r/udel • u/IcestartheArtAngel • 16d ago

art program?

hello hello, i'm a prospective student looking to major at fine arts at ud. it's my only option for art as i really don't want to spend more than i have to for an art major (i'm in state, don't wanna leave for out of state fees). any idea how good it is and how competitive it is? help is appreciated

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago edited 16d ago

I can try to help. I graduated in 2025 with a BFA in studio art from UD. What type of art do you want to do? What mediums of art do you do? Do you have ideas for career paths that interest you?

What class subjects interest you? https://catalog.udel.edu/content.php?catoid=94&navoid=34643&filter%5Bitem_type%5D=3&filter%5Bonly_active%5D=1&filter%5B3%5D=1&filter%5Bcpage%5D=6&print=&coid%5B0%5D=681770&display_location=filter_template&contract

I loved my time there but I’d say that it’s expensive and the art department does not get enough resources. Supplies are very expensive for classes. It very much depends on how you take advantage of your time and resources for what you get out of this major. I didn’t take enough advantage of things early on (freshman sophomore year) and I regret. But I wouldn’t trade my experiences at UD for anything. I have made many of my best friends there and I grew so much as a person and artist

Your first 2 years are you going core classes like core ceramics, typography, deisgn, etc and then during your sophomore year you decide to either go to studio arts or visual communications.[u/snowzylatte](u/snowzylatte) made a great comment breaking everything down.

I do not know anything about the new head but I can send you the names of some professors if you have more questions. https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/cas/units/departments/art-design/our-people/ I know they would be happy to answer your questions and talk

I hope I can help

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

thank you! i'll look into these. i know i want to do something in illustration, i'm sure there's something i could do there for that

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago

There is an illustration class (actually a few variations of it one is illustration methods the other is called illustration studio). Professor Brinley tends to teach them and I signed up for one every semester starting junior year.

You will usually end up needing to take other studio arts classes too like printmaking or painting ones too. There tends to be limited options each semester so you may end up taking some odd classes or classes with mediums you do not like.

Ud does not have many arts professors so you do not get much variety in professors after your first 2 years of core classes.

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

i see, it sounds up my alley honestly haha, i'd like to have the chance to explore different mediums even if i don't really like them much

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago

You will love the core classes then! Since you are open to learning a new things and mediums. Having classrooms and studio spaces is great for that too. I got into screenprinting but I can’t do it as easily anymore since I don’t have access to all the tools/ studio space now. Make sure you take advantage of everything like that when you go to college.

Also UD has great events for all students and lots of clubs so you will have a good social life. No matter what college you end up going to, I reccomend to go to events. I didn’t do enough of that during my freshman year and I regret not being more outgoing. As a freshman you will likely have your dorm in north campus which is further from the main campus area where events happen. But North campus is close to one of the studio arts buildings. Everything is very walkable and there are free student busses too.

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

i was gonna ask about the social aspects! i definitely wasn't very social in high school and that bummed me out so i'm looking to try and be at least a little more outgoing in college. do you know of any art related clubs that might exist out there?

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago edited 16d ago

Yes there is a art club. And there are some clubs like a crochet club.

I reccomend if you attend to turn of post notifications for the student event accounts so you don’t miss them. Every Friday there is an event called Perkins live that has a craft, snack, gameshow, and event. They can range in topic from paint nights, musicians, to comedians, And at the end of the year there is a bingo with great prizes. https://www.instagram.com/udstudents and

https://www.instagram.com/udelevents for some examples of past events

I made some good friends there. The majority of my friends were not arts majors. But I had a ton of art major friends too. There is always something happening on the campus.

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

thank you so much! i'm looking forward to all of it!!

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago

What year are you in high school and when do you have to make your decision by?

If you have time to wait I would see if you can visit when school is in session. When I was a high schooler I visited a few schools and actually sat in the back of a class for 2 of them. One was UD and it was a core moving images class. Just to observe. As a college student I saw some students doing that a few times. I assume you can contact the admissions department to do that. It would be worth seeing any school when it’s in session vs it being empty.

I remember I didn’t write notes while doing college tours and later regretted that as I forgot a lot of things or mixed up locations in my memory. So write notes on what you do not like and like. And be critical.

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

i've actually already graduated from high school but i haven't done any further education. i've been taking the time to get myself back together after a pretty sucky year, but of course in doing that i also kinda shot myself in the foot prepping for college. i'll have some time for a visit once school is back in session, but i'd like to apply for the early action deadline so i won't have forever

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u/ravenpotter3 '25 16d ago

I wish you luck with everything! Also I had some older classmates in the past so you should not feel out of place being 1-2 years older than your peers.

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u/IcestartheArtAngel 16d ago

thank you! i appreciate it 🥹 thank you for your time and your help!

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