From artists to industrial designers to computer-graphics creators and website-layout specialists, the number of avenues for those who choose to study in the field of arts and fine arts are practically limitless.

Find Online Fine Arts Degrees .

Niche Areas
There are any number of areas in which arts and fine arts students may specialize. They run the gamut from the wholly solitary to the team- based and cover all ground in between. The one common feature they all share is that they are creative, exciting, and require their practitioners to possess a great deal of skill and a love for the work. Specific areas of specialization include, but are certainly not limited to:

• Digital media design
• Visual studies
• Photography
• Film history and film making
• Theater
• Graphic design
• Web design
• Art history
• Painting
• Sculpture

Types Of Associate, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Available
As with most fields of study in the liberal arts, students wishing to pursue academic work in the arts and fine arts can either earn an Associate degree, Bachelor's degree, or Master's degree, all of which prepare the students for a future of work in the actual field. Doctoral degrees are also available, though they are more appropriate for those students who wish to pursue the academic and scholarly aspects of the field, as opposed to necessarily working in the field itself.

Typical Admissions Requirements
Depending upon the specific degree sought, a background in the field may or may not be required. Generally speaking, the higher the degree the more experience you should have. So if you have no experience in the field but you nonetheless have a desire to pursue it, you should begin with either an Associate's or a Bachelor's degree. These are excellent ways to find out more about both the field and yourself, and to determine if further study is feasible or even necessary. Check with specific programs for their individual admissions requirements, and don 't be discouraged if the first few don't seem like they'll work for you. Because with so many programs out there, you're sure to find one that fits perfectly. And that, more than anything else, is the key to a great education as an adult.

Careers In This Field
Work in the arts or fine arts is so rewarding because of all the creativity it demands of its practitioners. From working full-time as a painter or sculptor to heading up the design team at a major corporation, there are many fascinating aspects of this field to pursue professionally. They include, but are certainly not limited to:

• Professional Exhibiting Artist
• Arts Administrator
• Visual Merchandising Specialist
• Art and Antique Restorer
• Public or Private School Art Teacher
• Theater, Design, Textile, and Surface Freelancing
• Curatorial
• Graphic Design
• Web Layout
• Product Design

Salary Ranges In This Field
Because of the many directions graduates from arts and fine arts programs choose to travel, average earnings are difficult to break down by the degree one has earned. Rather, you should look at www.bls.gov and find the specific area in which you would like to work for a more accurate picture of the earning potential in the field you choose to pursue.

Future Outlook
The future of work in certain fields is easily quantifiable: Those who are considering a degree in medicine have a wealth of statistics from which to choose, including the aging of the population and their expected subsequent need for medical professionals. However, predicting the future for a field like the arts is far more difficult, for so much of it is dependent on the intangibles. That having been noted, however, common perception is that the future is bright, indeed. For as new sources of media become available for use by the masses (who, after all, could have predicted the ways in which the Internet affected the professional lives of designers?), the work of those in the field will evolve. And those choosing to create fine art themselves will, as always, struggle with the trials and tribulations of being an artist in America, but if their heart is in it, then no amount of difficulty will stop them.

Officially, however, "Employment of artists and related workers is expected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through the year 2014. However, the competition for jobs is expected to be keen for both salaried and freelance jobs in all specialties, because the number of qualified workers exceeds the number of available openings. Also, because the arts attract many talented people with creative ability, the number of aspiring artists continues to grow. Employers in all industries should be able to choose from among the most qualified candidates" ( www.bls.gov ).

Resources

1. www.collegeart.org (The College Art Association)
2. www.nea.gov (The National Endowment for the Arts)
3. There are also many local associations, as well. Check out your favorite search engine for complete listings.