Associate in Fine Arts
School of Social and Human Studies
Academic Freedom to Discover Your Purpose
Open Curriculum Design at Atlantic International University
The Associate in Fine Arts program provides an adaptable and individual foundation in visual and creative arts through an adult learning, distance learning model. The program is rooted in the adult learning principles and allows adult learners to self-direct their exploration of disciplines such as painting, design, sculpture, digital media, or art history while discovering one’s own creative process and potential. Students will qualify their own learning towards their interests and aspirations and will develop technical skills and creative confidence. Learners will build an artistic portfolio and work with AIU’s online platform, worldwide resources, and mentorship to develop their independent learning pathway in balance with their personal and professional life and prepare for either further studies or creative careers.
Contact Us Today!
Begin Your Journey!
AIU’s Summer of Innovation and Growth gives you the ability to earn up to $5000 in tuition credit by completing free lessons and courses.
Whether you’re looking to acquire new skills, advance your career, or simply explore new interests, AIU is your gateway to a world of opportunities. With free access to 3400 lessons and hundreds of courses the ability to earn credits and earn certificates there’s no better time to start learning.
Join us today as a Guest Student and take the first step towards a brighter, more empowered future.
Explore. Learn. Achieve.
What are the Core Courses & Topics for Associate in Fine Arts ?
The Associate in Fine Arts program at Atlantic International University (AIU) provides an adaptable and individual foundation in visual and creative arts through an adult learning, distance learning model. The program is rooted in the adult learning principles and allows adult learners to self-direct their exploration of disciplines such as painting, design, sculpture, digital media, or art history while discovering one’s own creative process and potential. Students of the fine arts associate program will qualify their own learning towards their interests and aspirations and will develop technical skills and creative confidence. Learners will build an artistic portfolio and work with AIU’s online platform, art and design associate degree worldwide resources, and mentorship to develop their independent learning pathway in balance with their personal and professional life and prepare for either further studies or creative careers.
Important: Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list, as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU?
Check here: Course and Curriculum
Given below is a list of core courses and topics for Associate in Fine Arts :
- Drawing
- Painting
- Sculpture
- Digital Media
- Aesthetics
- Color Theory
What are the Orientation Courses for Associate in Fine Arts ?
Orientation coursework in the Associate in Fine Arts at AIU has been designed to introduce students to the andragogic, distance learning model of the university and lay the groundwork for self-directed study and accomplishment. Each course embeds Academic Writing, Research Methods, Critical Thinking, and Digital Literacy in order to help students develop the skills necessary to engage in independent study and be creative. Students are also provided with time management strategies and goal setting techniques when using the online resources provided by AIU. The Associate in Visual Arts orientation coursework provides the needed guidance for students to effectively navigate through their individualized fine arts program, connect with mentors, and have a meaningful learning experience, while simultaneously developing the Associate in Performing Arts strong foundation needed to thrive as an creative design artist and scholar.
- Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
- Seminar Administrative Development (Book Summary)
- Organization Theory (Portfolio)
- Seminar Cultural Development (Practical Experience)
- Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
- Seminar International Development (Publications)
Associate in Fine Arts Research Projects
Research projects for the Associate in Fine Arts at AIU gives students an opportunity to investigate their artistic interests through guided, self-directed research. Each research project investigates art history, contemporary practices, cultural context, or art-making techniques, requiring students to engage in a creative process and analysis. As part of their research project, students: develop research proposals, document their research process, and produce a final portfolio or exhibition of artwork that reflects their artistic inquiry deeply and with skill.
Students of one of the fine arts degree programs at AIU are guided and supported by mentors, while taking advantage of AIU’s vast digital resources, to allow students to gain new educational experience through artistic research, creative problem solving as part of the art-making process, and professional presentation skills while exploring independent and reflective learning. Research projects prepare students for continued study or work in the visual arts, learning through research projects to reflect a commitment to ongoing learning and independent practice.
