Program Overview

---

Ceramics Option - Studio Arts BFA

Overview

RIT's ceramics BFA covers a range of fundamental topics within ceramics, including sculpture, pottery, mold-making, glazing, firing, and material science.

Why Study Ceramics at RIT

• College Preparation Workshops: High school juniors and seniors can participate in the two-week School of Art's annual Pre-College Portfolio Preparation Workshop.
• Exhibit Your Work: During senior year, exhibit your final body of work in a gallery.

This BFA in Ceramics provides a dynamic environment where intellectual discourse and craftsmanship thrive through a focus on intellectual development, technical skill, and practical knowledge.

RIT’s Studio Arts BFA - Ceramics Option

Individual critiques and group discussions will develop your personal aesthetic and enhance your critical thinking skills. RIT’s ceramics degree option prepares you with the professional and practical skills needed to establish a career in your field. This option is part of the Studio Arts BFA program.

The curriculum supports a range of fundamental topics within ceramics, such as:

• Sculpture
• Pottery
• Mold-making
• Glazing
• Firing
• Material science
• Personal aesthetic development

Students selecting this option are equipped with the professional and practical skills necessary to operate a studio business.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

• Art Critic
• Artist-in-Residence
• Ceramic Artist
• Clay and Glaze Chemist
• Commercial Designer
• Curatorial Assistant
• Gallery Owner
• Independent Designer
• Materials Specialist
• Slip-casting Technician
• Sculptor
• Studio Manager
• Studio Technician

Industries

• Performing and Fine Arts
• Design
• Higher Education
• Museum

Cooperative Education and Internships

Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Your art and design co-ops will provide hands-on experience that enables you to apply your artistic capabilities in dynamic professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.

Students in the ceramics option are strongly encouraged to complete a cooperative education or internship experience.

Creative Industry Days

RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education hosts Creative Industry Days, which connects students majoring in art, design, film and animation, photography, and select computing majors with companies, organizations, creative agencies, design firms, and more.

Featured Work and Profiles

• 2024 Fulbright Scholar: Emma Herz Thakur
• 'Nailed It!' ceramics assignment
• Pre-College Portfolio Prep Workshop
• Throw Your Own Way
• Student Spotlight: Marian Draper
• School of Art Reel

Admissions and Financial Aid

This option is part of the Studio Arts BFA. Please visit the degree program page for admission requirements.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

100% of all incoming first-year and transfer students receive aid.

RIT’s personalized and comprehensive financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment programs.

Faculty

• Jane Shellenbarger
• Ann Mowris Mulligan Endowed Professor
• Peter Pincus
• Associate Professor

Facilities

• Ceramics Kiln Room
• Fab Lab
• Bevier Gallery

Related News

• May 13, 2024: Ceramics and Illustration graduate Emma Herz Thakur travels to France as a Fulbright awardee
• May 8, 2024: Graduating student embarks on France Fulbright journey to bridge art and history
• March 21, 2024: Innovation unleashed: students forge transdisciplinary projects at RIT's a2ru summit