Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1993

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Glennon Rowell

Committee Members

Ron Taylor, Richard Clarke, Kathleen DeMarrais

Abstract

Finding suitable employment after college graduation is a common problem for graduates with majors in Studio Art, where the primary emphasis is on creating high quality artwork rather than preparing for a job. Although very little research has been done about the career development of college Art students, many thousands may need career assistance. Recent national statistics showed that over 15,000 bachelor's degrees were awarded annually In areas of Studio Art , with over 10,000 of those being awarded by publicly supported colleges and universities.

This qualitative case study investigated (1) how Juniors and Seniors majoring in Studio Art at a state university perceived their undergraduate educational experiences and (2) what connections, if any, they saw between their matriculation and their plans for the future. Data were gathered through participant observation, a written survey completed by 22 respondents, and depth interviews with 6 informants. The data were organized into personal, educational. Art career, and financial themes.

Although respondents were complimentary about the high quality of their Art training, their main reasons for choosing to attend that institution were proximity to home and relatively low tuition. While the primary goal for that Art Department was to make the students into the best artists possible without regard to employment, 41% of the respondents said that one of their reasons for attending college was to get a better job after graduation.

The respondents seemed very dedicated to Art, with creating artworks the primary focus of their educational experience. Although they were worrying about their future finances, most of them did not take any job-related courses outside of Art. None had gone into the campus Career Services Center for help, and there was a tendency to rely very heavily on Art faculty for career counseling. Thus, the quality of the career guidance depended greatly on the individual career knowledge of all Studio Art professors and rapport with all the students they advised.

Although most respondents did not think earning recognition for their artwork would be very important, 82% thought it was very important to continue creating Art after graduation. Although they felt well prepared to create artwork, 82% indicated that they needed help in learning business and marketing skills essential for Studio Artists. Many felt that their matriculation was specifically preparing them to be Graduate students in Art, and 73% were thinking of going to Graduate School, although they could not be admitted to the local Master of Fine Art program.

Many of the respondents were expecting to have a difficult time after graduation, trying to accomplish multiple goals of getting admitted to a Graduate Art program, becoming a practicing artist, and finding a survival job. Although many described negative past experiences in jobs that were unsuitable for them, 50% were expecting to support themselves after graduation through "menial jobs," "odd jobs," "anything that won't degrade" themselves, and any kind of work "that pays a half-way decent wage." The majority estimated that their earnings after graduation will be below or dose to the current "poverty level," and only one respondent estimated that income would be more than costs of living.

Both the related literature and the data from this study indicated a need for state universities to give more career assistance to students majoring in Studio Art, since personal and financial well-being are essential for future artistic creativity. Specific suggestions by informants included having career information available in Art department offices and offering career-oriented Art courses to tell students about what to do with a major in Art and how to prepare for that.

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