Create Your Place in the World
Areas of Study
ART STUDIES 08–09
ART EDUCATION 11
ART HISTORY 10
DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS 06
EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN 07
ILLUSTRATION 07
PHOTOGRAPHY 09
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIES 09
STUDIO ART 08–09
James Pierce
DEAN, WATKINS COLLEGE OF ART
I’d like to personally welcome you to the Watkins College of Art — a place where we celebrate the ability of art and design to transform the world around us. As a firm believer in artistic individuality and the power of art itself, I am proud to be a part of an organization that strives to create a unique environment for students to grow both personally and professionally.
When you join our ranks, you’ll be joining a program with an excellent track record of awards at the regional and national level. Our alumni enjoy an extremely high job placement rate after graduation and receive numerous national awards and recognition, including multiple Fulbright scholars.
I invite you take a look around. I believe that once you tap into the creative energy and the spirit of collaboration that permeates our campus, you’ll form a connection with what we hope will become your new home — and a place to further your artistic and professional ambitions.
See you around, James
Pierce
Welcome to Welcome to
CREATIVE, VIBRANT, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY
In Nashville, you’ll find more than just music. Art of all kinds is everywhere, spanning a wide range of industries. A big city with a small-town heart, Nashville is bustling with opportunities for creatives. There are studios, internships, publications, start-ups, classrooms and more waiting for you to make your mark.
Located just minutes from downtown, Belmont University’s Watkins College of Art is the perfect place to learn from industry
professionals and hone your craft. We’re proud to have strong connections across our community that extend to every artistic field: Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Art Museum, Frist Art Museum, Nashville Public Schools, Civic Design Center, Nashville Design Week and many more.
200 WATKINS STUDENTS
14:1
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO
1-3
Number of Internships STUDENTS
A WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION
While your creative work will be the focal point of your time here, you’ll also be part of the full collegiate experience. You’ll have the opportunity to take classes in other departments, participate in extracurricular organizations and collaborate with students from other Belmont colleges. This is especially beneficial if you’re interested in pursuing a minor outside your field or learning how to market your work in various industries.
There’s so much to learn inside and outside the studio, and you’ll find no limitations here. We wholeheartedly believe that a well-rounded education will prove to be a valuable influence for your artistic expression and your ability to inspire human connection.
Bringing ideas to life: that is the core mission of designers. They shape the image and voice of brands and products all around us. Every industry relies on the ingenuity of talented designers.
A standout portfolio is the most valuable asset a design graduate can present to potential employers. That’s why our B.F.A. program is dedicated to helping students build an exceptional and diverse body of work — one they are incredibly proud of. When navigating the next steps for their career, students can count on extensive,
DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS
Graphic Design. Create media assets that communicate a brand or message. Turn a client’s vague description of a “vibe” or “tone” into a story using typeface, shape, color, space and your craftsmanship.
What You’ll Learn
Advertising and
Package Design
Typography
Design Thinking
User Experience
Empathy Driven
Design
Where You Might Go From Here
Graphic Design
Web Design
Creative Direction
Marketing and Branding
Packaging Design
individualized support from faculty and alumni.
Students begin the program developing a solid foundation in graphic design, then choose one of three specialties: Design Communications, Experiential Design or Illustration.
Setting our program apart from most, students will not only sharpen their creative skills, but also build an entrepreneurial mindset to thrive in the design industry.
NUMBER 1
Illustration School
IN TENNESSEE
– Animation Center Review
ILLUSTRATION
Storytelling. Convey emotion and narrative with every illustrative design. Use your artistic skills to create connections across diverse audiences and industries, bringing stories to life in a variety of markets.
What You’ll Learn
Book Illustration and Sequential Art
Character Design and Development
Editorial Illustration
Advertising Illustration
Graphic Design and
Typography
Where You Might Go From Here
Animation
Art Direction
Book Design
Children’s Book
Illustration
Graphic Novels
Design Firm
Illustration
Brand Identity Design
EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN
Emerging Technology. Work with constantly evolving, human-centered design platforms. Develop the next applications that will change how our world works.
What You’ll Learn
Interactive Design
App Design
Augmented and Virtual Reality
Product
Development
Web Design (including UX & UI)
Public Spaces Design
Where You Might Go From Here
App Development
Graphic Design
Wayfinding Systems
Display and Kiosk Design
Gaming and Entertainment
Industry
User Experience and User Interface Design
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts
None of us wants to imagine a world without art. We gain something every time we experience it: new perspective at a creative exhibit…nostalgic joy from old photographs…a sense of belonging from a community mural. We have all experienced the ways that art connects, teaches, inspires and comforts. All these benefits are thanks to creative minds who take a blank canvas and turn it into something that moves us.
