CHOOSING A UNIVERSITY           

       Prospective art students in this area are fortunate to have a full range of good programs available for a bachelor's degree. According to Dr. Sally Struthers, chairperson of the fine art department at Sinclair Community College, Wright State, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State, and Miami University all offer the undergraduate student quality choices for their education. A little research is necessary, however, before choosing the best school for their needs. For example, Wright State selects only a few students for their BFA program based on a portfolio review; they alone get a senior graduating show. The other applicants can still get a BA degree although there are some differences in the two tracts. BFA's do not require a foreign language but has thirty more credit hours necessary, for instance.

Once the bachelor's degree is obtained, more scrutiny is needed in choosing a graduate school, especially if this is the highest level the student plans to acquire. More weight is placed on the institution from which the last degree is obtained. Several factors should be considered. The general consensus is that it is best to have your master's degree from a different school than your undergraduate; there will be diverse viewpoints to explore and repetition will be avoided by not having the same professors over and over. More investigation is a must to choose the most prestigious graduate program possible. Look at the faculties of different schools and see where their names reappear as authors of books or journal articles. This would add to the overall reputation of the program as well as narrowing choices based on the particular field of study the student desires. For instance, a professor at Penn State university co-wrote a book on Donatello; if one wanted to concentrate on Renaissance art, Penn State would be a logical choice. The specific degree the student aspires to is also a factor, and further narrows the choices. Wright State does not offer a master's degree in art history, although the student could still get a masters in humanities with a concentration in a specific area such as art history, philosophy, etc.

Doctorate programs are the most limited, because it would be considered a waste of resources to have them spread out all over. The state has deemed only two public institutions, UC and OSU, as research institutions which are required to offer a doctorate. This way, programs are centralized where only the best professors with the best credentials can gather. Ohio State is the only public institution offering a doctorate in art history. Case Western Reserve also has a program in the private sector.