In the Department of Fine Arts, Design, Art History you'll find comprehensive studies in art history, studio art and design. There are courses that use applications to generate communication design and strategy design systems and 3-D printers that output practical as well as experimental/speculative objects. Art history classes cover ancient cave paintings to new media installations, as well as how the study of art brings to light issues related to politics, social institutions, religion and culture.
The department houses the student-run FORM gallery and the Rosenberg Gallery, which features a full schedule of exhibitions by guest artists.
The Hofstra Advantage
One of the great benefits of studying the visual arts at Hofstra is the strong foundation you’ll build in the liberal arts. What you learn in other areas of the university feeds your talent, fuels your artistic vision, and strengthens your resume.
There is often collaboration with other disciplines, such as history, English, biology, drama, psychology, religion, business, and computer science. This cross-pollination is the jewel of our program, and the reason why our students graduate ready for advanced studies or careers in a variety of industries.
Since the Hofstra campus is just a short train ride from New York City – the world center of art and design – there are limitless possibilities for networking, internships and experiential learning.
Our Teaching Philosophy
- Practical
From the abstract to the tangible, ideas become action through research, creating, prototyping and exhibiting.
- Ethical
Through vigorous expression, artists, designers and scholars take responsibility for the stances reflected in what they make.
- Aspirational
Innovation and future-building through production and scholarship.
Degrees & Programs
Hofstra offers a comprehensive curriculum in art history, studio art, and design,
with three different degrees in fine arts and art history.
A wide variety of electives also are available, with classes like metalsmithing, motion graphics for digital media, design for smartphones and iPads, social media design, furniture design, packaging and branding design, documentary photography, and alternative photographic processes.
BA in Fine Arts
This degree is for students who may be interested in a double major in areas such as education, marketing, computer science, or film. Students have the option of a general fine arts degree, or a specialization in design, painting, or sculpture-industrial design.
BS in Fine Arts
This is a more intensive program, with more required coursework in fine arts and art history than the BA degree. In addition, students must select a specialization from one of the following areas:
- Painting
- Design and New Media and Industrial Design
- Photography
- Sculpture
- Ceramics
BA in Art History
This degree offers classes in the study of art and architecture, from cave paintings to new media installations. Students learn about medieval art and works of the Italian Renaissance, the Romantic, Baroque, and Gothic Ages. They learn about artistic movements and how the study of art highlights issues related to politics, culture, and religion.
Facilities and Resources
Your Home Studio
Facilities in Calkins Hall include:
- State-of-the art-computer labs
- Fully equipped wood, metal and welding shops, as well as carving and plaster studios.
- A ceramics studio that is an impressive light, airy and well-equipped space.
- Painting, drawing, sculpture and new media, graphic design and industrial design studios.
- A professional-level photography studio where students take a full-spectrum of photography courses and engage in the latest digital technologies.
The Student Experience
On-Campus Opportunities
The FORM, student-run gallery hosts a different exhibition of student work every week throughout the academic year. FORM shows all types of work, and the opportunity to exhibit is open to all students. The FORM Gallery is also a great opportunity for students to learn the ins and outs of managing a gallery space.
Our Spring Art Show features student work from all studios. Best in show awards are given in each genre, including a $1,000 purchase award, where the University buys a piece of artwork to display on campus.
Internships
To give students a head start on their careers, we encourage students to take advantage of internship opportunities. There's nothing like studying art so close to New York City, the largest art market in the world and one of the most powerful and connected places to train and work in the arts.
According to a survey of recent alumni, 100% of Fine Art majors reported completing an internship. Some recent examples: Gagosian Gallery, Golden Echo, GreenGale Publishing, Newsday, Pear the Agency, Providence Performing Arts Center, and Publishers Clearing House.
In the Classroom
Artists in Residence
Our professors are active in the art scene – showing in New York City, across the United States and internationally – and their work is included in the permanent collections of institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Center Pompidou in Paris.
Our program embraces innovation and ingenuity. Courses of study can be tailored to the needs, talents, and interests of the individual student. So, if you want to propose a project that's a bit unusual or doesn't quite fit in with the syllabus, your professors will work with you to help make it happen.
Outcomes
A degree in fine arts or art history is great preparation for careers in many industries, including publishing, film, television, fashion, advertising, marketing, and auction houses. Our students are working fine artists, furniture makers, jewelry designers, graphic and web designers, illustrators, animators, and photographers. They are also educators and museum and gallery administrators.
Examples of places our students have reported finding employment include: BerlinRosen, DoSomething.org, Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, Joel Shapiro Studio, GANNI, Whitney Museum of Art, Tom Sachs Studio, Pinkerton Academy, Ronik Design, Price, Waterhouse, Cooper Experience Center, FindSpark, GumGum, Adobe Inc., Westbrook Preparatory School, Miya Ando Studio, Artists Rights Society, Andy Warhol Foundation, and Chloe Wise Studio.
In a survey of recent graduates from the School of Humanities, Fine & Performing Arts:
98%
of recent alumni responding to a survey reported finding employment or being enrolled in graduate school within a year of graduation. More on alumni outcomes
86%
of those students who reported finding employment accepted a position within six months of graduation.
$49K
was the mean reported salary for the first year following graduation.
More About Us
Student Joins Local Juneteenth Festivities
A Uniondale community Juneteenth celebration in 2023 featured 12 paintings by Beauvoire Jean-Charles ‘24, a health science and fine arts major from Dix Hills, NY. The exhibit was curated by the African American Museum of Nassau County.
Alum Puts Design Skills to Work at the Smithsonian
For years, Ian Byrd ’21 looked forward to visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC as a tourist. Now he’s going there regularly – not as a guest – but as an intern, working on his own display as part of the exhibition design team.
Digital Dynamo
This fine arts alum and the award-winning firm she co-founded – Ronik – use art and emerging technologies to shape brands, build reputations, and create interactive experiences for clients.
Garden of Peace
This art history major returned to campus in 2020 to exhibit her work at the Rosenberg Gallery and share her philosophy for the healing powers of art.
Ambassador of Art
Hayley Blomquist '18 embraces the concept of ‘social practice’ – making art an event that encourages the public to interact with her work – to touch it, hold it, even sit on it.
Meet Emily Miethner '10
Miethner, a fine arts alum, is passionate about empowering people to achieve their goals, which she does as a serial entrepreneur, an adjunct professor, and an award-winning speaker. Her first company FindSpark has produced 250+ career, diversity, and recruitment programs for top employers like NBCUniversal, Yelp, L'Oreal, Grey, Bustle, and IPG Mediabrands and their 30,000+ members.
Professor’s Art Inspired by Radio Legend
The Nicelle Beauchene Gallery in New York City is presenting its fifth exhibition of work by Jim Lee, Professor of Fine Arts, during the spring 2021. The arrangement of paintings, titled “The Peel Sessions,” is inspired by BBC Radio broadcasting legend John Peel. Professor Lee, an apostle of Peel and the bands he championed, presents an arrangement of paintings that, much like Peel’s sessions, are rough and gritty.
The Art of Furniture Design
Alexander Roskin, chair of the Department of Fine Arts, Design, Art History, was a featured artist at the Salon Art+Design fair at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City. Professor Roskin’s work in furniture design blends functional design with modernist sculptural references. He is represented by the New York City-based Todd Merrill Studio, which produced a video about his designs and inspirations.
Contact Us
Office Information
Department of Fine Arts, Design, Art History
Calkins Hall 206A
(516) 463-5474
Department Chair
Alex Roskin
Professor
(516) 463-5377
206A Calkins
Email