Publication – Publications by students in the Associate in Fine Arts program at AIU offer students the opportunity to present their creative work, research, and perspectives on art and creativity to the world. Through online publications (digital journals, galleries, and collaborative works), students are able to publish essays, collections of visual art, multimedia pieces, and critical essays. This will increase your professional visibility, strengthen your portfolio, and provide you with communication skills important for a career in or connected to the arts. When students contribute to student publications, they gain recognition for their creativity and scholarship in an artistic community, reach a larger artistic community, and get to experience the value of publishing their work in a scholarly or professional community.
Portfolio Submission
The Associate in Fine Arts portfolio submission at AIU is an essential element of the program that provides students an opportunity to showcase their artistic growth, concerning technical and creative skills. Students assemble a selected body of work, including generated drawings, paintings, sculptures, digital media, and other projects created throughout their study.
The portfolio is indicative of practical ability and conceptual development, lending insight into individual style and ingenuity. Alongside their mentors, students will receive feedback regarding their portfolio and finalize their presentation for professional or academic standards.
Associate in Fine Arts Student Experience
The Associate in Fine Arts experience at AIU is enhanced with AI-infused learning experiences, which provide students with autonomy of path that adjust to their individual interests, speeds, and artistic goals, which leads to the framing of each learning experience. Students can take advantage of engaging online platforms, virtual studios, and AI-supported feedback on their projects that delivers real-time feedback and opportunities for learning while developing their artistic skills. The program supports learners to engage and explore and learn studio art, traditional art forms and digital mediums while connecting with learners and educators from around the world. This art history immersive manner of learning promotes artistic growth, cognitive skills, and workplace readiness to assure every student can achieve their creative potential in a flexible, innovative digital art learning environment with embedded and enhanced technologies.
Community & Social
At AIU, the Associate in Fine Arts is committed to community and social engagement, embracing the concept that students can leverage their creativity to create an impact. Through local as well as international collaborations, exhibitions, and workshops, students engage with art to raise awareness, create cultural understanding, and contribute to a positive society while developing their artistic aptitude and sense of social responsibility.
Academic Resources
AIU’s Associate in Fine Arts offers students an expansive array of academic resources to facilitate artistic and academic growth. Students will have access to digital libraries, virtual studios, multimedia tools and research databases as well as interactive learning modules. These resources will provide students opportunities to explore art history, analyze artistic techniques, engage with contemporary practices and understand and develop images in digital media. Additionally, these resources will help support the students’ artistic projects, development of portfolios and independent scholarship/research. The students are able to use these resources and follow up with AIU’s oversight and mentorship to enhance technical skills, grow understanding of more difficult concepts, and create work of a professional quality. Overall, the tools and aid from the faculty will provide the students a comprehensive educational experience and ample support that effectively catered to the flexibility of a distance-learning environment.
Virtual Campus
Complete assignments online or offline at your convenience with 24/7 access to distance learning through AIU’s Virtual Campus. Step by Step guides including videos, tutorials, live webinars and examples for each course. All materials can be access on all web browsers as well as via AIU's Mobile App which brings all the features of the Virtual Camus to your Mobile Device.
My AIU Elements
MyAIU’s primary goal is to go beyond Academics, it looks to guide students through 11 elements that are key to living life optimally in all aspects. By identifying and reflecting on these key areas, an opportunity arises to holistically address them, through positive change, habits, reinforcement and tools to keep students on their chosen path.
AIU TV & Radio
The students have the opportunity to produce, edit and host their own show reaching a worldwide audience, the AIU community and giving notice of their expertise/passion in the subject. AIUTV & AIU Radio allow students to explore new ways to communicate, develop a platform and form potential collaboration with likeminded individuals.
AIU Campus Mundi
AIU Campus Mundi is a monthly magazine that gathers the most notable news and information about the university and its members in one convenient place. The magazine allows our community to be well informed, involved and keep in tough regardless of their geographic location. AIU Campus Mundi publishes, news, research, events, awards, academic achievements.