We consider ourselves lucky to work with the best up-andcoming artists you’ll find. Our Fine Arts program offers specialties in Studio Art and Photography, packed with portfolio-building and co-curricular experiences. Holding a wide range of industry
experience, our faculty offer not only guidance in the classroom, but great connection to opportunities in the Nashville community and beyond.
Students can pursue either a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). Which one is right for you? The B.F.A. track is more immersed in studio classes that prepare you for a fulfilling and creative life in the arts. The B.A. most often pairs with another discipline and is more connected with the rest of your liberal arts education. For example, if you’re interested in becoming an Art Therapist, we would recommend majoring in Art Studies (B.A.) and minoring in Psychology.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Read and speak through photographs. Master darkroom skills, then move on to the digital space. Learn skills in studio lighting, printing techniques, documentary styles and more.
What You’ll Learn
Darkroom and Film
Photography
Digital Photography
Digital imaging and Large-Format
Printing
Experimental Video
Techniques
Applied Studio
Lighting
Documentary
Photographic Work
Where You Might Go From Here
Studio or Commercial
Photography
Fashion/Editorial
Photography
Entertainment
Photography
Gallery or Museum
Curation
Photojournalism
Short or Long Form
Documentary Work
STUDIO ART
Create physical works of art: paintings, sculptures, prints, ceramics and more. Build a strong foundation in all fields, then choose a medium for advanced exploration.
What You’ll Learn
Painting
Drawing
Printmaking
Photography
Ceramics
Sculpture
Where You Might Go From Here
Fine Art
Gallery/Museum Curation
Art Direction
Mural Making
3D Product Design
Production/Set Design
rt History
Bachelor of Arts
Delving into the history of art amplifies the beauty and power it showcases. For every brushstroke of a painting or angle of a sculpture, there is much to explore about the eras and cultures that produced it. This practice, in turn, offers deeper understanding about our world at large.
A DEEP DIVE
Examine the societies and contexts in which works of art were created. Cover a wide range of creative fields and nuances, including global art and culture, postmodernism, Asian architecture, women in art and African-American art, to name just a few.
We’re committed to helping students develop an array of critical tools and transferrable skills for their pursuits in academic research, contemporary art or any field of their choosing.
What You’ll Learn
Artistic Works and Techniques From a Broad Range of Time and Cultures
Writing and Presenting Original Ideas
Database and Archival Research
Development of Art Exhibitions
Analytical, Research and Teaching Skills
Where You Might Go From Here
Curatorial Career
Museum Education
Museum and Gallery Exhibition
Virtual Art History and Digital Technologies
Art Law
Art Consulting, Management and Representation
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Without art educators, so much would be lost from generation to generation. Not only do they serve as experts in the fine arts, but they pass on invaluable knowledge and skillsets to others.
Art teachers make a lasting impact on our culture and individual lives through a variety of vocations, inside and outside the classroom. They inspire students to express themselves creatively, oversee educational programs at museums and lead community initiatives, shaping the way art is experienced and appreciated.
Art Education students focus on the same foundational coursework of Studio Art, plus 90 hours in the teaching field, all prior to their student teaching semester. Upon passing their licensure exams, graduates earn a Tennessee Art Teaching Certification for Grades K-12 (our certification pathway is reciprocal with that of 46 other states).
What You’ll Learn
Curriculum Planning and Lesson Development
Studio Art, Art History, Art Criticism and Aesthetics
Effective Classroom
Organization and Management
Contemporary Issues, Ideas and Technology within Art Education
Identification of Museum and Community Resources
Where You Might Go From Here
Elementary, Middle or High School Art
Education
Gallery/Museum
Curation
Art Therapy
Parks and Recreation
Museum
Education
Family Support Agencies
Student Opportunities
Space to Thrive
At Watkins, you’ll be part of a vibrant community of creative minds, friends and mentors. You’ll find guidance from faculty who invest in you as a person and artist. You’ll gather with peers who inspire and encourage your innovations. You’ll be welcomed to industry opportunities and be lifted up by a strong network who recognize and celebrate your talents.
Your work in the classroom and studio is just the beginning. With every step forward, your Watkins community will be there to support you.
Kappa Pi is an international honor art fraternity, established with the purpose of uniting artists and promoting success, talent, creativity and scholarship. The group operates the studentrun Meaders Gallery, organizes fundraisers and collaborates on projects to grow as artists.
Kappa Pi also organizes the annual Holiday Art Bazaar and Chili Bowl Sale, a beloved campus event. Attendees purchase handmade ceramic bowls filled with homemade chili. The bazaar also gives Watkins students an opportunity to present and sell their artwork and designs!
INTERNSHIPS
It’s vital for students to learn from and experience their industry up-close. There are so many vocational paths in the arts, and you’ll never know how a specific one fits (or doesn’t fit) your desires until you try it on.
