Fine Art
Associate Degree

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Why Choose NCC's Fine Art Program?

Ground your artistic expression in history and the techniques and practices of lifelong artists. The Associate of Arts (AA) in Fine Art degree program at Northampton Community College’s Bethlehem campus fosters your creative exploration as you build up your portfolio for professional roles or to transfer to a four-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program at a college, university or art school.

 

Explore Your Artistic Expression

Unleash your imagination and expand your expertise in varied art forms. Study in small classes with expert instructors and create in studio spaces tailored for drawing, painting, sculpture, computer graphics and ceramics. Venture into the minds and works of art directors, curators and fellow artists on field trips to museums, galleries and art centers in New York City, Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley.

 

Transfer to Top Universities and Art Schools

Save up to $40,000 per year on your first two years of a four-year degree! NCC’s associate degree in fine art fulfills the requirements for the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, and we have many resources to help you transfer. Our graduates join fine art programs at renowned universities and schools like:

  • Kutztown University
  • Millersville University
  • Moravian College
  • Tyler School of Art/Temple University
  • School of Visual Arts (SVA)
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)
  • Massachusetts College of Art
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
  • And more

 

What You’ll Learn as a Fine Art Major

Nurture your skills and spark your interest in art history and diverse art mediums, from drawing and painting to sculpture and ceramics to computer graphics and photography. Because NCC’s associate degree in fine art covers the topics and studio courses commonly found in the first two years of four-year BA or BFA programs, you graduate well-positioned to transfer and continue learning.



Program Details

Semesters: 4

Credits: 63

College Catalog: View Curriculum

Program Map: Download PDF

Locations: Bethlehem

Program Overview:

Practice techniques and cultivate your creativity using 2-D and 3-D media, including photography, printmaking, drawing, sculpture and ceramics. The associate degree in fine art program encourages you to explore traditional, digital and multimedia formats, and at the end of your final semester, you’ll complete a capstone project to showcase a collection of your artwork in a final group exhibition.

ARTA101 Art History Survey
ARTA107 Drawing I
ARTA111 Principles of 2-D Design & Color
ARTA170 Computer Graphics
ARTA110 Principles of 3-D Design
ARTA124 Drawing II
ARTA158 Painting I



Tuition and Financial Aid

NCC’s low tuition is one of the most affordable options in Pennsylvania for completing an associate degree in fine art! Save up to $40,000 per year on the first two years of a four-year degree compared to other regional institutions, and benefit further through our robust scholarship opportunities.



Art Shows and Exhibitions

Open receptions in our Communications Hall allow you to show and converse about your art, engage with your peers’ work and gain insight into your professors’ creative processes.

Art

Careers With a Fine Art Degree

NCC’s fine art program can prepare you to paint canvases that are framed and sold in a gallery—and to do much, much more. Fine art is everywhere, from computer animation to TV stage sets to packaging design.

A commercial artist or team of artists is behind every piece of art in a newspaper, magazine, book, poster, brochure, website or display piece. You may also choose to teach art or art history, work in a museum or launch your own business. Your associate degree in fine art can open up career opportunities like:

 

  • Art Educators
  • Motion Designer
  • Painter
  • Graphic Designer
  • Photographer
  • Set Designer
  • Animator
  • Illustrator
  • Printmaker
  • Conservator
  • Gallery Curator

Student Spotlight

In the past, I was afraid to show my art. I worried that no one would like it because it’s unique. But uniqueness is very important in this country and at this school. People are more open to my art and complement it, and I really appreciate that.

Megumi Taguchi, Alumni
Fine Art

Megumi Taguchi

Need Help Deciding?

Not sure if this is the right program for you? Take advantage of the resources we have available for students to help hone in on what path to pursue.


Connect with an Academic Advisor Contact a Career Counselor

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