Graduation Ceremony
Each year AIU organizes graduation ceremonies where the students can assist and share their experiences with fellow students and academic members Participation in the ceremony is optional, the day’s events include conferences, research presentations, group meetings, networking, lunch and formal dinner.
Symposiums & Webinars
AIU’s International symposiums in the Associate in Fine Arts encourage students to communicate with artists, scholars, and professionals from around the world. Symposiums are exhibitions of recent art and education trends, discovery of new practice and collaborative projects, or experiences that allow students to show their personal work, exchange ideas, and develop critical discussions about their work and that of others.
Live Classes
The Associate in Fine Arts at AIU is a live class program that offers students interaction, guidance, and feedback from experienced instructors, two times daily. Each class integrates component delivery of hands-on techniques, stimulating creative exercises, concepts of visual art theory, and in-depth work and reflection on a portfolio and documentation of the learning process. Learners are afforded the opportunity to ask questions, interact with instructional faculty and converse with colleagues around the world.
In keeping with the art educator literature, the addition of live classes supports engagement, motivation, and skill development and is an additional modality to the self-paced online educational experiences at AIU. In a hybrid format of both fixed classes at a specific time each day and open access to distance learning, students learn in a hybrid format that is both comprehensive of art learning and supportive to the success of academic courses.
Special Projects, Research Publications & Co-Authoring
At AIU, special projects, research publications, and co-authoring opportunities for the Associate in Fine Arts encourage students to build on their creative and scholarly work outside of the classroom. Students can undertake different and unique art projects, and publish articles for academic or artistic journals, or develop co-authoring research projects with peers or artist-mentors.
These projects and opportunities foster critical and independent thinking, professional communication, interdisciplinary approaches, while amplifying portfolios and contributing to intellectual credentials. Engaging in special projects, research and co-authoring provides our students with valuable hands-on experience in preparing, documenting and communicating their work to audiences; providing students exposure to present new work while building their own credentials in preparation for further studies, exhibitions, and/or professional careers in the art world at large.
Register Today & Get Access to AIU Resources
Begin Today
Career Center for Associate in Fine Arts
AIU’s Career Center provides support to students in the Associate in Fine Arts program through advising, resources, and mentorship for professional development. The Career Center will assist students in learning how to transition into careers in visual arts, design, digital media, education, and creative industries. They will assist with portfolio presentations, and place internships and jobs. The Career Center provides workshops for learning networking, entrepreneurship, and freelance work skills that will prepare students to enter an increasingly competitive artistic field. The Career Center will connect students with other professionals and pursue career opportunities around the globe. The Career Center will help the AIU art graduates to be prepared for a successful long-term career on their own artistic path.
Job Description
AIU graduates of the Associate in Fine Arts program can choose from a wide variety of creative and professional careers within the art and design fields. Career choices include roles focused on visual art: Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Art Instructor, Gallery Assistant, Multimedia Artist, Concept Artist, Photographer, Set Designer, and Creative Consultant, to name just some possible professional paths. Also, they may participate and work as Studio Assistant, Exhibition Coordinator, Digital Content Creator, or even choose to begin working as an independent artist, or an entrepreneur. These career options extend into various fields, including: advertising, publishing, entertainment, education, and cultural institutions. Graduates will benefit from the skills developed in the areas of art, creativity, and visual communication in any of these professional capacities.
Tools for Associate in Fine Arts
The following is a list of indispensable digital supplies, common in the Associate in Fine Arts program at AIU–Useful for digital painting, illustration, design, and creative production approaches.
