Art

If you’re ready to push your creativity, sharpen your artistic skills, and develop creative thinking and leadership, ECU’s School of Art and Design is the place to do it. Our Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program in art - the largest in the University of North Carolina System - is one of the most comprehensive in the region, preparing you for success in the fast-moving world of art and design.

You won’t just study art - you’ll live it. Our program invites you to explore an incredible breadth of disciplines, from animation and interactive design to ceramics, film and video production, graphic design, illustration, metal design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textile design. Targeted seminars help you navigate these possibilities, connect with faculty and peers, and begin shaping your unique professional path.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: At the heart of your experience is the 142,000-square-foot Jenkins Fine Arts Center, a powerhouse facility devoted entirely to art and design. Imagine building projects in the woodshop, pouring metal in the foundry, experimenting with laser cutters, creating in computer labs, or printing in expansive printmaking studios. With digital and traditional darkrooms, the Shape Lab, and so much more, your ideas can transform into tangible, polished work at any scale.

Professional Opportunities: Your education extends far beyond the studio. The Wellington B. Gray Gallery and Burroughs Wellcome Gallery showcase student work alongside exhibitions by visiting artists and designers, bringing world-class perspectives right to campus. Active student guilds bring in national figures for lectures and workshops, sponsor travel to conferences, and fuel collaborative projects. Add to that a growing internship program, opportunities in arts entrepreneurship, and partnerships with arts organizations across North Carolina - from the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove to the Pitt County Arts Council in Greenville - and you’re connected to a network of professional opportunities from day one.

A Launchpad for the Future: The skills you gain as an artist and designer — creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, collaboration — are in demand across industries everywhere. Whether you build a career as a professional artist or designer, or chart a path in education, leadership, or creative entrepreneurship, your BFA from ECU is more than a degree. It’s a springboard into a fulfilling career in the arts and beyond.

ECU Advantage

At ECU, your ideas matter. When you study art and design here, your voice is heard, your creativity is nurtured, and you become part of a vibrant community of artists, designers, scholars and educators. You’ll find a place where you can think boldly, make fearlessly, and grow into the professional you want to become.

We believe art and design should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we don’t require a portfolio for admission as an incoming student. Instead, you’ll explore a wide range of creative experiences during your first year, then work closely with expert faculty to refine your focus and declare your area of study in your second year.

An ECU art and design degree is more than preparation for a career in the arts — it’s training for success in any field. Our program builds skills that employers seek in every industry: creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, adaptability and leadership. These are the skills that set you apart, whether you’re designing for a global brand, leading a creative team, launching your own business, or innovating in fields like marketing, gaming, film, technology or education.

Our alumni prove it every day. They run arts councils and successful studios, design for top firms, create in the film and gaming industries, and apply their artistic mindset to careers across the creative economy. At ECU, you’ll do more than learn how to make a living - you’ll learn how to shape a life of meaning, creativity and impact.