Bachelor in Art/Art Studies (Bachelor's)

Tuition is Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $64,500..

The Art major at Reed College integrates studio art and art history into a single degree program. Students choose to focus on either studio art or art history while taking courses in both areas. The curriculum emphasizes critical analysis and creative practice through hands-on projects and research. Senior thesis work requires original research or artistic production under faculty supervision.

Focus areas include Art History, Studio Art, Western Art, Non-Western Art, Contemporary Art, Art and Archaeology.

The degree requires a total of 32 credits, with coursework distributed across art history, studio art, and a senior thesis. Students complete a thesis in either art history or studio art during their final year.

Graduates pursue careers in art curation, creative production, academia, and cultural institutions.

Applicants must submit transcripts, standardized test scores, and a personal statement. A portfolio is required for studio art applicants. Admission is competitive and based on academic record and personal qualifications.

The programme totals about 32 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, four-year program. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 27% of applicants.

Reed's liberal arts tradition has grown around broad study, close faculty mentorship, and sustained inquiry. Students share Humanities 110, a signature program examining how people in different historical contexts have addressed fundamental questions about existence, then study deeply in a major. Research begins early: undergraduates collaborate with faculty, work in labs, participate in archaeological fieldwork, conduct canopy research, or volunteer in the nuclear reactor. Summer fellowships and grants can support campus projects, travel, and research abroad. In the final year, every student undertakes a senior thesis, working with a faculty adviser on experiments, primary-source research, or another major-based project that remains in Reed's Thesis Tower.

The Portland campus combines green open space with places for study and community. Reed Canyon is a 28-acre watershed with a lake, trees, and the Blue Bridge, while lawns and Old Dorm Block sit against views of the Portland skyline. Downtown Portland is a short bike ride away, and students can plan trips to the college's ski cabin on Mount Hood. International applicants apply as a specific applicant type through the Common Application or Coalition for College Application and complete a Reed writing supplement. Reed does not use SAT or ACT results in admission review. TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo is strongly encouraged for applicants who do not speak English at home or whose school teaches in another language; international interviews are by invitation only. Admitted international students receive financial aid meeting 100 percent of demonstrated need for all four years.