College of Art
The College of Art offers rigorous graduate and undergraduate programs in art and design while drawing from the resources of a top-tier research institution.
You’ll work closely with our distinguished faculty, utilizing expansive studios and spaces for making.
Our Programs
- BFA in Studio Art
- BFA in Communication Design
- BFA in Fashion Design
- BA in Studio Art
- BA in Design
Master of Design for Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technology
- MDes | 2 years, 4 semesters
Undergraduates from any school at WashU can add a second major in studio art or design to their existing degree path
We offer eight minors across art, architecture, and design, open to all undergraduate WashU students.
Program publications
Our Work
Our faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their diverse practices. Their work and research engage complex territories on the environment, race, politics, material culture, feminism, science, critical theory, digital technologies, and the human condition. They are also dedicated educators who work closely with students to enhance their skills and help them define their own practice.
Thanks to their expertise, students can choose to focus their studies across a range of disciplines:
- painting
- sculpture
- printmaking
- photography
- graphic design
- illustration
- interaction design
- fashion design
- time-based media
Nov 18, 2024
Aggie Toppins on Design History
Aggie Toppins, associate professor and chair of undergraduate design, will release her first book, “Thinking Through Graphic Design History: Challenging the Canon,” in January 2025.
Nov 8, 2024
Art and Service: A Q&A with Three Sam Fox School Veterans
Can artists help us process what’s happening in the world around us?
Oct 25, 2024
Isasi and Tossin Named Freund Fellows
Blas Isasi Gutiérrez and Clarissa Tossin have been named Freund Fellows for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years, respectively.
Our Community
Academics and studios are only half of the picture.
The Sam Fox School is a vibrant community of people interested in each other and the world around us. Our students are actively engaged on campus while exploring all that St. Louis has to offer — from major art museums, renowned parks, and National Historic Landmarks, to major league sports and a vibrant restaurant scene.
Jamie Lee Harris discusses the driving forces of her practice, her decision to pursue an MFA in Visual Art, and how her work has expanded in scope since coming to WashU.
Mara MacMahon, AB/BFA ’12, earned a dual degree in biology and communication design, which uniquely prepared her for her role as a character modeler and rigger at Pixar.
Get a glimpse of daily life at the Sam Fox School, meet our students, and see what’s happening on our end of campus.
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Accreditation
All degree programs, majors, and minors in the College of Art are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The College passed its most recent accreditation review in May 2023. The next review is scheduled in Academic Year 2030-31.