Art

The UC Berkeley Art Practice Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs in studio art, which provide firm grounding in basic techniques and principles while encouraging guided experimentation. Our curriculum is designed to expand students' creative, technical, and critical abilities across a range of artistic media and disciplines, and with the guidance of accomplished faculty.

We provide technical and conceptual training, with a primary focus on painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, digital photography, installation, performance, social practice, video, and selected courses offered in sound, animation, and game design. Art Practice majors are expected to round out the required studio courses with Art History and seminar classes. The department encourages an ethical, global scope, with a necessary emphasis on diversity of viewpoints and modes of practice. 

Art Practice seeks to graduate students with the necessary skills to have significant artistic and cultural impact, whether within the professional art world or through a range of other. creative fields, including as art directors, arts educators, and arts-related jobs with museums, galleries, arts management, design firms, publishing, and artists’ organizations.

Course of Study Overview

Art Practice majors need to complete thirteen courses (five lower division and eight upper division). These include ten studio courses and three courses in art history. For more details, visit the undergraduate webpage: art.berkeley.edu/major.

Advanced Studio and Critique Program

Each semester the Advanced Studio and Critique Program admits nine senior Art Practice majors who show exceptional commitment and promise.

Senior Capstone Project

During senior year students take the required course ART 185 Senior Projects/Professional Practices and work toward a thesis exhibition in the Department’s Worth Ryder Art Gallery. 

Applying to the Major

The Art Practice Department is a “high demand major” which means that not all students who apply to the major will be accepted. 

For Transfer Students

Transfer students can be directly admitted to the major upon acceptance into UC Berkeley, but must formally indicate the Art Practice major on their university application.

Undeclared (Discovery) transfer students can apply during their first semester at UC Berkeley but must already have: 

At least one undergraduate fine arts studio class taken at community college
One Art History class taken at community college
Must be enrolled in ART 8 at UC Berkeley during their first semester (contact Student Services Advisor to confirm this)
Note that the first semester of your junior year is the very last semester you can apply to the Art Practice Major.

First Year Students 

For first-year students applying to Berkeley Letters & Science (L&S)  there will be two pathways to declare a high-demand major. 

 Admission into L&S:  Those who already know as high school students that they want to major in Art Practice should select Art Practice as their intended major on their UC Berkeley admissions application. If admitted to Berkeley L&S, they will be guaranteed a spot in the major, subject to completing the prerequisites, maintaining good academic standing in L&S, and filing a declaration form.

Changing to a high-demand major after arriving at L&S: For students who did not select Art Practice on their UC Berkeley admissions application, the process for declaring the Art Practice major will be through Comprehensive Review, rather than a minimum GPA requirement only. Students will have one opportunity to apply for Art Practice and will be required to have an alternate plan to declare a non-high-demand major as a back-up. 

Apply as early as possible after completing the prerequisites. Students are not allowed to apply to the major past the beginning of their junior year (i.e., Seniors are not allowed to apply). The portfolio submission is a competitive one and plays a significant role in the review process. Students are encouraged to submit their strongest work along with thoughtful written responses. Faculty review applications once per semester. Application deadlines can be found on the Art Practice website.

For Continuing Undergraduate Students:

Apply as early as possible after completing the prerequisites. Starting in Fall 2023, students are not allowed to apply to the major past the beginning of their junior year (i.e., Seniors are not allowed to apply). The portfolio submission is a competitive one and plays a significant role in the review process. Students are encouraged to submit their strongest work along with thoughtful written responses. Faculty review applications once per semester. Application deadlines can be found on the Art Practice website. ​

For First Year Students Admitted Fall 2023 and After

For first-year students applying to Berkeley Letters & Science (L&S) for fall 2023 and after, there will be two pathways to declare a high-demand major. This policy will not impact current or continuing students.

Admission into L&S: Those who already know as high school students that they want a high demand major should select that major on their UC Berkeley admissions application. If admitted to Berkeley L&S, they will be guaranteed a spot in the major they selected, subject to completing the prerequisites, maintaining good academic standing in L&S, and filing a declaration form.

Changing to a high-demand major after arriving at L&S: For students who did not select a high-demand major on their UC Berkeley admissions application, the process for declaring a high-demand major will be through Comprehensive Review, rather than a minimum GPA requirement only. Students will have one opportunity to apply for a high-demand major, and will be required to have an alternate plan to declare a non-high-demand major as a back-up. 

Visit Department Website