Bachelor in Art/Art Studies (Bachelor's)

For nearly 50 years, Cornell College has organized its campus around One Course At A Time. Students take one class for 18 days before beginning the next, creating extended periods for engagement with a subject, hands-on learning, and relationships with professors and classmates. The approach is designed to support deeper study and the confidence that comes from concentrating fully on one course.

Cornell offers students room to shape an individual academic path. Students may pursue majors such as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Spanish, and many double major. Academic and professional interests extend into areas including engineering, art, and infectious disease research, with students gaining experience through internships and other practical opportunities. The block plan can also make it easier to connect intensive coursework with projects, classes, and campus activities.

The college occupies a hilltop campus in Mount Vernon, Iowa, known within Cornell as the Hilltop. Campus visits can include student-guided tours, class attendance, meetings with professors or coaches, and time at the Hilltop Café. International students are welcomed each year and can receive help through the application process. They should also consider how the 18-day course format fits their preferred pace of study and plan for Iowa's changing weather, which moves through all four seasons.

The programme is delivered through Cornell College's One Course At A Time curriculum, with each course lasting 3.5 weeks. Students engage in studio art and art history courses with no prerequisites, working in dedicated spaces for their entire block. Studio classes are held in McWethy Hall, which houses specialized facilities including a darkroom, ceramics studio, carpentry shop, and digital arts lab. Senior students receive 24-hour access to a personal studio space for their capstone project.

Focus areas include ceramics, sculpture, painting, photography, digital art design, installation art.

The degree requires a total of 120 credits, distributed across studio art, art history, and a senior capstone project. The capstone includes sustained creative work, exhibition development, and a faculty defense.

Graduates pursue careers in education, gallery curation, museum work, art studios, 3D design, illustration, and marketing and graphic design.

Applicants must hold a high school diploma or equivalent. No specific prerequisites are required for studio art or art history courses. Required documents include official transcripts and a portfolio for studio art applicants.

The programme totals about 120 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, 4-year programme with a block schedule using the One Course At A Time system. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 81% of applicants.