Advancing the Arts in San Antonio

Southwest School of Art and The University of Texas at San Antonio are joining together to bring SSA’s arts programs, assets and resources into an expanded new UTSA school focused on advancing the arts. Inherent in this new school is a shared commitment by both institutions to further support the long-term continuity of arts education in San Antonio.

Learn more about UTSA and Southwest School of Art’s intent to combine programs.

Academics

Graduates from the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program at Southwest School of Art acquire the critical thinking, studio, and professional engagement skills necessary to be working artists and engaged citizens.

First-year students take a combination of studio foundations courses and general education courses, which include math, science, writing, literature, economics, and philosophy.

Second-year students continue their general education course work, while also given the opportunity to pursue specific studio areas: Ceramics, Painting, Sculpture and Integrated Media, Printmaking, Photography, Paper Making and Book Arts, and Metals.

Third-year students take more specialized and technical area courses and are required to complete a community-based project, their first professionalism course, and an internship. Their non-studio classes focus on higher level study of social, historical and critical issues in contemporary art.

Fourth-year students focus on upper level studio classes and on completing their capstone senior project. This is also the time that they complete the final professionalism course.

Library Services and Resources
Southwest School of Art partners with the San Antonio Central Library to provide dedicated space and materials to support our students in their academic pursuits. The Marie Swartz Art Resource Center is conveniently located in the Central Library, which stands directly adjacent to our campuses and includes numerous physical and virtual resources.