HBCU Fine Arts Programs You Should Explore
This list focuses on programs that have been accredited by the National Association of Colleges of Art and Design (NASAD) which lauds the standards of the HBCUs' programs and the employability of the program's graduates.
Alabama State University - Montgomery, AL
Through their Department of Visual Arts, Alabama State offers a Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in Fine Arts, Graphic Arts and General Arts as well as a minor in Visual Arts. This undergraduate program offers students support with exhibition opportunities, regional workshops, internships and service learning projects. Students can display their artwork at the ASU Callie Warren and Arthur Britt Fine Arts Galleries.
Howard University - Washington, DC
Howard recently reinstated its college of arts as the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. The undergraduate program offers majors from Art History to Interior Design. Graduate students can pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art with multiple specializations from ceramics to fashion design. Students can intern with many nearby D.C. institutions including the National Gallery of Art and the Hirshhorn Museum.
Jackson State University- Jackson, MS
Jackson State has maintained its accreditation since 1978. This Historically Black University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art (i.e. Painting, Printmaking Sculpture) and Graphic Design. Nearby, the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Smith Museum and Robertson Cultural Center offer students additional opportunities.
Lincoln University - Lincoln, PA
The Visual Arts Program within Lincoln’s Visual and Performing Arts Department offers a diverse curriculum that challenges talented students academically, aesthetically, and technically in the production, analysis, and promotion of visual arts. The program fosters a nurturing environment where students learn about the significant contributions of African Americans in the visual arts, encouraging them to understand their own role in a technologically driven global context and preparing them for advanced studies and contemporary careers. The program offers B.A. and B.S. degrees in Visual Arts.
South Carolina State University - Orangeburg, SC
South Carolina State offers a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with concentrations in ceramics and sculpture, digital media, painting and drawing and printmaking and photography. The institution has a state of the art Fine Arts Building and on-campus internships with the I.P. Stanback Museum & Planetarium.
Tennessee State University - Nashville, TN
The Department of Art and Design offers a Bachelor of Science in Art with concentrations in Studio Art (i.e. photography, sculpture) and Art Education and Design.
The Tennessee Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) have accredited TSU's teacher certification program in Art as well.
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff - Pine Bluff, AR
This Historically Black University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education and a B.S. in Visual Arts. Each student in this program must present a one-person show in addition to an approved portfolio to complete their graduation requirements.
Virginia State University - Ettrick, VA
VSU offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Studio Arts, Animation and Graphic Design. The Meredith Art Gallery is on campus and is operated by the Department of Art & Design. Students have the opportunity to intern at these Richmond institutions: Sycamore Rouge Theatre, New Millennium Studios and Richmond Magazine as well as in Washington, D.C. and New York City.