The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is located in downtown Chicago and is one of the more prestigious art schools in the country. This college offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees. As of fall 2009, 3,098 students were enrolled in classes. The students come from more than 46 countries; 67 percent are female and 33 percent are male. The school employs 141 full-time faculty members and 427 part-time instructors. Some of the most popular undergraduate degrees include art education, printmaking, painting, photography and sculpture. The most popular graduate degrees are Master of Fine Art in studio, Master of Fine Art in writing, Master of Fine Art in art therapy and Master of Fine Art in art education.
Columbia College Chicago offers degrees in the visual, performing, media and communication arts. It is the largest art school in the country, serving some 12,000 students and offering over 120 degrees. Average class size is 17 students. Both undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered. The emphasis of this college is building a portfolio, and students start this process in their first year. Some of the most popular degrees are live and performing arts management, visual arts management, photography, sculpting and theater.
The American Academy of Art is located in the heart of Chicago and was founded in 1923. The school is spread over 50,000 square feet on the second and third floors of the 332 South Michigan building. A majority of the faculty of the American Academy of Art are professional artists and most are employed full-time. This institution grants Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees that are achieved after students have completed 122 credit hours. Some of the most popular degrees include illustration, illustration with a specialization in digital Illustration, design, multimedia/web design, 3-D modeling and animation, oil painting, watercolor painting, life drawing and photography.
The Harrington College of Design, which is located in Chicago, offers associate, undergraduate and graduate degrees. This school is relatively small and employs just over 100 professional faculty members. The school aims to keep class sizes small while maintaining a focus on practical instruction. The Harrington College of Design has many state-of-the-art studios and workrooms and allows students to maintain a certain degree of independence in their studies. The school's three programs are graphic design, interior design and digital photography.