BA Art at University of California, Santa Barbara

Programme overview

As a student in Art, you’ll receive a thorough foundation and comprehensive training in art as a humanistic activity. The program prepares students who wish to become practicing artists, go on to graduate study or professional school, or diverge into related professional and academic fields. Through a comprehensive core foundation program, you’ll be first introduced to the diverse and hybrid practices of contemporary art, including study of the history, theory, and production of art.

Faculty: College of Letters and Science | Department: Department of Art | Study mode: full-time | Location: Santa Barbara, CA, United States

What you will study

Major requirements are organised as Preparation For The Major: ART 1A, ART 1C, ART 7A, ART 7B, ART 7C, ART 7D, ART 10, ART 12, ART 14, ART 18, ART 19, ART 22, ART 32; Upper-Division Major. MAJOR REGULATIONS PREREQUISITES : Check the General Catalog for the prerequisites to all listed courses. Emphases offered: Book Arts, Painting, Sculpture.

Career pathways

Graduate and professional pathways include Fine Arts; Academia; Education; Museums, galleries, and arts nonprofits; Design; Digital Media. Top employers include Galleries & Museums, Private Companies & Non-profits, Entrepreneurial Tracks as Artists & Designers.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to UCSB is to the university and a college (College of Letters and Science, College of Engineering, College of Creative Studies), not to the individual major; applicants must meet the University of California subject requirements for first-year or transfer applicants and apply through the UC Application. Selective-major and second-choice-major rules are described by UCSB Undergraduate Admissions.

Entry term: fall. First-year and transfer applicants apply for fall 2027 through the UC Application.

First-year and transfer applications for fall 2027: UC Application filing period October 1 - November 30, 2026 (opens August 1). Application fee: $80 per campus for U.S. residents, $95 per campus for international students. Transfer applicants also submit the UCSB TAG Application September 1-30. First-year decisions mid-March; transfer decisions mid-April; Statement of Intent to Register May 1 (first-year) and June 1 (transfer).

SAT and ACT scores are not used in admission selection or scholarships; submission is optional and may be used for course placement. Students applying to College of Creative Studies majors submit a supplemental application; Dance and Music B.M. applicants complete an audition.

Graduate applicants apply through the UCSB online graduate application; the deadline is set by each department. Application fee: $135 for US citizens and permanent residents, $155 for all others, payable by credit card, check or money order. GRE required only by some programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/

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