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Art - Fine Art Studio (B.F.A.)

A Professional Degree in Fine Art

A bachelor's in fine art from Seton Hill University is a professional degree designed to prepare you for graduate study (Master of Fine Art) or to begin a career in art or related professions. At Seton Hill, you will be supported and challenged in your artistic development.

You can choose a concentration in Painting, Metals, Sculpture or Clay.

Why Earn a B.F.A. in Fine Art at Seton Hill?

At Seton Hill, you'll achieve your artistic goals through:

  • A concentration in painting, sculpture, clay or metals.
    • The painting concentration fosters respect for technical mastery of painting techniques and concepts and offers a connection to the continuum of art history and criticism.
    • The sculpture concentration provides an understanding of three-dimensional design, including knowledge of hand and power tools, foundry, welding equipment, plastic and resin, with the integration of digital technologies.
    • The clay concentration will prepare you for the use of tools, techniques, and processes including clays, glazes and firing.
    • The metals concentration will provide you with the skills to use and understand the tools, techniques, and processes in producing metal or jewelry objects from design to completion.
  • Courses in various aspects of the arts that allow you to work side-by-side with professional artists who willappledist_600x600_600x600.png become your mentors.
  • Fieldwork and apprenticeships with professional artists and arts organizations that specialize in your area of concentration.
  • Your MacBook Air laptop, provided to all full-time traditional bachelor's degree program students as part of our Mobile Learning Program.
  • Seton Hill's state-of-the-art facilities, including the award-winning Seton Hill Arts Center.

The Seton Hill Arts Center

Seton Hill's award-winning Arts Center features sculpture, graphic design, metals, clay, photography, printmaking and drawing studios, in addition to welding facilities and a foundry. The Center contains a full digital fabrication lab with extrusion and resin printers, laser engravers and a water jet machine. Our 3D printers can achieve the accuracy of stone setting, or print objects up to one meter tall. Equipment used by studio art students includes:

Printers

  • Ultimaker S5
  • Optimus P1 Large format 3D printer
  • Ender 3 Pro printer (7)
  • Makerbot Replicator 2X
  • Formlabs Form 2 resin printer
  • Longer Orange 30 resin printer

Scanners

  • Einscan Pro 2x Handheld
  • Occipital Structure scanner for iPad

Subtractive

  • Glowforge Laser engraver
  • Wazer Desktop waterjet
  • Boxzy 3 in 1 Mill/engraver/printer

The Center also houses three exhibit spaces: the (outdoor) Art Yard, Harlan Gallery and Harris Gallery.

Internships, Apprenticeships & Careers

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field of fine arts is expected to stay strong through 2029. Students in Seton Hill University's Arts Programs have a long and successful history of securing coveted apprenticeships and internships in their areas of interest, which assist in career development.

Seton Hill's award-winning Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) will begin working with you from your first semester, supplying you with the professional and job preparation skills that you'll need to succeed on and off the Hill. Even better - as a Seton Hill alum, you have career services at the CPDC for life.

Faculty Who are Working Artists

At Seton Hill University, your professors aren't just educational instructors - they're artists and professionals with a variety of skills and experiences to share. You'll have the opportunity to work with skilled faculty in various aspects of the arts. 

Want to know more?

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Ready to Take Your Next Step Forward?

You can apply online for free any time. If you haven't been to visit us yet, please schedule a time to come up to the Hill. You just may see your future from here.
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Faculty

Pati Beachley

Professor of Art and Chair of Art & Design Dept.

Jeffrey Donato

Adjunct Instructor

Dana Elmendorf

Program Director, Graduate Art Therapy program

Brian Ferrell

Associate Professor of Art

Josias Figueirido

Assistant Professor of Art

Emily Franicola

Adjunct Faculty/ Gallery Director

Dani Moss

Associate Professor of Art Therapy

Mary Kay Neff

Associate Professor of Art, Graphic Design

Barry Reeger

Adjunct Faculty

Chad Sherman

Associate Professor of Art/Graphic Design