Exhibition attendees listing to a presentation by a graphic design student during the Graphic Design Senior Show.

School of Art and Design

At the UNC School of Art & Design, you’ll prepare to become a skilled artist or art teacher. Our program is known for helping students grow through a challenging and well-rounded curriculum that combines hands-on studio work with classes in art history, criticism, and aesthetics.

When you join us, you’ll get plenty of one-on-one attention in small classes, all while working in a nationally accredited program. You’ll have the chance to explore different materials and styles, expand your creativity, and learn directly from experienced faculty who are also working artists.

Our Mission

In the School of Art and Design, we explore media and art forms, scholarship, and artistic research, discovering pathways for personal artistry and professional application as artists, designers, art educators, and scholars.

Our Vision

We cultivate creative futures through a commitment to rigorous studio arts-based education and research. We foster personal and connected expression with the potential to affect broader change locally and globally.

Check out our Areas of Study.

School of Art and Design Areas

Learn more about studying graphic design, art education or studio art with a variety of concentrations in ceramics, drawing, integrated media arts (game design, immersive media, digital and time-based arts), painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture + digital fabrication. Find out more about our undergraduate certificate in arts entrepreneurship and our master’s degree and graduate certificate in studio art.

Students reviewing photos in photography class.

Grow into who you are with us

Apply for our Programs

You can apply for one of our undergraduate degrees, with a focus like graphic design, art education or several concentrations in studio art. We also offer a Master of Arts and a graduate certificate in Studio Art.

PVA Admissions

Students at a table in drawing class with faculty member Matt McHugh.

Meet the Art and Design Faculty and Staff

Our diverse and talented faculty are ready to give you expert instruction and help you grow as an artist. They’ve exhibited artwork all over the country, published their research, taught in public schools and so much more. Learn about the faculty and staff who make up the School of Art and Design community.

Meet the Art and Design Faculty and Staff

Professor Lauren Eisen teaching a painting class.

See our Creative Spaces

There’s no shortage of places for you to create! We have almost 20 different studio spaces for different visual arts disciplines.

Students doing a bronze pour in the Maxine and Don Schwartz Sculpture Foundry.

Explore UNC Galleries

Our three unique gallery spaces display bold, socially relevant artwork from guest artists across the nation. You get to become advisors, co-curators and collaborators in exhibiting this exciting work. And you’ll get opportunities for exhibitions of your own work in these spaces.