The Visual Arts program is designed to provide you with the foundational skills, theoretical context and creative productivity you will need as a developing artist, as an associate degree graduate looking for employment in creative fields, or as an art student planning to continue your education beyond the two-year level. The majority of the program requirements are studio art classes and you will also be able to choose additional art classes from the great variety of art offerings at CCV. The program requires a total of 60 credits, of which at least 27 must be in art and art history.
Program Outcomes
Successful graduates will be able to:
- display technical skill in drawing and composition, applying principles of design and color to their work;
- explain aesthetic elements of fine art and discuss art work from historical and contemporary perspectives;
- create art work using a wide variety of techniques, leading to the development of an individual style;
- compile a portfolio of finished work that is displayed in a professional manner and effectively integrates content and form;
- demonstrate academic skills required of all CCV graduates including competency in writing, information literacy, oral communication, and quantitative reasoning; and
- explore pathways for educational and career development in the student’s field of study.
How Our Degree Works
CCV’s Visual Arts program allows you to become the artist you want to be while also getting a well-rounded college education. The Visual Arts concentration will provide you with an essential art education and the hands-on skills you need to hone your craft and develop your style. You’ll study design, aesthetics, composition, and color, as well as the cultural and historical contexts for art. You won’t just study art, you’ll create it! We offer courses in drawing, painting, photography, paper arts, graphic design, color theory, ceramics, design, art history, and more. The classes will prepare you to work in a creative environment or to continue your education beyond the two-year level.
Why Our Degree Works
CCV’s Visual Arts program provides you with excellent instruction and a variety of facilities that allow you to explore different art media. Our faculty are artists themselves, respected and working in their fields. Because our classes are small and interactive, you’ll get the one-on-one attention you deserve to develop your style and talents. Our program works not only for students who want degrees but also for “lifelong learners” who want to acquire a new skill, develop their artistic abilities, or become artists themselves.
Career Opportunities
Art education provides you with important skills that are needed and appreciated in today’s workplace: team work, problem-solving ability, and creativity in technical and professional tasks. Visual Arts graduates work in design offices, marketing and publicity environments; communication fields; museum and other exhibition venues in the community; in schools and art centers as teachers; in the creative departments of large companies; in technical settings employing digital media; and many other environments where creative thinking is important.
Transfer Options
Many of our students transfer into four-year programs in the visual arts. CCV students have transferred to art programs at the University of Vermont, Johnson State College, Vermont College, Champlain College, the Maryland Institute of Art and many others. Through an articulation agreement with Lyndon State College, students who complete the Visual Arts program and meet certain academic requirements may transfer to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Animation-Illustration or the Bachelor of Arts program in Graphic Design–Illustration.
