Art Institute

ADMIT Photography · February 20, 2012

I'm looking at taking the photography bachelors degree program at the Art Instatute of Virginia Beach. I was wondering if anyone has taken any of the photography classes/programs at any of the AI branches around the US? Is it worth the money?

Sorry if this is the wrong place, I wasn't sure where to place this thread.

RyanS · February 20, 2012

At $87,000+, that must be some photography program. Do you leave school with 2 flagship DSLRs and a truck full of lenses? I was unable to find any proof of accreditation for that school. Before spending nearly 90 large on a degree, especially a degree in photography, you may want to investigate the school's credentials.

Finally, consider this. Most photographers are self employed. There are fewer and fewer staff positions. Therefore, business skills tend to be much more valuable to the working photographer these days than at any other time in history. If you pursued a business degree instead of a photography degree, you could gain a few advantages over the hoards of competitors you will be facing.

1) You'll know what it takes to run a successful small business. This is no simple task.
2) If for some reason photography does not work out, your business degree can be put to use in many other ways.
3) If you happen to land a staff position, a business degree will likely give you an edge when layoffs come.
4) You could get one of hundreds of jobs in an unrelated field, and then use that job to help fund your photography business until you got it off the ground.

Finally, this probably doesn't belong in a forum about people shots. Hopefully the thread can be moved. When unsure about where to put your thread, try "The Big Picture - If you need to ask, it belongs here."

Hackbone · February 20, 2012

Ditto on the business degress, way more important that photo skills.

I would look for small three day classes offered by photographers you admire. A three day class tuition, air fare, food and lodging would hit about $1,300 per class. You could take 10 classes and be way ahead of any photo school in the country.

divamum · February 20, 2012

RyanS, while I agree that this kind of degree may not be the best way of spending your money as a photographer, it is an accredited institution http://www.artinstitutes.edu/virginia-beach/about/accreditation.aspx.

ETA: I'll offer the same advice I give my students embarking on performance degrees: follow the money. By which I mean, if a school offers you a scholarship or otherwise makes it clear they really want to work with you, then it can be worth it if the teachers are good - a strong technical foundation and CONTACTS (always the important part) can be valuable. If you're being asked to pony up for full tuition, then you are likely the cash cow funding the students to whom they ARE giving substantial financial incentive to attend. A harsh way of thinking of it, but very often the reality

EATA: The degree offered is a BFA, not BA. This is neither pro or con, just be sure you know what career options require one or the other degree.

bobcool · February 20, 2012

RyanS wrote: »

At $87,000+, that must be some photography program. Do you leave school with 2 flagship DSLRs and a truck full of lenses? I was unable to find any proof of accreditation for that school. Before spending nearly 90 large on a degree, especially a degree in photography, you may want to investigate the school's credentials.

Finally, consider this. Most photographers are self employed. There are fewer and fewer staff positions. Therefore, business skills tend to be much more valuable to the working photographer these days than at any other time in history. If you pursued a business degree instead of a photography degree, you could gain a few advantages over the hoards of competitors you will be facing.

1) You'll know what it takes to run a successful small business. This is no simple task.
2) If for some reason photography does not work out, your business degree can be put to use in many other ways.
3) If you happen to land a staff position, a business degree will likely give you an edge when layoffs come.
4) You could get one of hundreds of jobs in an unrelated field, and then use that job to help fund your photography business until you got it off the ground.

Finally, this probably doesn't belong in a forum about people shots. Hopefully the thread can be moved. When unsure about where to put your thread, try "The Big Picture - If you need to ask, it belongs here."

with this. Staff positions are few and far between and are getting cut all the time as news outlets continue to get a lot of their photos from social media and the general public. It's often said that running a photography business is 80% business and 20% photography. Get a Business Management degree instead and spend small amounts of money of specific photography classes and seminars/workshops.

Demian · February 20, 2012

I've never actually gone to the Art Institute (they have one in Wisconsin too), but my impression was that it kind of blows, as do most for-profit colleges. If you can find a good non-profit art school by you, go that route instead. It'll cost the same, but your tuition is put back into school programs rather than shareholder pockets.

In general though, I would ask why you're considering a photography degree? If you have the money, and you genuinely love art (to the point where you are interested both in art history and other artistic disciplines) then it's a good thing to go for. If your primary interest is taking photos yourself or running a photography business, I think it would be a really bad choice to pursue a photography degree.

EDIT: One more thing - I looked at the Art Institute's photography program, and it sounds like a rather limited curriculum for what you're paying.

AlTheKiller · February 20, 2012

I went to the Austin Art Institute and it really isnt that expensive. At all. Unless they changed it since I was last there but you dont take just photography based classes, you take ALL art (and core classes such as math english. . . . )which sucks unless you are into that kind of stuff. I felt it was worth it HOWEVER I learned WAY more working a couple days with a local photographer than I did in all my classes. I loved it there though and want to go back to finish my photography degree even though it will be worthless. If you want a worth while degree for photography, get a business degree and learn how to market your self. That is my plan but I doubt itll ever happen because of my current situation. Im basically stuck working a crap hole job with no way out.

feel free to PM me and I can go more into detail with what its like

ADMIT Photography · February 21, 2012

A good portion of my degree if not all of it would be paid for by the government through Tutition assistance and my GI Bill.

I've considdered a business degree but everytime I think about it, I always convince myself that's not what I need to do. I'd rather study for an area that interests me.

However if you we're to go for a buiness degree would you persue one in business management or advertising. I could see where both would be useful to a photographer.

AlTheKiller · February 21, 2012

If its what you are interested in by all means go for it. That's all that really matters.

I'd say business management.

RyanS · February 21, 2012

divamum wrote: »

RyanS, while I agree that this kind of degree may not be the best way of spending your money as a photographer, it is an accredited institution http://www.artinstitutes.edu/virginia-beach/about/accreditation.aspx.

Thanks Diva. I was looking at the government's database of accredited schools. I didn't think to search for "The Art Institute of Atlanta."

Here is the link to the confirmation: ope.ed.gov

ADMIT Photography · February 23, 2012

Decided to go for it and change my degree to Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurial/Small Business Management.

Art Institute

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