemporary installation, photography, and film. The program also takes advantage of our close proximity to New York City by connecting students with museum internships and utilizing New York museums and galleries in virtually all art history courses.
The Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) in Animation offers an advanced graduate degree in digital and digitally-aided 3D and 2D animation in preparation of a professional career in the commercial or fine arts animation industry. This program focuses on the skillsets required for leadership roles in filmmaking, television, commercials, game design and other target careers in animation for our graduates. Students can take advantage of professional events, visiting artists and networking opportunities available through knowledgeable and connected faculty in the close proximity of New York City. More info »
The MFA degree encourages the enhancement of imagination through the creation and interpretation of meaningful work in art, design, sculpture, graphic media and the visual arts. More info »
This certificate prepares students to: produce 3-D and 2-D Cel animation; develop mechanics of storytelling, character development, and visual language; develop a clear aesthetic and conceptual understanding of animation and video games as an art form through a creative process that includes storyboarding, drawing, previsualization, animation, problem-solving and filmmaking skills; develop best practices, standards, expectations, and career paths and strategies by producing work according to regular deadlines and by practicing professional etiquette; and apply critical assessment to their own and their peer's work. Learn more »
» Current students sign-up here: Declare Certificate» If you are not currently enrolled as a student, please apply here.
This certificate prepares students to: develop an understanding of narrative strategies, production pipeline and structure in games, develop interactive game character and environmental creation techniques, develop their aesthetic and conceptual understanding of animation and video games as an art form, apply critical assessment to their own and their peer's work, complete a complex and large-scale gaming project. Learn more »
Our art programs provide students with hands-on experiences through internships, exhibitions, study abroad, and publications opportunities that translate into real world employment and success. Students benefit from advanced facilities including cutting-edge studios and labs for animation and game design, photography, printmaking, painting, drawing, sculpture, and ceramics. Our Center for New Art features a lab where students can use 3D printers and giant carving robots to create life-size artwork.
In our art programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including:
Our graduates are prepared for a wide range of careers.
Art students have vast opportunities for internships, including working with faculty on campus in our art studios, art galleries, and visual resource collections, as well as at external locations such as artist studios, professional organizations, and design studios.
Our professors are proud practitioners in their fields and love to share their expertise beyond the classroom. Mentorship is at the core of our department, and it’s our goal that every student work directly with a faculty member to expand their knowledge and worldview.
BFA, art, creative director, New Possibilities Group
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
A photograph by Robin Schwartz, professor of art, is included in PhotoVogue’s 2025 Women by Women Shortlist. This digital exhibition includes a group of 150 photographers and video makers whose work explores what it means to see—and be seen—as a woman.
The 150 shortlisted artists were selected from nearly 100,000 submissions from more than 9,500 artists across 149 countries and territories. From intimate portraits to bold conceptual narratives, from fashion to documentary, the selected works span a wide range of voices, styles, and visions.
Schwartz’s photograph, taken in Australia, was made possible by support from her Guggenheim Fellowship in Photography project, “Caretakers and Whom They Rescue and Get Rescued Back.” The photograph included in the digital exhibition is titled “Emily and Tal’ngai,” from Schwartz’s series Women Who Rehabilitated Rescued Flying Fox Bats at the Australian Bat Clinic. Led by Trish Patterson and a team of women volunteers, the clinic rescued and rehabilitated over 300 injured flying foxes—victims of habitat loss, climate change, and human activity. Some bats returned to the wild, while others, too severely wounded, remained in lifelong care.
“The project honors these women's compassion and the ecological importance of flying foxes—pollinators essential to Australia's environment. It is also a tribute to resilience, care work, and the fragile bond between species,” says Schwartz.
Schwartz is a 2016 Guggenheim Fellow in Photography. Her award-winning photography and images of animals have appeared in museums and galleries around the world. Her photographs have previously been published in The New York Times Magazine, Time Magazine LIGHTBOX, The New Yorker, Oprah, and National Geographic, among numerous others.
