BA in Studio Art - Ceramics in East Lansing United States | Michigan State University

Studio art students investigate and produce works through the vocabulary of two- and three-dimensional forms, space, and time across diverse mediums and technologies such as ceramics, digital arts, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. Undergraduate students can pursue two distinct studio art degree paths. The bachelor of arts in studio art offers a liberal arts foundation, while the bachelor of fine arts in studio art serves as a professional track for those pursuing art careers, design professions, or advanced graduate studies.
Ceramics education extends beyond skill-building and technique mastery. Progress in ceramic art emerges from blending technical expertise with critical analysis and artistic evaluation. Our curriculum delivers a studio environment bridging theoretical understanding and creative practice, connecting aesthetic, cultural, and historical contexts to artistic development. The program features both traditional and modern methodologies encompassing functional pieces, vessels, sculptural works, architectural elements, experimental projects, mixed media, digital applications, and installations. Our comprehensive ceramics facility supports wide-ranging experimentation, with clay composition and glaze studies available at all levels. These studies inform various firing techniques including earthenware, raku, sagger, mid-range, stoneware, soda, and wood firings. Students cultivate personalized approaches that may combine handbuilding, extrusion, slipcasting, life casting, and wheel techniques, while being encouraged to develop individual artistic perspectives that engage with current ceramic art discourse.