Art Universities – a bird’s eye view
Like other educational systems, the formation of schools imparting arts training and education also follow a hierarchical pattern. At the grass root level is the small private art schools while at the top are universities. The distinction between the type of art schools like say Culinary Art Schools, Design Schools and Fashion Schools are no more distinct at this level like the rivers mingling at the delta with the ocean.
An art university, unlike an Art school will have some typical programs like studio art, graphic design, photography, architecture, landscaping, interior designing, and all related subjects. The programs include much of the liberal arts courses and less amount of studio works compared to the grass root level schools of Art and colleges at he higher levels. There are a few universities dedicated to a particular form of Art. Examples of such universities are the College of Fine & Applied Arts at the University of Illinois and Yale School of Art that are dedicated to architecture and designs only.
All the state supported and common programs relating to fine Arts and other branches of Arts are available at a University. They give out the certificates like the BFA and MFA with emphasis on a more general degree. Most of the universities to day provide the facilities for online degrees.
Another basic advantage for most university students is the availability of easy student loans.