I am currently a senior applying to colleges (within the next month) and majors are becoming more and more confusing. I intended on applying on these colleges:
NYU
SVA
MASSART
SCAD
MICA
UNCSA
and possibly UNCC as a safety school after decisions from other schools.
I want to do both animation and art education, but certain schools only offer one or the other. Someone suggested to major in studio art or animation for a BFA, and then obtain a MFA or MAT after graduation. I understand this would probably be easier, but I kind of hoped to do everything at once in four years rather than six- for cost and time reasons. I’m really unsure of what to do??
I also have heard about Gallatin at NYU, and I would likely be able to focus on both animation and education at the same time. I’ve also been in band for seven years, and I think I might be able to do that as well- just not as my main focus (more for financial/scholarship purposes).
I’m just really confused and I need to put together my portfolio within the next two weeks (before December), and I thought I knew what I wanted but now I’m even more confused. Any advice or experience would be helpful! Thanks.
I’m going to ditto the advice you’ve already received. Get your degree and then add to it later depending on the direction you ultimately decide to take. You may find that teaching will take back seat to a career in your chosen field.
My D went to Ringling for animation. It was an extremely tough program. There wouldn’t have been a chance of adding anything extra to her course load. I don’t know about the course load at other schools but I’m sure others can fill you in.
After working several years she now will be pursuing a masters while she is working starting next year so we’lll see how that balances.
I do know that colleges require a master’s (at least) in order to teach. Depending on what you ultimately want to do the art education degree may be unnecessary and you might want something else that adds extra skills to an animation degree.
I don’t know the credentials necessary to teach HS art. You may be able to get teaching certification rather than needing a specific degree.
My daughter was also interested in a BFA & Art Ed (& applied to a similar list of schools). When all the financial aid came in it was down to a university she liked ok where she could double major OR a top tier art school she loved. She talked to all her art teachers & everyone said go for the BFA at the art school & pursue teaching as a Masters. They felt that it’s important to have that time to really invest in developing herself as an artist first.
Good thing, because by sophomore year she isn’t so sure about the teaching anymore (has had a part time job working with kids) & has been exposed to additional ways to make a living as an artist.
Sure no problem - she’s at RISD. The other university she was looking at was Syracuse. Also got into MICA, MassArt, New Paltz & St Rose (but they closed their art ed dept). Didn’t apply to others for various reasons (wanted Illustration & possibly art ed).
Related to that, check your state’s requirements, but in our home state (NY) there’s several routes to becoming certified as an art teacher in k-12 or at the college level. So in my daughter’s case, there’s a SUNY school (New Paltz) that will be much less expensive AND get her the more rigorous NYS teacher certification if she still wants to pursue art ed.