What to expect?

[sandylewis90]

To say I'm a beginner is putting it nicely. I really have very little exposure to art but within the last year or so I've become really fascinated with it. It happened kind of oddly and in passing. For whatever reason someone shared this list about romanticism paintings on FB, I clicked and discovered a whole new world of art that so far hasn't lost my interest. Anyway, I start my second year at UCLA in a few weeks and have been getting a lot of questions about what exactly I plan to do as an art major. I really didn't think about the future (not smart, I know) when selecting the major or how much education I might need or even what kind of career I might be looking at. If it was a mistake then I kind of want to determine that now rather than later. Sorry for rambling, basically, do you all regret picking an art major now that you're past the part of no return? Do I need a PHD? Besides teaching, what careers can I do with an art degree? Did picking a career in art make you dislike it at all? Like blurring the line between work and pleasure?

[mooncake88]

You can always get a degree in Art History and do something else entirely once you graduate. That's the beauty of liberal arts schools.

I think your questions are not ones anyone can answer for you, but ones you will have to find the answers to yourself. It sounds like for you this will require lots of research into career paths, with this forum being a good place to start. And, the more I learn about art, art history, and art theory, the more interesting it gets.

[Shelley Burian]

People come to their passions through all kinds of paths, and you certainly don't need to plan out your whole future in a field right at the beginning, as your interests will change the more you dig into all the facets of art history. I didn't decide whether I was going to be an archaeologist or an art historian until I was actually starting to apply to grad school for the first time. It's never too early to start thinking about careers, but as an entering second year I would focus more on simply exploring the field and seeing what kinds of art/theory interest you, as this will actually help you determine what careers or work environments you might enjoy. Volunteering at a local museum or cultural center would be an excellent way of beginning to make contacts with people who can help you explore careers and perhaps find a more in-depth internship later.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Shelley Burian