Studio Art

What is studio art?

In Virginia Tech's studio art program, you'll build skills in painting, drawing, photography, and sculpture while integrating emerging technologies. Our small classes provide personal faculty mentorship to help you develop technical skills and conceptual depth, while creating work that is personally meaningful and socially relevant. You'll exhibit in campus galleries, collaborate across disciplines, and access state-of-the-art facilities, including dedicated studios and digital labs. Our alumni thrive as professional artists, educators, museum curators, graphic designers, and creative entrepreneurs, graduating with a professional portfolio and the skills to succeed in any artistic medium.

Why study studio art at Virginia Tech?

Join a small, tight-knit program within a major research university: an ideal environment for building collaborative relationships while accessing the cutting-edge technologies and resources that a large institution provides.
Explore painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography through required introductory courses, then choose your specialization or work across multiple media, based on what ignites your creative passion.
Begin crafting from day one with a 15-credit foundations studio in your first year, taken alongside other School of Visual Arts majors, and enjoy 24/7 access to shared studio spaces.
Work like a professional artist in specialized makerspaces in the Creativity and Innovation District, including the wood shop, metal shop, painting and drawing studio, lighting room, and laser cutting facilities.
Build an entrepreneurial mindset. Learn to market your work, manage projects, write grants, and develop essential business skills for creative careers through our required Professional Practices course.

Expand your professional skills further with optional internship credits, study abroad opportunities, and access to our college's specialized career services and alumni network.
Complete a year-long senior capstone that culminates in a public exhibition. This is your professional debut, showcasing your artistic growth and creative vision.
Collaborate and connect with peers through student-run organizations like Silhouette Literary and Art Magazine, where you can publish creative work across disciplines, or XYZ Gallery, where you can gain experience in curating, advertising, graphic design, communications, and gallery operations.
Apply without a portfolio. We value your curiosity, commitment, and willingness to grow as an artist over previous experience.

Students painting on easels in a classroom.

Curriculum

What courses will I take?

To learn more about the courses you’ll take as a studio art major, review the Program Curriculum and course descriptions in the university catalog. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to personalize your degree through major courses, electives, and Pathways courses.

Careers

Meet an alum

Rhakim Smith '15

“My career path has been anything but typical and I primarily attribute where I am today to curiosity and networking. While at Tech, I worked at a student run ‘advertising’ agency called CMS where we would create small print ads for local businesses. Super small stuff but that’s where I first experienced bringing an idea to life for someone else, and it sparked my curiosity in bigger picture things like visual storytelling and creative direction.”