We typically have around 60 majors at any one time, which allows students to know their classmates and faculty while still being part of a much larger university.

Roughly half of our students currently major in Graphic Design. Our new 3D Animation & Immersive Game Design program is growing, with seven students entering the program in its first incoming class.

Our primary undergraduate programs include:

BA in Art
BFA in Art
BA in Graphic Design
BA in 3D Animation & Immersive Game Design

Students can pursue work across drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, printmaking, digital media, graphic design, animation, games, and other creative practices.

We also offer a Minor in Art. This is an 18 credit hour minor.

Art Department Programs

The BA provides a strong studio-art education within a broad liberal arts degree and offers flexibility for students who want to combine art with another field.

The BFA is a more intensive professional studio degree with additional coursework and a deeper concentration in a particular area of artistic practice. Students interested in the BFA discuss that path with their faculty advisor as they progress through the program.

Our studio courses are intentionally small. Students work directly with faculty, participate in critiques and discussions, and receive individualized feedback throughout a project.

One of the advantages of a department our size is that faculty get to know students and their work over multiple years rather than only teaching them for a single semester. Our curriculum can be custom crafted to suit the needs of students' career goals. 

Immediately. Art and design students begin foundational courses during their first year rather than waiting until their junior or senior year to begin major coursework.

Foundation courses introduce students to drawing, 2D and 3D design, visual thinking, creative process, critique, and other skills that prepare them for more specialized coursework.

Students are not required to purchase a laptop.

However, a personal laptop is strongly recommended, particularly for Graphic Design and 3D Animation & Immersive Game Design students.

Students do have access to Art Department computer labs with the software needed for their classes. Our main computer lab is generally accessible from approximately 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on most days.

A personal computer, however, gives students the freedom to work in their dorm, apartment, library, studio, or wherever inspiration happens.

Graphic Design students can use either a Mac or Windows PC. Adobe Creative Cloud applications run on both platforms.

Macs remain common in professional graphic design studios, so many students choose a MacBook Pro. A powerful Windows laptop is also completely appropriate.

Buy the most capable machine that reasonably fits your budget. Creative software becomes more demanding over time, and ideally your computer should remain useful throughout your four years at Xavier.

3D Animation & Immersive Game Design students have more demanding computing needs than Graphic Design students. The program primarily uses Maya, Substance Painter, ZBrush, and Unreal Engine, with additional tools such as Unity and Photoshop used throughout the workflow.

For this program, we strongly recommend a high-performance Windows PC laptop rather than a Mac. Many programs used in professional game-development pipelines work better on Windows, and GPU and CPU performance are especially important for 3D modeling, rendering, simulation, and real-time environments.

We recommend purchasing as powerful a computer as your budget reasonably allows. Ideally, the laptop should remain useful throughout all four years at Xavier as software and hardware demands continue to increase.

Storage can also become important because 3D projects, textures, renders, and autosave files can grow very large. Students have access to cloud storage, but a portable external SSD is also highly recommended for additional storage and project backups.

Most of the program's primary software is available to students through the program or free educational licensing. ZBrush is the main program students may need to purchase for personal use outside of class, with educational/personal licensing currently around $60 per year.

Computer hardware and software requirements change quickly, so students are encouraged to contact the Department of Art before making a major laptop purchase.

Students are not required to purchase the Adobe Creative Cloud.

However, Xavier has an Adobe Creative Cloud site license for Art majors on Art Department computer-lab machines. Students can use applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and other Adobe tools in our labs.

We strongly recommend that Graphic Design students purchase their own student Creative Cloud subscription as well. A personal subscription allows you to install the software on your own computer and work outside the lab.

Adobe offers educational pricing for college students. Because Adobe changes its pricing periodically, check Adobe's current student pricing before purchasing.

Software depends on your program and courses. Students may work with tools including:

Adobe Photoshop · Illustrator · InDesign · After Effects · Maya · Unreal Engine · SketchUp · 3D modeling and animation tools · game-development software · digital photography and imaging tools

We also emphasize learning how to think and adapt rather than training students on only one application. Software changes. Creative problem-solving lasts much longer.

Very much so. Most studio and design classes revolve around making, experimenting, researching, revising, presenting, and critiquing work.

You won't spend four years simply listening to lectures about creativity. You'll be making things.

Creative courses are project-based, which means some of the work happens outside scheduled class time. Students should expect to sketch, design, photograph, model, render, edit, fabricate, write, research, or revise projects between class meetings.

Good time management matters. The goal is not simply to finish an assignment, but to develop an idea through multiple stages and make the work stronger through experimentation and feedback.

