When searching for art schools in Colorado, Western Colorado University stands out with its small class sizes, enabling an environment rich in one-on-one instruction and connection-building. Students gain valuable real-world experience through hands-on learning and seek inspiration from the campus and local art communities. To ensure that your degree aligns with your goals, you can choose between a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, depending on your preferred discipline.
Department Overview
Immerse yourself in the world of art and design.
The Art & Design Department curriculum focuses on building a solid foundation in design and drawing. These skills are the core of most visual arts and digital art disciplines, and strength in these skills prepares students to excel in their medium. The art and design degree programs also feature studio courses where students enjoy one-on-one instruction from expert faculty and access to Quigley Hall’s stunning studio spaces.
Western’s Art & Design Department prepares students for careers as professional artists, graphic designers, teachers, curators, and more. Art majors may choose an emphasis in ceramics, jewelry, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, or studio art. Meanwhile, students who pursue a degree in graphic design select a career pathway in art and design, computer science, film and theatre, or strategic communications. Additionally, students can minor in art or web design, earn a graphic design certificate, or pursue a k-12 licensure in art.
Artistic expression
Western art students are given the tools to explore critical contemporary issues and a broad foundation in western and worldly art history and theory.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 30 for 2024. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Note: Students enrolled in a Western-CU Boulder Partnership Program (i.e. major) do not qualify for Western Merit Scholarship programs. See the Rady Merit Scholarship section above for scholarship opportunities.
Quigley Hall
Create what you want, when you want.
With newly renovated studio spaces, large lockers for storage, and after-hours access, you will never feel restricted in using our resources. Western’s art building, Quigley Hall, features a casting space, ceramics studio, darkroom, drawing studio, graphic design studio, jewelry studio, painting studio, printing shop, printmaking studio, and woodworking shop.
Practical learning
Western’s art courses blend theoretical classwork with hands-on practice to help you become an artist with both knowledge and experience.
Showcase your creativity.
A gallery for inspiration and expression.
Quigley Art Gallery is another feature of the Art & Design Department that makes Western stand out among art and graphic design schools in Colorado. Every month, the gallery displays work from professional artists around the world. Each exhibition kicks off with a required convocation event where the artists come to campus and share their knowledge with students. The gallery space is also used for senior exhibitions, where graduating students must compile their best work from their junior and senior years for display.
Inspiration through art
Quigley Art Gallery enriches your experience as an art student by providing a dynamic space for creativity, expression, and cultural exchange.
Spotlight
Mallory Logan
Alumni
“I’ve always excelled in smaller environments, and Western fit that perfectly. The school attracts high quality professors because this community and the land around us is incredible."
Barbara Szabo
Alumni
“It’s not easy to balance these things [academics and athletics], especially when your goal is to make it to the Olympics straight out of college. “Balancing responsibilities became a good skill I learned for sure.”
Department Information
Art & Design Department
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Quigley Hall 202
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231
