Frequently Asked Questions
For Prospective Ceramics Students

What is the difference between a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics and a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science?

The BFA is considered the professional studio degree, as it has more credits in the Ceramics concentration and more specific requirements in studio, such as Sculpture, Drawing, Metal and Woodworking. The BFA also has more art history requirements and does not allow a minor. The BA and BS degrees provide students with the option to pursue a minor such as a major in Ceramics and a minor in Music (20 credit hours). The BA also has a language requirement.


Does the school require a portfolio review before you are accepted into our programs?

If you are accepted into the university you are able to pursue a degree within the school. However, you can present a portfolio to the professor in your studio area who will use your work to gauge whether you should receive advanced placement credit (replaces course and credit hours) or a waiver (replaces course but not the credit hours) or at what studio level you should begin. This portfolio can be reviewed during a campus visit or with a faculty member during an office hour during the semester. Although there is no required portfolio review to enter the program, Art and Design majors must participate and complete a faculty review of their portfolios (Individual Art Review AD 303) which is scheduled the twelfth week of each semester.

What equipment is required for Ceramics majors?

For the first two studio courses, AD 122: Hand-building and AD 222: Wheel Forms, a tool kit is available for purchase in the NMU bookstore. The third course in the concentration AD 322: Seminar, requires all majors to own some basic equipment, such as safety glasses, respirator, and small hand tools that pertain to specific needs of their work, i.e. electric drill, dremel rotary tool, paint brushes. All Art and Design majors are provided with an Apple Mac Book and software that will allow students to develop imagery and render forms on their laptop.

What are the prospects for employment with a degree in Ceramics?

Ceramics is a very competitive field of study; the employment outlook is very optimistic. As a Graduate in Ceramics a student may wish to pursue a career as a studio artist, pursue a post-graduate degree and teach in a university, follow opportunities for working with design, work within industrial application, as well as other possibilities within the ceramics field.

What emphasis will I find in the Ceramics program?

The Ceramics program presents a curriculum that exposes students to a broad experience with the material including a wide variety of forming processes, glazing, firing techniques, mold making and slip casting. Each studio course has ceramic history component that presents the spectrum of ceramics within the context of focus of the course work. The first semester’s focus is on the physical aspects of ceramics, forming finishing and firing and is geared toward sculptural techniques. The second semester’s focus is on the wheel thrown vessel. The following semester the students focus on the technical aspects of clay and glaze formulation, fine-tuning the firing process, as well as complex mold making. The final two semesters is a period where the individual student begins to focus on a personal approach to the material and develops a body of work for exhibition.

Are there scholarships for incoming freshman?

The school offers the High School Freshman Scholarship (four $1000 awards) that is available each year with applications due in mid-April. See the web for details at http://art.nmu.edu/department/ad_info_scholar.html

More Questions?

Please write Professor Jane Shellenbarger at jshellen@nmu.edu with any further questions you may have.