Bachelor of Arts in Art and Design
Rome, Italy
BA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 21,700 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international students: 21,700 EUR | for U.S. citizens and permanent residents & Canadian citizens: 29,000 USD
Key Summary
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The BA in Art and Design at John Cabot University in Rome is a unique chance to explore a liberal arts education that will sharpen your critical thinking, enrich your artistic practice, and build a versatile skill set. You will be able to choose minors in fields like Business, Computer Science, Communication, or Psychology, broadening your perspective and creating work that speaks to diverse contexts. This flexibility will empower you to shape your education to match your career goals, giving you the tools to thrive in today’s fast-changing job market.
Highlights
- Rome as Your Studio: Let your creative practice be inspired by one of the world’s most culturally rich cities.
- Industry Internships: Gain hands-on experience through internships in museums, galleries, and design studios.
- World-Class Faculty: Learn from internationally recognized artists and designers who bring real-world insights into your education.
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: Work in advanced studios that blend traditional techniques with cutting-edge technologies.
- Customizable Degree: Tailor your education with minors and electives that align with your passions and career goals.
- Career and Graduate Pathways: Be career-ready with opportunities in diverse creative fields or continue your studies with an MFA.
Requirements for the Degree
A. The Proficiency Requirements of the University in English, Mathematics, and Foreign Language.
- English: All students must demonstrate English proficiency by completing EN 110 Advanced Composition with a grade of C or above. New students will be placed in EN 103, EN 105, or EN 110, on the basis of the University’s English Composition Placement Examination, and must take Composition courses until this requirement is satisfied.
- Mathematics: All students must demonstrate proficiency in Mathematics by completing MA 101 Algebra or MA 100 Finite Mathematics, with a grade of C- or above. Students who are enrolled or plan to enroll in the Business Administration, International Business and Economics, and Finance Majors are required to take MA 101 Algebra. Other students have the option of choosing between MA 101 and MA 100. New students may be exempted from this requirement on the basis of the University’s Mathematics Placement Examination; otherwise, they must take MA 101 or MA 100 during their first semester of attendance and until this requirement is satisfied.
- Foreign Language: All students must demonstrate foreign language proficiency equivalent to a year of study in a foreign language with a written literature. Students must receive a grade of C or above in foreign language courses taken at JCU to fulfill the requirement. Students with a national secondary education credential in a language other than English will be considered to have satisfied this requirement. Students are not allowed to register for language courses (101, 102, 103, 201, 202, 203, 301 and 302) in any language in which they are fluent. Language instructors have the right to request an assessment of language skills in order to determine fluency.
B. General Distrubution Requirements of the University in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts.
- English Literature: Two courses in English literature, one of which may be replaced by a course in comparative or dramatic literature in English translation. (These courses are: CL 268, CL 278, ITS 292.)
- Mathematics and Science: Two courses in mathematics, natural science, or computer science. (MA100 and MA101 do not fulfill this requirement.)
- Social Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts: Five courses distributed as follows:
a. Social Sciences - at least two courses in Communications, Economics, Political Science, or Psychology.
b. Humanities - at least two courses in History, Literature, Philosophy, or Religion.
c. Fine Arts - at least one course in Art History, Creative Writing, Dramatic Literature, Music, Studio Art, or Theater.
No course may be used to satisfy more than one General Distribution Requirement.
C. Core Curriculum
- AS 102 Foundations of 2D Art and Design
- AS 260 Foundations of 3D Art and Design
- AS 262 Foundations of 4D Art and Design
- COM 111 Introduction to Visual Culture
- One Art History course
- AS 375 Contemporary Art and Design Practice-Onsite (Junior Standing)
- AS 382 Contemporary Art and Design Studio Practice l
- AS 385 Contemporary Art and Design Professional Practice (Junior Standing)
- AS 460 Research Methods and Practices (Senior Standing)
- AS 480 Senior Capstone Exhibition I (Senior Standing)
- AS 485 Senior Capstone Exhibition II (Senior Standing)
The University requires an overall minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all courses taken at the University, with no more than two grades lower than C- in core courses.
D. Major Electives
Working with their advisor, students should create a coherent program of study that will support their technical proficiency in the chosen media or area of interest.
- Six courses with the AS or DMA prefix. Two courses may be substituted with 200-level or higher AH, COM, CMS, CS, or CW courses.
E. General Electives, sufficient to give a total of 120 credits.
Learning Outcomes of the B.A. in Art and Design
- LOS 1: Develop a portfolio of creative work that demonstrates original, critical, and imaginative use of relevant concepts, materials, processes, and technologies
LOS 2: Demonstrate an awareness of the relationship between their evolving personal practices with the wider contemporary professional field - LOS 3: Demonstrate project management and organizational skills in bringing self-directed work to fruition, including in public exhibition
- LOS 4: Apply critical and analytical thinking to a rigorous enquiry and conceptual exploration of ideas related to both creative research and practice
- LOS 5: Synthesize, analyze, and evaluate information gathered from research
- LOS 6: Communicate effectively in writing, visual, and oral materials