Liberal Arts
The New Hampshire Institute of Art’s liberal arts curriculum fosters the overall enrichment and growth of its students as it complements, unfolds, and ramifies their work as artists. First-year students at the Institute complete two semesters of composition courses. These foundational writing courses are designed to inculcate thinking and revise tendencies in our students, with an eye toward more creative and competent written expression. As sophomores, students undertake ongoing, comprehensive instruction in art history that provides a solid background in artists, cultures, and movements and that affords students contemporary and historical contexts for their work. The BFA curriculum also offers courses in math, social science, literature, humanities, history, science, related arts, and philosophy. A course titled "The Professional Artist" helps students bridge academic and practical pursuits to anticipate the life of the working artist.
The liberal arts program supports excellence in teaching and often recruits arts-oriented scholars who are highly qualified educators and active community members. They provide curriculum that balances the teaching of artistic and technical skills with the development of critical, intellectual, and creative abilities. Ultimately, opportunities for personal reflection, critical thinking, and academic research underscore all liberal arts courses at the Institute, ensuring that students gain a robust general education that informs and radiates into and beyond the significant touchstone of art making.
