The four-year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art offers Rutgers students at the Camden campus a variety of concentrations which include art history, computer graphics, graphic design, museum studies, painting, printmaking & photography, sculpture, and teacher certification (in cooperation with the Teacher Preparation Program). Students may also design their own interdisciplinary majors to prepare for careers in art therapy, medical illustration, advertising, and other fields.
Housed in the Fine Arts Building at the Camden campus of Rutgers, the Art studios are among the best-equipped educational facilities in the Greater Delaware Valley. Full-time studio art faculty members are professional artists who have contributed their works to major exhibitions throughout the United States and abroad. Scholars in classical, Renaissance, and modern art are included among the art history faculty.
Students who concentrate in studio art are exposed to a variety of media, with particular emphasis on drawing, composition, and color theory. Many areas of specialization are available once the core curriculum has been completed. After rigorous training, degree candidates are expected to participate in a Senior Thesis Exhibition prior to graduation. A sizable percentage of art majors pursue advanced degrees or move on to professional careers in graphic design, computer graphics, and related art disciplines. To ensure that Camden art majors obtain a strong liberal arts education, the curriculum has been designed with course requirements in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
Admission to Rutgers
Applicants are evaluated by the Committee on Admissions on the basis of several criteria, including high school academic record, courses taken, quality of work, trend of grands, and rank in class. The committee considers the results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test of the College Entrance Examination Board, which is required of all applicants except those who have been out of high school for two or more years or transfer with 12 or more credits from another college or university.
In addition, the committee welcomes recommendations from faculty, principals, and guidance counselors, and is interested in the applicant’s personal characteristics, motivation, maturity, and potential as a contributor to the college community. Because admission to the college is based on academic criteria, the the Fine Arts Department does not conduct formal portfolio reviews. However, applicants are urged to call the department chair to arrange an interview to discuss academic and career planning.
Transfer Students
The Fine Arts Department welcomes transfer students who have taken courses in art at other colleges. Most courses are accepted as either elective or equivalent credit; transfer students from non-degree granting schools of art may use their previous studio training to fulfill a portion of the are curriculum.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to those students who qualify for admission and demonstrate financial need. Assistance is provided through appropriate combinations of scholarships, grants-in-aid, loans, and work opportunities. Selection of the types of funds used to meet the student’s need is the responsibility of the financial aid office. Several scholarships opportunities are available to art students, including the Mary Jane Kelleher Wille Memorial Prize and the Stedman Art Gallery Purchase Award. In addition, ten to fifteen grants are awarded each year to enable students to participate in the various study abroad programs.