Art Exploration
Art Exploration
Spend up to a year exploring RIT’s art programs before you declare a major.
Overview for Art Exploration
- Learn about the three majors in the School of Art: illustration, medical illustration, and studio arts.
- Spend a year exploring majors and deciding which one best fits your career goals and interests.
If you want to pursue studio arts but are unsure which major or program option best matches your interests, the art exploration option is for you. The School of Art offers majors in illustration, medical illustration, and studio arts (where you can choose an option in ceramics, expanded forms, furniture design, glass, metals and jewelry design, printmaking, painting, or sculpture). In your first year, you will work closely with your academic advisor to select courses that best align with your career aspirations.
The art exploration option requires the submission of a portfolio. View our Portfolio Requirements for more information.
Featured Work
Drawing Projects
Emily Glass
A survey of projects by first-year students in Senior Lecturer Emily Glass's Drawing 1 class. The foundations course is an introduction to the visualization of form, thought, and expression through...
'Nailed It!' ceramics assignment
Equal parts art history lesson and hands-on making, the RIT ceramics Josiah Wedgwood's Legacy course examines the evolution of 18th-century European ceramics under the influence of Josiah Wedgwood’s...
Featured Profiles
Molten Glass 3D Printer
RIT's glass program hosted the artist/designer/engineer team behind Evenline as artists in residence for the spring 2023 semester. The innovative company stationed its only-one-of-its-kind molten...
'Sp(arrows)' Exhibition
Taylor Kennedy, Annalisa Barron
"Sp(arrows)" is a two-person exhibition at RIT City Art Space featuring Annalisa Barron and Taylor Kennedy '15 (fine arts studio), whose combined work explores the cathartic relationship of...
Pre-College Portfolio Prep Workshop 2022
RIT's annual Pre-College Portfolio Preparation Workshop offers students an engaging and rewarding experience. The course, taught by our School of Art's drawing and painting faculty, is a visual arts...
Admissions and Financial Aid
First-Year Admission
A strong performance in a college preparatory program is expected. This includes:
- 4 years of English
- 3 years of social studies and/or history
- 3-4 years of mathematics
- 2-3 years of science
- Studio art experience and a portfolio of original artwork are required for all programs in the School of Art.
- A portfolio must be submitted. View Portfolio Requirements for more information.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
100% of all incoming first-year and transfer students receive aid.
RIT’s personalized and comprehensive financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment programs. When all these are put to work, your actual cost may be much lower than the published estimated cost of attendance.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships
Latest News
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October 4, 2022
![An overhead view of a student getting their portfolio reviewed by RIT faculty.]()
RIT welcomes prospective students for National Portfolio Day
RIT's College of Art and Design faculty, along with those at 25 other top art and design schools, reviewed students' portfolios as they prepared their artwork for the college admissions process.
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July 21, 2022
![Joe Allgeier with a 3D model of a respirator he designed.]()
3D shops manager brings personal touch to the job
Meet Joe Allgeier, an educator, maker and Jack of all trades for the College of Art and Design.
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April 7, 2022
![A headshot of Nate Rohman.]()
Academic advisor receives Provost’s Award for dedication to student success
Nate Rohman, academic advisor for RIT's graphic design and studio arts BFA programs, will be honored April 12 at the Celebration of Teaching and Scholarship ceremony.