Yes. Exhibiting work is an important part of becoming an artist or designer. Students have opportunities to show work in the Xavier University Art Gallery, participate in student exhibitions and public projects, and present culminating work as they progress through the program.

Seniors are required to exhibit their work in the gallery as a solo or group exhibition. This work highlights the culmination of their artistic education at Xavier. Seniors are given dedicated studio space to make this work. 

Art students also benefit from studio and gallery spaces within the A.B. Cohen Center.

The Xavier Art Passport encourages students to make the creative community beyond the classroom part of their education.

Students earn points for participating in exhibitions, museums, artist talks, workshops, screenings, professional events, conferences, networking opportunities, student activities, and other approved creative experiences.

Xavier Art Passport Official Website

Yes. Xavier Art Society (XAS) is our student-led arts organization. Students organize creative activities, workshops, museum and gallery visits, trips, social events, and other opportunities that help build community outside class.

You do not have to wait until you're an upperclassman to become involved.

Our year-long Artist in Residency Program brings a practicing artist or creative professional into the everyday life of the department.

Residents mentor students, share professional experience, develop workshops and projects, create connections, and maintain a creative presence in the department. The program is designed to give students access to working creative professionals rather than limiting that interaction to a single visiting lecture.

Creative degrees can lead to a surprisingly wide range of careers.

Art: studio artist, photographer, illustrator, educator, curator, gallery professional, scenic artist, fabricator, arts administrator, exhibition designer, community arts professional and more.

Graphic Design: graphic designer, brand designer, art director, UI/UX designer, web designer, motion designer, packaging designer, marketing designer, creative director and more.

3D Animation & Immersive Game Design: 3D artist, animator, environment artist, character artist, game designer, level designer, technical artist, VR/AR designer, visualization artist, VFX artist and more.

Yes. Cincinnati gives our students access to museums, galleries, agencies, design firms, nonprofits, creative businesses, media organizations, cultural institutions, and other employers.

Faculty, alumni, Xavier Career Development, our Artist in Residency program, community relationships, and other campus partners help students identify internships and professional experiences.

We do not currently have a co-op program. 

Internships are required for Graphic Design and Game Design majors. 

Yes. Our Creatives Career Fair is designed specifically for students pursuing careers in art, design, animation, game design, media, and other creative industries.

Students can meet creative professionals, receive portfolio feedback, work on résumés and cover letters, connect with Xavier Career Services, get professional headshots, and practice talking about their work.

Yes. One opportunity is Xavier Element, Xavier's student-led digital marketing agency. Art and Graphic Design students can work alongside students in marketing, business, analytics, and other fields on projects for real clients.

Experiences like this help students learn how to communicate with clients, work on interdisciplinary teams, respond to professional feedback, and develop portfolio work beyond classroom assignments.

98% of Xavier students, including those in the art major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2023).

Our alumni have gone on to careers in design agencies, education, museums, universities, communications, entertainment, independent studio practice, technology, fabrication, marketing, and other creative fields. Others continue into competitive graduate programs and MFA programs.

Alumni Employers: Cincinnati Art Museum, Boy Scouts of America, Public Communications Inc., American Greetings, Georgia-Pacific, Geraci Fine Jewelry Inc., LPK: Global Brand Design & Innovation Agency

Yes. Art students can pursue faculty-led and partner study-abroad opportunities that connect art and design education with new cultures, museums, architecture, history, and creative communities.

Opportunities have included programs in Rome, Florence, Sicily, and Budapest, with options varying by year.

Absolutely. Cincinnati has an unusually strong creative ecosystem for a city its size, with museums, contemporary art spaces, galleries, design firms, public-art organizations, creative agencies, major corporations, theaters, film and media organizations, independent studios, and community arts organizations.

Our students are encouraged to treat Cincinnati as an extension of the classroom rather than simply the city surrounding campus.

Yes. Students have opportunities to move creative work beyond campus through public exhibitions, interdisciplinary collaborations, community projects, and experiences such as BLINK Cincinnati.

These projects help students learn about scale, audiences, collaboration, fabrication, deadlines, installation, and the realities of producing creative work for the public.

Yes. Xavier has art-specific scholarship support, including the McAuley Art Scholarship, as well as additional departmental and university financial-aid opportunities.

Scholarship availability, award amounts, eligibility requirements, and application procedures can change, so prospective students should review current information through Xavier Undergraduate Admission and the Department of Art.

Yes. The Student Professional Development Fund allows students to apply for support toward meaningful opportunities beyond Xavier.

Opportunities may include professional conferences, intensive workshops, research travel, study abroad, portfolio development, senior thesis support, and other experiences.

Examples of opportunities students may pursue include programs at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, NCECA, the College Art Association Annual Conference, Corning glass programs, and game-development conferences.