by Rosanne Sloane

Created on: February 14, 2008

In choosing the right college or university that offers the ceramic and glass program for you, there are a few tips to follow:

1.Find a college that offers a program that matches your needs and your goals after college.
2.Create a list of needs and criteria such as what the program provides such as location, cost, the size of students in the classroom, reputation, ranking, faculty size and reputation.

3.Compose a list of the colleges/universities you would like to interview
4.Research the college/universities Ceramic/Glass program and alumni.
5.Visit your schools taking notes on the pros and cons of the program, school, financial aid help, and after college offers.

Ceramic programs have been around for over twenty years at the top art universities and colleges. It has only been over the past ten years that theses major institutions have broaden their programs to include glass.

There are many different Bachelor of Art or Bachelor of Fine Art Programs that offer both as a part of Art Studio but not a specialized major. There are even fewer colleges/universities that offer a Masters in Fine Arts with glass and ceramics as a specialty. Since ceramics has been around longer, there are more choices for a MFA in Ceramics. Do not be fooled by these programs being lumped under the Arts Program only offering a Certificate of Completion. This is not the same as receiving a degree in these mediums.

I have collected some of the top Colleges and Universities that offer a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Glass and Ceramics:

1.Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH

A.Glass Program offers:
1.Blowing
2.Casting glass
3.Mixed Media
4.Building, running and maintaining the glass equipment

B.Ceramics Program offers:
1.Kiln Building
2.Glaze and raw material

2. California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA

A.Glass Program offers:
1. Technical materials
2. History of Glass
3. Philosophy of glass as a medium for art making

B. Ceramics Program offers:
1. Incorporating drawing, printmaking, sculpture, architecture, design and animation using earth materials and other media.

3. Ohio State University in Columbus, OH

A. Glass Program offers:
1. Blowing
2. Casting
3. Cold-working
4. Fabrication

B. Ceramics Program offers:
1. Firing Techniques
2. Clay Techniques
3. Glazing Techniques
4. Tile Pressing
5. Jiggering casting
6. Extruding

4. Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI

A. Glass Program offers:
1. Glass working
2. Casting
3. Molding
4. Cold-working

B. Ceramics Program offers:
1. Ceramic History
2. Ceramic Production
3. Ceramic Creation
4. Ceramic Techniques in firing, clay and glazing

5. Temple University in Philadelphia, PA

A. Glass Program offers:
1. Cold-working
2. Blowing
3. Casting

B. Ceramic Program offers:
1. Throwing
2. Moldmaking
3. Slipcasting
4. Sculpting
5. All firing techniques

6. University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, TX

A. Glass Program offers:
1. Sculptural
2. Conceptual
3. Functional
4. Glass blowing
5. Frame working
6. Fusing/slumping
7. Casting
8. Fabrication

B. Ceramics Program offers:
1. Form
2. Method
3. Color
4. Concept
5. History of ceramics
6. Handbuilding
7. Throwing
8. Glazes and raw materials
9. Kiln techniques

Learn more about this author, Rosanne Sloane.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.