Fine Arts

New Mexico State University at Alamogordo’s studio art program fosters a vibrant community of student artists. Our studio space, instruction, and course offerings are diverse and up-to-date, cultivating ingenuity and creativity. Students have the opportunity to pursue two options of study, the Associate in Fine Arts Degree or the Certificate of Completion in Studio Art.

The Associate in Fine Arts Degree provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who wish to explore and learn about studio art, including art history, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and drawing. This degree offers an emphasis in creative problem-solving that is required in most career fields and provides students with a variety of experiences in two dimensional and three- dimensional studio art. With an associate degree, students may pursue a career as a practicing professional artist, and students have the option to continue their studies to pursue a bachelor degree in fine arts at a four-year institution. Students may also pursue a career in museums, galleries, community-based art organizations, or art instruction.

The Certificate of Completion in Studio Art provides students with the opportunity to advance their creative skills and helps equip them for a career in studio art. The curriculum encourages individual creativity and expression while emphasizing the development of basic studio skills through a variety of art studio courses including painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and drawing. The certificate will support the individual student’s immediate creative goals and long-term aspirations, such as a professional exhibiting artist. The Certificate in Studio Art includes required courses in the Fine Arts degree, so upon completion, students can choose to pursue the associate degree. The certificate can be completed at the student’s own pace. Many courses are offered in the late afternoon.

Fine Arts - Associate Degree

Studio Art - Certificate of Completion

Graduates of this program will:

1. Utilize traditional and contemporary 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional design elements and principles in artistic creations.
2. Apply the use of appropriate techniques in the execution of creative ideas.
3. Access, evaluate, and interpret ideas, images, and information, then effectively communicate the results of such investigation.
4. Articulate an understanding and appreciation for the political, social, spiritual, intellectual, and cultural contexts of art forms.