With strong industry connections and an understanding of each student’s goals, our faculty are thoughtful and intentional in making sure students find their best path. Nashville itself is overflowing with creative opportunities, but our students don’t stop there — they’ve excelled in internships and residencies all across the country.
SCHOLARSHIPS
We’re proud to offer financial support for incoming freshmen, transfer and graduate students studying within the College of Art. With a variety of need and merit-based scholarships, our Watkins College of Art Endowment awards over $800,000 annually for arts and design scholarships.
Even after their first year, students are eligible for scholarship awards chosen by faculty or portfolio-based competitions. Some prizes are worth up to $5,000, and last year more than $70,000 was awarded to students in total.
Read more about scholarship details and requirements at our website.
Please note: Incoming students must submit their Belmont application and portfolio by December 1 to be eligible for the college merit scholarships.
Watkins Students Past Internships
Frist Art Museum
Universal Music Group
Nashville Predators Sony Music
Metro Nashville Public Schools
Big Machine Label Group
The Nashville Scene
Disney
Country Music Hall of Fame
Target
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Art Museum
Third Man Records
And many more
STU Study
An Entire World of Amazing Art
We love Nashville, and we love our campus. However, there’s an entire world of amazing art out there — and there’s nothing quite like studying it up close. We are incredibly supportive of Watkins students studying abroad.
Sure, we’re a little biased, but we believe art is the greatest field to study in a foreign country. Seeing the Mona Lisa in a textbook is one thing…but taking a stroll through the Louvre provides a whole new perspective.
With options ranging from Maymester programs to semester-long excursions, students can immerse themselves in new languages, cultures and art scenes, all while earning credits towards their major, minor or general education.
Past Watkins Study
Abroad
Trips
Australia
Austria
China
Czech Republic
England
France
Germany
Greece
Guatemala
Hong
Kong
India
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Spain
BELMONT USA
If you’re looking to branch out of Nashville without grabbing your passport, this program is your perfect fit. Belmont USA offers semester-long programs in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington D.C. Students stay in Belmont housing, take classes from our professors and complete an internship. If you’re interested in one of these big-city creative markets after graduation, Belmont USA provides excellent networking experiences and a supportive first step.
GALLERY 121
This unique space supports our educational mission through the promotion of student and emerging artists. Exhibitions complement the college’s curriculum by fostering discourse and advancing material approach.
LEU ART GALLERY
Located in the Lila D. Bunch Library, this museum-quality space focuses more exclusively on featuring established artists, as well as curatorial projects.
MEADERS GALLERY
This is our student-run space, operated by Kappa Pi Art Honor Society. Students are completely responsible for curating shows, installing artwork and developing programming yearround. The gallery provides practical experience for our students and prepares them for job opportunities in gallery or museum spaces.
WAG
Located at The Packing Plant in Nashville’s WedgewoodHouston neighborhood, The WAG was established specifically for student use. This unique building is shared with several other galleries and participates in a monthly art crawl, making it a major hub of the Nashville Arts community.
Galleries
We’re more than a little proud of our four galleries, which showcase a broad range of artwork by Watkins students, faculty and alumni, as well as other professional artists. Galleries are free and open to the public. Find exhibition schedules on our website.
Leu Art Gallery
Facilities
You deserve a space where your creativity feels at home.
The Leu Center for the Visual Arts is a 40,000 square-foot facility combining the latest technology with traditional studio spaces, multiple galleries and an audio/ visual classroom for lectures and multimedia presentations.
All studio and design courses take place in large classrooms designed for ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture. Design studios feature stateof-the-art printing capabilities. All Watkins students are provided with industry-standard software to install on their computers.
Exhibitions
There are many opportunities for students to propose shows at our galleries, either individually or as a group. These spaces are a great entryway to strengthen your portfolio and resume, as well as prepare for future career opportunities. Here are just a few annual exhibitions:
ANNUAL STUDENT EXHIBITION
A red-carpet evening for Watkins, this juried exhibition is open to students in all programs, from freshmen to seniors. Industry professionals select the work and give out prestigious awards.
SENIOR EXHIBITION AND ART CRAWL
This show features the creative thesis projects of senior B.F.A. students, culminating in an art crawl that includes the presentation of senior portfolios.
M.F.A. THESIS EXHIBITIONS
This show features the creative thesis projects of graduating M.F.A. students.
Annual Student Exhibition
Senior Exhbition and Art Crawl
M.F.A. Thesis Exhbition
What if I am accepted to Belmont but not the BFA program?
