Bachelor of Arts

Art

Major | Minor

ApplyRequest InfoVisit

Hands-on learning, real world experience

The art major at Goshen College prepares you for creative careers directly out of college, or for entrance into top graduate programs in art and design across the country. The work is hands-on from day one. You’ll build experience through internships with local art studios, artist guilds, museums and artist-owned businesses.

Goshen itself has a thriving arts community, so mentorship and support are never far away. Your professors will even help you show your work downtown, where the whole community and visitors passing through can see it.

  • 100%
    of art and design majors complete an internship related to their field before graduation
  • 16
    students or less cap for every studio class, ensuring individualized instruction and experiences for each student
  • 90%
    of studio classes are open to all majors, which allows for a diverse and rich experience for everyone enrolled

    Professional artists come to you

    Each year, the Eric Yake Kenagy Visiting Artist Program brings internationally known artists to campus, giving you the opportunity to engage with successful working artists. Due to the structure of their visits, students get to interact personally with EYK artists through small classroom meet-and-greets, critiques, and workshops.

    Hands-on experience and studio access

    Small class sizes allow for exceptional studio experiences. Photography, Drawing I and II, Printmaking, Jewelry, Ceramics I and II and Sculpture I and II are offered regularly across campus. Students gain professional experience through giving artist talks, preparing professional portfolios and showing their projects at the Academic Symposium. Senior art students preparing for their capstone exhibition are given individual studio space as they prepare their work and final portfolios for graduation.

    You’ll also engage with different cultures through our Global Engagement program that hosts courses like Arts in London and semester long opportunities with art org placements in Ecuador.

    What you’ll study

    The department offers concentrations in art entrepreneurship, studio art, visual arts education (K–12), pre-architecture and pre-art therapy. 

    Throughout your last year and a half as an art major, you’ll work toward the planning, development and creation of a capstone exhibition featuring your work in the stunning Hershberger Gallery.

    View the complete program requirements in our catalog

    Program Requirements

    • I came to GC for a STEM degree, but the liberal arts structure enabled me to take a ceramics class my junior year when I had an opening. I spent the next two years in the studio under the tutelage of two incredible and kind professors, and to this day have not left the studio! The experiences and connections from GC have allowed me to continue pursuing ceramics beyond graduation, something I am eternally grateful for. 

      Julia Hitt '25

      Ceramics Educator and Potter managing Jaded Clay

    Paying for Goshen College

    Scholarships make up a large portion of Goshen financial aid packages, which average almost $26,000 per student. Full-time junior and senior art or graphic design majors can also apply for two department scholarships, the Arthur L. and Cordelia Sprunger Scholarship and the Raymond A. Yoder Scholarship. To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator, or  explore your options at the financial aid and scholarships pages.

    Financial Aid Scholarships Net Price Calculator

    A look at our collection

      Common questions about the art major

      Meet the Faculty

      All Faculty
        All Faculty

        Ready to get started?

        ApplyRequest InfoVisit

        Related majors & minors

        All Majors & Minors

        • Graphic Design

          Branding, motion graphics and UI design fill out Goshen College's graphic design major, with a portfolio guided by practicing faculty designers.

          All Majors & Minors