Creative majors

What to know if you are considering creative majors for university

• Creative majors include Fine Art, Design, Architecture, Music, Performing Arts, and other creative disciplines.

• In some countries, you can choose to study either at a traditional (comprehensive) university, or at a specialist institution (often referred to as a conservatory, conservatoire, or 'arts school'). 

• Specialist institutions include for example, Berklee College of Music (USA), Royal Academy of Dramatic Art RADA (UK), ArtCenter College of Design (USA), and many, many more. These institutes often have 'different' methods for their applications, outside of the traditional application portals for that particular country. 

• The vast majority of creative majors will require students to submit examples of their current creative work, within the application process. For example, a portfolio for an application to a degree in Animation, recordings of music performances for a Music Performance degree (or even a live audition!), or recordings of set monologues and/or vocal performances for a degree in Musical Theater. 

• Check each university for their requirements (as they are usually all different, across each university!). Many universities will publish clear and helpful guidance on preparing for your portfolio / recordings / audition. 

• In many cases, the timeline for applications to creative majors can be earlier. Students may need to prepare their work (portfolio/audition materials) over the summer prior to starting Grade 12, as the application deadlines may fall as early as October.

• Students working on a portfolio for Arts/Design degree applications may find the Assoc. of Independent Colleges of Art andd Design (AICAD) https://aicad.slideroom.com/ and National Portfolio Day Association (NPDA) helpful:  https://nationalportfolioday.org/

• For students who want to work as a licensed architect, it is important to consider where you plan to work. Not all architecture degrees around the world are recognized by all countries. For example, the Singapore Board of Architects has a list of recognized overseas degrees. 

Studying Creative Majors in the USA

• In the USA, there is a wealth of choice of programs at both traditional universities and the more specialist conservatories. Students may apply to both 'types' of institution.

  • Studying creative majors at a research university or liberal arts college: This will offer a more "traditional" college experience. Students will have flexibility to pursue majors or courses outside of, or in addition to, art. The schools will offer a broad variety of activities, student clubs, athletics, etc. 

  • Studying creative majors at a specialist art or music school: These are smaller schools where everyone on campus is studying something creative. There is less flexibility to change majors or studying something outside of the arts. Most of the clubs will revolve around artistic pursuits.

• Deadlines for creative programs can be very early, due to portfolio reviews / auditions / interviews being required throughout Semester One of Grade 12, through to early January/February post-winter break.

• Students should carefully consider what balance or focus of program they wish to pursue. Consider the difference between performance, or academic (theory) based degrees, for example. In the USA, students can study creative majors but still follow a flexible liberal arts style learning approach / model. 

• Architecture in the USA is usually a 5 year professional Bachelor degree, (B.Arch), or a 4 year non-professional Bachelor degree (e.g. a BA or BS in Architecture) followed by an M.Arch Master's degree. The NCARB has a very helpful guide to becoming a licensed architect in the USA. 

  • B.Arch = Bachelor of Architecture. It is a professional, accredited degree in the US that offers a more streamlined pathway to becoming a licensed architect and entering the workforce. It takes 5 years to complete. It will be highly technical and focused. It is a very strict degree that does not leave you much room for exploring other fields (e.g. changing majors, taking a minor, double majoring).

  • BA / BS / BFA in Architecture = Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Fine Arts. These are non-professional degrees in architecture that students complete in 4 years. This means students in these degrees must go to a 2 year Master of Architecture degree in order to become a licensed architect. These degrees are much more flexible, and can be a good option for students who want to keep options open and have a chance to explore other majors or areas of interest.

• Your academics at SAIS still very much matter within your application, despite also usually submitting your creative work (portfolio / audition materials)!

Studying Creative Majors in the UK

• In the UK, highly competitive programs in Art and Design may prefer students who complete what is known as a 'Foundation Diploma in Art and Design' first, prior to enrolling in their Bachelor degree. We recommend students consider applying both to the direct Bachelor degree entry via UCAS, whilst also considering some choices within the one-year Foundation route too, even if only as a backup.

• Many of our students do enroll directly on a Bachelor degree level program. However, other students find the exploration of the Foundation year very helpful, in experimenting with different areas of Art and Design, before ultimately then confirming their chosen major with confidence. For example, in a Foundation program you could take coursework across fashion, fine art, 3D design, etc to help you decide what you want your Bachelor degree to focus on. 

• For Architecture, the professional route (RIBA) is 3 parts. This includes: a 3 year Bachelor degree, followed by one year of work experience, then a two year Master's degree, followed by further professional exams. 

• The UK has both 'conservatoires' (applied to via UCAS Conservatoire) and traditional universities which offer creative programs. Students should carefully consider their 'fit' across these two options.  Students can apply to both, and this involves then making two seperate UCAS applications (one conservatoire, one 'regular' UCAS application).

• NOTE: Music conservatoires have a very early application deadline, usually in the first week of October. Students need to prepare early!

• Your academics at SAIS still very much matter within your application, despite also usually submitting your creative work (portfolio / audition materials)! Many universities in the UK will still set specific grade requirements within your IBDP / AP / BTEC Diploma studies, and will hold your place only as conditional until your final exam results are released in July.

Studying Creative Majors in Canada

• For Architecture, most students complete a pre-professional degree in Architecture, followed by an M.Arch (Master's degree). 

• Your academics at SAIS still very much matter within your application, despite also usually submitting your creative work (portfolio / audition materials)!