PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Anything! There are the obvious choices of artist, professor, art teacher, curator and the like. However, as with most majors in the humanities, many students end up working in areas professionally unrelated to their major field. Most of our students go on to full employment and those who don’t are busy inventing their own industry, entrepreneurial start up or planning for graduate study. In addition, you might not realize that students who study art history also make excellent litigation lawyers. Students who study graphic design are brilliant in marketing and those with backgrounds in architecture make excellent development officers.
Some of our recent AAD graduates are working for Google, Amazon, Terraine, Urban Outfitters, Knoll, Zaha Hadid, WFC Architects, HLW International, the Barnes Foundation, Rodale, Anthropology, Ancor Engineering Services, Bloomberg LP, and the State Department.
Some of our former students now go by the title Gallery Manager, Registrar, Auction House Sales Manager, Development Assistant for Medical Center, Realtor, Fashion Associate, Museum Education Program Coordinator, Graphic Designer, or Public Arts Manager.
No, a portfolio is not required. Applications are processed through the Lehigh University Admissions Office. When students are admitted to Lehigh they can pursue our major programs without further application or interview by our department.
Starting salaries for those with a Bachelor’s degree in studio art and art history are better than you might think! A recent survey at Georgetown called “What’s it Worth” surveyed college graduates by major. Their results indicate that students with a BA in Design, Studio Art, Architecture or Art History can expect to earn between 44,000 and 63,000 for full time employment. In all cases, a graduate degree bumps these numbers up between 19% and 50%. So while you will not be a “starving artist” when you graduate, you should consider these financial outcomes as you plan how you finance your undergraduate (and graduate school) education.
After earning a B.A. in art, architecture, art history or design, many of our students go on to earn a M.Arch, a M.F.A., a M.G.D. or pursue PhD work in Art History or Museum Studies.
Some of our recent graduates have gone on to: Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of California Berkeley, Washington University, University of Virginia, Rice University, SCI ARC, NYU, George Washington, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Royal College of Art, Pratt Institute, Parson’s School of Design, R.I.S.D., School of Visual Arts, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, and Vancouver Film School.
Check out our wide array of studio, history and theory courses at Lehigh's online course catalogue.
Students interested in our major programs are recommended to begin theircourse of study with design, drawing and art history courses. As of Fall 2021, all students majoring in AAD disciplines will begin their program of study with a four course sequence: ART/ARCH 001 (art history survey 1), ART 002 or ARCH 002 (art history or architectural survey 2), ART 003 (2-D design) and ART 004 (3-D design). These four courses must be completed prior to taking intermediate and advanced level courses in the department and it is recommended to complete these as soon as possible during the first and sophomore years.
For more information, please visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.
To schedule a visit with the Department of Art, Architecture and Design, please contact our Department Coordinator, Pam Mongi.
For more information about visiting our beautiful campus, please go to Lehigh University's Vistors & the Community page.
