4 leading art schools inspiring creativity across mediums

What if your next design could shape how millions see the world? From ancient Japanese pagodas to Florence Nightingale’s polar area diagram, great design has shaped entire movements as well as how we experience life. That legacy lives on in 2025, with visual effects breakthroughs redefining cinema, VR experiences like Google Tilt Brush, Apple’s product interfaces that blend form and function seamlessly, and many more. 

For those seeking to push creative boundaries and develop expertise to become the next innovator, now is the moment to pursue a master’s degree to realise that dream. Whether you aim to lead a design studio, produce award-winning visual content, or create interactive media experiences, a leading art school can set you up for high-level creative roles and industry recognition. 

At the four art schools below, your ideas can turn into the next big thing:  

At the Rochester Institute of Technology’s College of Art and Design, students have access to top-tier studios and learn from active professionals, preparing them to excel and make an impact in their field. Source: Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester Institute of Technology

The lights never seem to go out at Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) College of Art and Design. Walk through its halls at any hour and you’ll find creativity in motion — students shaping clay on wheels, animators and designers fine-tuning digital worlds, and photographers capturing moments that tell compelling stories. Every corner is alive with energy, the kind where art, design, and technology fuse to spark new ideas.

At RIT, ranked among the top “National Universities” in the 2026 US News & World Report, you’ll find an environment built for innovation, value, and hands-on learning. You’ll grow alongside creative and technical thinkers from around the world — more than 2,700 international students from over 100 countries — as you learn to think and create beyond boundaries.

At the College of Art and Design, you can choose from a range of MFA programmes including Ceramics, Film and Animation, Fine Arts Studio, Furniture Design, Glass, Industrial Design, Metals and Jewelry Design, Photography and Related Media, and Visual Communication Design. Each programme pairs artistic exploration with advanced technical training, helping you master your craft while building a professional edge.

To bring your ideas to life, you’ll work in world-class facilities equipped with industry-standard tools — from MAGIC Spell Studios to multimillion dollar photographic facilities and fabrication lab. Whether you’re sculpting, filming, designing, or coding, these spaces give you the freedom to experiment, refine your ideas, and transform imagination into impact.

Guiding you through this journey are faculty members who are practising artists, filmmakers, and designers, bringing real-world experience into every class. Their mentorship helps you create, analyse, and present your work with confidence and purpose. It’s no wonder that 92% of graduates find employment within six months of graduation.

Learn more about RIT’s College of Art and Design.

Artists and designers worldwide study at USC Roski School, a hub for creativity, experimentation, and collaboration in Los Angeles. Source: Rochester Institute of Technology/Facebook

USC Roski School of Art & Design

Where creativity knows no limits and every idea can grow — at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Roski School of Art and Design, that spirit drives everything you do. It’s an education for the adventurous, where curiosity leads to discovery and collaboration inspires new ways of thinking.   

Located in the heart of Los Angeles, USC Roski sits within a global centre for art, design, and culture. The city’s galleries, studios, and creative spaces become your extended classroom. Students from across the US and around the world come here to pursue paths as diverse as they are — painters exploring digital media, designers shaping sustainable products, and artists blending performance with technology. Surrounded by new ideas and perspectives, you’ll find endless inspiration to expand your creative voice. 

Within this dynamic setting, USC Roski offers graduate programmes that reflect the diversity of today’s creative world. You can pursue the MA in Curatorial Practices, MFA in Art, MFA in Design, MFA in Fashion, or a Performance Studies Certificate. If you’re interested in linking creativity with policy, you can also explore the joint MA degree with the Price School of Public Policy. 

Guiding you through it all are USC Roski’s internationally recognised faculty — artists, curators, designers, and scholars who are active across global networks. They bring their experiences from exhibitions, publications, and professional practice into the classroom, helping you refine your craft and turn your boldest ideas into work that makes an impact.  

The result? Graduates go on to build careers in gallery and museum curation, leading design studios, and higher education. Their work appear in major art publications, and many contribute to Los Angeles’s creative growth, often returning to campus to share their insights with the next generation. 

The University of Guelph College of Arts is dedicated to the study of humanities and the visual and performing arts, offering insights into human culture, experience, and the diverse ways people create meaning and understand the world. Source: University of Guelph/Facebook

University of Guelph

Facts alone rarely inspire action. They are important, but without stories, ideas, emotion, and creativity, they often lack impact. At the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, the Fine and Performing Arts and the Humanities play a central role in advancing the university’s vision to improve the quality of life. 

At the College of Arts, you’ll be encouraged to think critically, question freely, and see the world from different perspectives. The goal is to prepare you to be a global citizen — someone who contributes meaningfully to your community, both locally and internationally. Here, learning is about applying knowledge to real-world challenges, exploring curiosity-driven research, and embracing new digital tools that shape how we create and communicate.  

You’ll find a wide range of programmes that reflect this mission. Whether you’re drawn to the visual arts, creative writing, philosophy, history, or languages, there’s a path that fits your passion. Postgraduate programmes include the MFA in Creative Writing, MFA in Studio Art, MA in English, MA in History, and many others. Each is designed to help you deepen your craft, sharpen your thinking, and expand your understanding of the world. 

You’ll learn from award-winning scholars, researchers, and artists who are recognised nationally and internationally. They bring enthusiasm and mentorship that make learning an engaging, collaborative experience.  You’ll also have access to facilities that support your creativity and research, including the Arts Research Centre (ARC), Massey Hall, Zavitz Hall, and Alexander Hall. These spaces bring ideas to life, giving you the environment and tools to experiment, perform, and grow. 

The School of Visual Arts at the University of Oklahoma nurtures a vibrant community that promotes excellence in visual arts, design, and art history. Source: University of Oklahoma/Facebook

University of Oklahoma

At the University of Oklahoma’s School of Visual Arts, creativity is a way of thinking. From your first class to your final project, you’re encouraged to experiment, explore, and push boundaries in every medium. Whether your focus is painting, sculpture, design, or art history, the programmes are structured to help you develop your skills while connecting with the cultural life of Oklahoma and beyond.  

Established in 1915, the School of Visual Arts is the oldest and most comprehensive art school in Oklahoma. Today, it offers programmes such as MAs in Art History and Art & Technology (online), the MFA in Studio Arts, or a PhD in Art History. Throughout your studies, faculty mentors provide guidance on coursework, research, and thesis projects, offering attentive feedback at every stage. The school emphasises excellence in teaching, creating, and publishing art, preparing you to succeed as an artist, scholar, designer, or educator on a national or international scale. 

The Fred Jones Centre serves as the hub Visual Arts students. It has classrooms, large studios, a darkroom, a fabrication lab, maker spaces, video and film editing rooms, and digital photography labs. It also houses the Lightwell and Spotlight galleries. Beyond the Centre, a 5,000-square-foot ceramics facility and a 12,000-square-foot graduate studio provide more spaces to create, and showcase your work. Together, these facilities give you everything you need to bring your ideas to life.  

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International