Three students looking at an art on the wall.

Visual Art

The talents and skills of artists touch our lives in countless ways every day. They are the creative geniuses behind the video games we play, the fashion styles we wear, the cars we drive, and the cities in which we live. They entertain, educate, and heal, lift businesses and communities, and inspire social change—and their signatures are everywhere around us. The contributions of artists give meaning to our world and make it a more beautiful place.

Ignite your creativity with a bachelor’s degree in visual art from St. Thomas Aquinas College and prepare for a successful career, no matter what artistic profession you pursue. Our expert faculty will guide you in becoming an innovative thinker and nurture your skills in both traditional and digital media practices. Discover your potential and share your talents with the community in hands-on learning opportunities from our popular interdisciplinary courses to internships, nonprofit design projects, and social-impact art.

At a glance

  • Undergraduate major & minor
  • BA
  • 4 years
  • Main campus

Common Minors

  • Art Therapy
  • Communication Arts
  • Graphic Design
  • Marketing

Only at St. Thomas Aquinas College

Ignite Your Career With Experiential Learning

Visual art students have many opportunities to gain hands-on experience in interdisciplinary, project-focused courses, such as Art Direction and Studio Friday, where you will create branding, murals, events, and other projects for clients in the campus community. Build your résumé through a wide range of internships at museums, art galleries, and design firms based locally and in the New York City metropolitan area.

Career Preparation & Mentoring

Small classes make a big difference to student-artists at St. Thomas Aquinas College. Develop strong relationships with our faculty as well as other students throughout college and beyond. Learn from artists-in-residence who exhibit internationally and network with our esteemed advisory board whose members inform our curriculum. Through independent study and undergraduate research projects, we will personally mentor you in refining your craft and developing an exceptional portfolio of work so you’re fully prepared for success in graduate school and in your career of choice.

Featured Courses

What Success Looks Like

“The genuine interest, respect and caring of St. Thomas Aquinas College community is unlike any other. This nurturing environment opens the door to collaboration and across-disciplinary work, which translates into more opportunities for students both while they’re here, and after they graduate.”
Nina Bellisio
Assistant Dean, Curricular Innovation & Evaluation and Professor of Visual Communications, St. Thomas Aquinas College
A female student studying at a desk.

Career Options

A degree in visual art can prepare you for advanced study and many careers. Visual art graduates from St. Thomas Aquinas College work in these roles and fields, and more:

  • Advertising
  • Art Galleries
  • Education
  • Graphic Design
  • Merchandising
  • Art Therapy
  • Community Programming
  • Fashion
  • Film & Television
  • Museums

Our visual art students intern and find full-time employment at many organizations locally and in New York City, including:

  • Apple
  • Bazan Lab
  • Big Color Digital
  • LS Direct
  • Nanuet School District
  • Rivkin Radler LLP

Campus at night

Program options

The BS in Visual Art provides students the opportunity to develop artistic skills and a solid portfolio, gain professional experience and a network of contacts, and set themselves up for success.

A minor in visual art equips you with a practical understanding of the creative process and adds an artistic dimension to virtually any program of study.