Associations for Associate in Fine Arts Professionals
AIU students in the Associate in Fine Arts degree program are suggested to involve themselves with professional art associations and organizations in order to build networks and gain exposure to the field and career opportunities. Being a member of the associations allows for exposure to all exhibition, workshop, program and world art communities that builds opportunities for professional and creative growth. Being a part of these communities offers social dynamics, a chance to view trends developing in real time, have an opportunity to show your work internationally and develop collaboration opportunities with artists and professionals. Using these associations is an excellent resource to support your successful career in the arts and to build a community-fellowship as a creative.
Here’s a list of relevant associations for students and professionals in Fine Arts:
- College Art Association (CAA)
- National Art Education Association (NAEA)
- International Association of Art (IAA)
- American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
- Sculptors Guild
- Society of Illustrators
- International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA)
- The Art Students League of New York
- Digital Artists Association
- National Sculpture Society
Are You Ready for the Innovative AIU Experience ?
Stay Updated
Associate in Fine Arts Admission Requirements
The entrance criteria for the Associate in Fine Arts program at AIU have been established not only to accommodate and accept learners from different educational and professional backgrounds, but also to ensure potential students demonstrate both an interest in visual arts and creative expression in general, as well as in the program itself. All applicants will be required to have a high school diploma (or equivalent), and programs typically require some form of written personal statement for each applicant outlining personal goals and academic intentions as they might pertain to the program. In instances where an applicant might have a résumé or portfolio to share with the program, either could demonstrate previous practice with art. The emphasis of the program will be on learner motivation and self-discipline and ability to manage self-directed learning, instead of minimum threshold scores on standardized tests or other traditional markers of academic ability, as AIU follows an andragogic design for distance learning.
How Can You Apply?
- Visit the AIU website to see program details, curriculum, and their learning model.
- Submit Your Online Application: Complete the online application by supplying your personal information, education information, and background information.
- Add Supporting Documents: Upload your high school diploma (or the equivalent), résumé, personal statement and if you have a portfolio.
- Meet with us for an Admission Interview: Meet virtually with an academic advisor for a brief interview to discuss your hopes and academic expectations for the Academy.
- Receive your Acceptance Offer: When you receive acceptance to the Academy you will receive an offer of admission along with an enrollment package.
- Complete Enrollment Steps, then Start Your Artistic Journey: Once you have completed any necessary enrollment documents, you are ready to register for courses and begin your journey of creating at the Academy.
Financial Support & Scholarships
Atlantic International University has scholarships and financial aid options available to assist students in the Associate in Fine Arts program with tuition. Scholarships have been awarded for reasons ranging from merit (career or life achievements) to community service/volunteer contributions, financial need, and/or special situations. A scholarship application will be required for most scholarships, and students will also need to provide supporting documentation as needed and participate in a possible interview with an AIU advisor for some scholarships. AIU strives to be flexible and accommodating in the financial aid programs offered, with financial aid designed to respond to the student’s unique background, budget, and artistic aspirations.
What’s the Cost Per Year for Pursuing Associate in Fine Arts at AIU?
The Associate in Fine Arts degree program at AIU is an affordable and accessible program that offers flexible payment options for students with varying finance situations. Students can choose how they pay tuition in a way that best works with their budget, which includes multi-installment payment options. Further, AIU offers financial support and a scholarship program for students enrolled in the program as financial support when needed through their study. AIU wants to ensure that students are able to pursue a fine arts education, anywhere in the world, with the hope that it is affordable for motivated students.
FAQs
What is an Associate in Fine Arts?
An Associate in Fine Arts is a degree meant to develop skills and knowledge in visual and creative arts, which can include drawing, painting, sculpture, design and digital media. The degree prepares students for either further education or entering the creative field directly.
How long does it take to complete an associate degree in fine arts?
Approximately 1-2 years.
What courses are included in an associate in fine arts program?
An Associate in Fine Arts includes coursework in drawing, painting, sculpture, design, digital media, multimedia art, art history, color theory, composition, and visual communication.
Can I earn an associate in fine arts online?
Yes, you can do that at AIU.
