The Best Art Schools in Philadelphia

Art Schools in Philadelphia: If you love painting, you might want to think about becoming a professional artist.

One of the best ways to launch a long, prosperous career in an industry that is notoriously difficult to break into is to earn a degree in art.

Attending art school can have a significant positive impact on anyone, even those who are already extremely confident in their artistic ability.

Going to art school can help students explore new mediums, develop priceless network connections, and learn how to use technology to enhance their personal style. In addition to the fact that a formal education in the arts is extremely appealing to future potential employers, attending art school can also help students explore new mediums.

Many students find it challenging and stressful to pick an art school from among the many wonderful options available.

It may be difficult to choose just one art school because there are so many various factors to take into account, such as the location of the school, the number of students enrolled, the range of course options, etc.

The following list of some of Philadelphia’s top options for students looking for a top art school has been put together by our team.

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Art Schools in Philadelphia

Here are the top art schools in Philadelphia, without further ado.

1. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

The earliest art school in the country was the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, which was established in 1805.

The fact that PAFA is not just a top-notch academy for the arts but also a museum—the nation’s first art museum, in fact—is one feature that distinguishes it from many other art schools.

The PAFA museum, which has been a recognized national historic site since 1975, is a priceless piece of Philadelphia’s past and the center of PAFA.

Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fine arts are available through PAFA.

The Academy also keeps a sizable collection of excellent American art and frequently holds exhibitions with a mix of works by modern and historic artists.

The annual student exhibition gives students the chance to display their creations for all to see on the walls of the esteemed school museum.

In addition to being one of the most anticipated and well-attended student art exhibitions in the nation, the ASE offers students the chance to sell their works and compete for prestigious scholarships.

Emphasizing the value of both learning and challenging traditions, PAFA gives students in all programs thorough instruction in the principles of traditional studio art while also giving them a great deal of creative freedom to find their own distinctive artistic voices.

2. University of the Arts

The University of Arts is one of the oldest and best art colleges in the nation. It was founded in 1876 as a result of the union of two earlier organizations, the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and the Philadelphia College of Art.

UArts’ objective to encourage creativity across humankind has remained constant since the institution’s founding more than a century ago.

In actuality, it was the first university to provide a PhD degree in creativity.

The University of the Arts has a collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University that enables all undergraduate students at either institution to enroll in specific courses at the other institution without paying any additional fees, which is one advantage of attending the university.

Through this partnership, University of the Arts students are able to enroll in a variety of courses, pursuing interests outside of the fine arts and personalizing their course of study to include interdisciplinary viewpoints.

Students majoring in art at UArts have a choice of 20 minors from a variety of academic fields, allowing them to pursue many creative fields throughout their undergraduate studies.

Any of the school’s 26 areas of study can lead to either a BM or BFA degree for undergraduate students.

Product design, sculpture, gaming art, illustration, photography, extended drawing & print media, and many other fields are available as majors.

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3. Tyler School of Art & Architecture at Temple University

The renowned Tyler School of Art and Architecture is located inside Temple University, a sizable public research university in the heart of Philadelphia.

With more than 36 different undergraduate and graduate degree programs, the Tyler School of Art and Architecture offers a wide range of educational opportunities.

Students at this institution have a wide range of possibilities, ranging from the BFA in fibers and material studies to the MS in city and regional planning.

The fact that Tyler offers such a wide range of program options, in addition to possessing cutting-edge facilities, further distinguishes it as a top art school.

Tyler’s 255,000-square-foot building on Temple University’s main campus in Philadelphia is where the majority of the school’s art classes are held.

There are numerous classrooms, lecture halls, and areas for student collaboration, exhibitions, and studio work among the facilities.

On Tyler’s campus, there are also a cafe, an academic counseling office, and a sizable green courtyard where students can unwind or draw outdoors.

Temple Modern, the school’s hub for outreach initiatives like exhibitions, roundtable discussions, and student performances, is also located in Tyler.

4. Drexel University Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

The Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, a division of Drexel University, is an art college committed to educating aspiring artists for professions in the arts, particularly in media, performance, design, and the visual arts as a whole.

Since 1919, Drexel University has been a cooperative education institution, which means that all undergraduate students are expected to complete a six-month internship in the field of their choice as part of their degree program.

In other words, by enrolling in the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design, students are guaranteed the chance to spend a day in the workplace of their ideal career before graduating.

The majority of the studio courses at the Westphal College’s art programs—undergraduate and graduate—are designed to allow students to learn by doing and polish their technical skills.

Also, the school keeps class numbers small so that students may get one-on-one assistance from teachers and develop strong intellectual ties with their peers.

The faculty of Westphal is exceptionally accomplished, and several of them have made names for themselves as top authorities in their fields. The incredibly prestigious accomplishments of

The faculty of Westphal has accomplished a great deal, including designing collections for renowned fashion businesses, holding executive roles for significant media organizations, and winning Emmy Awards.

5. Hussian College 

Another outstanding art college in the “City of Brotherly Love” is Hussian College.

Hussian College, which is situated in Philadelphia’s Spring Garden district, provides BFA art degree programs.

The three concentration options available to art students at Hussian are visual communications, digital media, and user interface & experience.

The emphasis of Hussian’s undergraduate art education is on experiential learning and career preparation.

All Hussian students complete a full four years of professional development training as part of their degree program, giving them assurance in their ability to succeed in the workplace once they graduate.

Students at Hussian take classes in digital art and technology beginning in their first year at the school, giving them the highly marketable, in-demand skills necessary for employment in game creation, web design, and mobile app development, to name just a few.

Hussian University has a main campus in Pennsylvania and a branch school in Los Angeles, California.

The off-campus facility, known as Hussian College in Studio LA, has a greater selection of BFA programs.

Commercial dance, contemporary musical theatre and film, and cinema and digital content are among the BFA degrees available at Studio LA but not on the main campus.

The branch campus also provides a small number of graduate and BA degree programs.

6. Saint Joseph’s University

Saint Joseph’s University, a private Catholic Jesuit institution founded in 1851, with a strong art curriculum and course selection.

The Saint Joseph’s University Art & Art History Department offers a range of lecture- and studio-based art classes. It is a part of the university’s College of Arts & Sciences.

To help students develop a comprehensive grasp of the art world, the art program curriculum incorporates in-depth study of art history.

Three alternative major options are available to undergraduate students in Saint Joseph’s art degree programs: art, art history, and art education.

The institution offers minors in commercial photography, art, art history, art therapy, and graphic design.

Also, Saint Joseph’s offers lots of chances for art students to exhibit their work on campus, like the yearly Senior Art Exhibit.

The school has two gallery spaces where professional artists and department instructors, many of whom are well-known artists themselves, can exhibit their work alongside that of students.

The facilities for the Art & Art History Department comprise three sizable art buildings with a variety of classrooms, lecture halls, and studios for student usage.

The school provides studio spaces for students to practice darkroom photography, digital photography, and graphic design in addition to studio areas for painting, drawing, and sculpture.

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