University of Houston, School of Art

The School of Art offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in studio fine arts with specific concentrations, art history, and art education.
The undergraduate studio art programs here are really impressive, since entrance into the Block Programs is granted through a competitive portfolio review. In my opinion, the competition, expectations, and requirements both force & encourage students to work hard.
Sure, art is subjective and the fate of your work & future rests at the mercy of harsh «art critics» who take on the form of your department instructors & other faculty.
Regardless of the fact that your pursuit of an artistic degree all depends on the opinions of others, one admirable thing taught here at The School of Art is certain: your place is earned through hard work & dedication. Raw talent alone will not be enough to get you through these rigorous programs with crazy deadlines if you don’t push yourself to prove to your superiors just how much you want to be here.
With that said, the most difficult concentration to pursue here is a BFA in Graphic Communications, with either a BFA in Painting or a BFA in Photography & Digital Media coming in at a close second.
So why only four stars and not five, you ask?
One reason being that a lot of the beginning art core & fundamentals courses are usually subject to the guidance of graduate students, who sometimes aren’t really the best at teaching. If you’re lucky, you’ll get one who’s pretty passionate & knows their stuff well.
Another reason for the four stars is that the facilities could be a lot better.
When you think about it, the Fine Arts Building is actually really small. With a higher influx of students almost every year, room to work becomes more and more sparse. Advanced sculpture classes and Sculpture Block have to be located in a separate building called The South Park Annex on an entirely opposite side of campus .
However, the darkrooms in the photography department are still pretty impressive, the Mac Labs and hardware are pretty decent, and at the very least, there are printers that work which all students can use if you can manage to get first dibs. This issue is more or less alleviated if you get into a Block Program, since there are labs & equipment reserved specifically for those in Block… Another goal you can keep in mind.
I think many people are still quick to judge The University of Houston as being a bit inferior to their other big university counterparts, more so, ironically, by native Houstonians themselves.
Though that has kind of died down due to UH gaining Tier 1 status, most people still wouldn’t consider UH for art school.
So, to the native Houstonian artists: YES, there are other art schools out there, especially those out of state. But, if you can’t afford an out of state art school or even an out-​of-​Houston art school, then don’t hesitate to check out UH’s School of Art programs.
Just because you’re getting an education in your home city/​state doesn’t mean you’re settling for an art school that’s second rate.
The University of Houston School of Art is just as good, brutal, and nurturing as many of the other art schools out there.