Any applicants not accepted into a BFA program can be enrolled in a second major of their choice. We encourage applicants to select one of our Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) majors. At the end of the student’s freshman year and completion of foundational courses, they can reapply to the B.F.A. program through another portfolio review. Important
DECEMBER 1 for scholarship consideration
APRIL 1 for incoming freshmen students
JUNE 1 for incoming transfer students
Portfolio Requirements
The Watkins College of Art requires all students applying for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (Studio Art, Design Communications, Illustration, Experiential Design, Photography or Art Education) to submit a portfolio as a part of the admissions process. You must first be admitted to Belmont before hearing a decision from Watkins. A portfolio is not required for students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, but you can submit one for scholarship consideration.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
Once you complete your Belmont application, you will submit your portfolio through the online platform, SlideRoom. Students will create a new, free account to begin the process, then upload still images, documents and multimedia files.
Check the Application Checklist to confirm you have submitted all required materials to Belmont. Remember to submit all materials before December 1 to be eligible for departmental scholarships.
Any work mailed to the university will not be considered or returned.
PORTFOLIO GUIDELINES
There is no universal formula for creating a successful body of work; we hope that your work will highlight your unique artistic voice.
The portfolio should include 10 to 20 pieces showcasing the artist/designer’s voice, ideas, interests, curiosity and experience in creating. It is recommended that portfolios contain two or more different mediums to reflect diversity and breadth of experience. Strong work in sketchbook form is also accepted.
During the submission process, students will be asked to include the following data with the corresponding image or video:
• Title of the piece
• Size
• Date
• Medium
• Description: Please briefly describe if the work is a result of an assigned project or a selfdirected exploration. Optionally, share the context behind the work, any influences or inspiration or any additional research that went into the piece’s making.
Note: Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a great tool for creative exploration; however, for portfolio submissions, we are looking for original work executed without AI.
Art history students can submit an essay for scholarship consideration. Please visit our website for additional details, guidance and FAQs regarding portfolio and essay submissions. https://www.belmont.edu/watkins/portfolio-scholarships/
“OPPORTUNITIES NOT ONLY AT BELMONT BUT ALSO IN THE WIDER NASHVILLE COMMUNITY.”
Alexander Milford, ‘23
“My Professors helped me improve my craft, grow individually and saw my passion for creating art.”
What Our Alumni Are Saying
“a safe space that pushed me to create my best work.”
Caitlin Cooney, ‘22
“ seen and supported as artists and designers ”
Anna Raunikar, ‘19
Derek Anderson, ‘17
1 eagerness
2 passion 3 authenticity
Callie Durham, ‘20
“It’s much more than just an undergrad program at a liberal arts college...”
Zoe Simpson, ‘24
Sean Walton
B.F.A. IN
ILLUSTRATION
“My experience at Watkins was awesome and eye-opening. I used an abundance of tools I wouldn’t have ever dreamed of. I was able to experiment, play and study, with all types of tools and mediums. All of my teachers were incredibly unique and always wanted me to do something that pushed beyond my own understanding!”
Bailey Tichenor
B.A. IN ART HISTORY
“Belmont’s Art History program gave me a firm foundation for my career in the art world and fostered my appreciation of art and material culture. From my first survey course to study abroad trips and museum internships, Belmont provided me with many opportunities to learn about and engage with art from a variety of cultures and periods.
I have been lucky to pursue a career in the field of art history. After working with several museums and galleries around the country I started my own art gallery, Artistoric, which specializes in historically significant works of art.”
Joel Cook
B.F.A. IN STUDIO ART
“My time at Belmont University instilled in me skills and thought processes that I utilize daily in my career. I am able to put into real-world practice the conceptual ideas and critical thinking needed to solve daily problems that need robust solutions. Belmont gave me the space and courage to push myself in creative ways that have been invaluable to the fabric of who I am today. I cannot speak highly enough about my time there and the programs offered.”
Rachel Moore Best
B.F.A. IN DESIGN COMMUNICATIONS
“I am the founder and lead educator for The Human Factor, where I have worked with clients such as NASA, MIT, Boston Children’s Hospital and more. I owe much of my success to the Belmont faculty who invested in me, often far beyond the time in the classroom. They taught me to be an unconventional thinker, a calculated risk-taker and a resilient heart in an industry that can be very critical. Those skills (and a lot of laughter and tears) have led me to create work that has been recognized on national and international stages with awards from Cannes, The One Show, Art Directors Club, the Webbys, D&AD and The Young Guns International. No matter where my career takes me next, I’m proud to call the College of Art at Belmont University one of the many places I am ‘from.’”
How to Apply
We can’t wait to see the journey you take. (And we hope to be along for the ride!) We wish you the best during your college search and beyond. Please reach out to us with any questions — we love talking about our programs and meeting talented people.
Belmont accepts applications via the Common Application©, the Belmont University online application or Coalition. Admission to Belmont is considered on a rolling basis, so early submission of application materials is strongly encouraged. Applicants will be notified of a decision within a few weeks. Remember to submit all application materials by December 1 to be considered by departmental scholarships. * (B.F.A. Students)