SVA offers more than 30 programs across 11 departments at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Each program reflects SVA’s core philosophy — professional practice-oriented education taught by working artists and designers. This guide explains SVA’s major undergraduate programs, what each is known for, and which serve Korean students’ creative interests most effectively.
Undergraduate BFA Programs: The Complete List
Fine Arts SVA’s BFA Fine Arts is one of the most comprehensive fine arts programs in New York City. Students develop painting, drawing, sculpture, and mixed media practice in studios taught by gallery-represented artists. The program’s location in Manhattan provides direct access to New York’s gallery world — Chelsea galleries, the Whitney, the New Museum, and hundreds of commercial and non-profit exhibition spaces.
Illustration SVA’s BFA Illustration is consistently ranked #1 among US illustration programs by Animation Career Review. With faculty who are actively illustrating for The New Yorker, major publishing houses, editorial outlets, and animation studios, the program’s working-professional model is most directly felt in Illustration. The Chelsea Gallery provides exhibition space for illustration students.
Design SVA’s BFA Design encompasses graphic design, branding, typography, and communication design. Faculty are active design directors, art directors, and brand strategists at New York’s major agencies and studios. The program’s design culture is industry-oriented — students develop work that functions in commercial professional contexts.
Advertising SVA’s BFA Advertising is one of the most industry-connected advertising programs in the US. New York’s concentration of major advertising agencies (McCann, Ogilvy, BBDO, and more) creates direct professional access.
Animation SVA’s BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects and BFA Animation are strong programs for students interested in animation. While not matching CalArts’ Character Animation prestige and studio pipeline, SVA’s animation programs benefit from New York’s specific creative context — advertising animation, independent animation, and digital media contexts.
Photography and Video SVA’s BFA Photography and Video is one of New York’s strongest photography programs. Faculty are practicing photographers in editorial, commercial, documentary, and fine art contexts.
Film SVA’s BFA Film covers narrative and documentary filmmaking in New York’s film production context.
Comics SVA’s BFA Comics is one of the few standalone comics programs at a major art school — distinct from illustration, specifically preparing students for sequential art careers in publishing, webtoon, and digital contexts.
Interior Design: Built Environments SVA’s BFA Interior Design program prepares students for interior design practice in New York’s architecture and design market.
Visual and Critical Studies An interdisciplinary BA program combining studio art with critical theory, art history, and visual culture studies.
Graduate Programs
SVA’s graduate programs are among the most respected in their fields:
MFA Fine Arts: One of the most esteemed MFA programs in the US for contemporary fine arts practice — a small cohort with direct New York gallery connections.
MFA Photography, Video and Related Media: Strong fine art photography program.
MFA Illustration as Visual Essay: A distinctive graduate program specifically for illustrators working in long-form visual narrative.
MFA Design: Communication design at the graduate level.
MFA Interaction Design: UX/UI and interactive design for working designers.
MFA Computer Arts: Digital arts, animation, and visual effects at the graduate level.
MPS Programs: Master of Professional Studies in Branding, Fashion Photography, and Art Therapy — shorter, professionally oriented graduate programs.
For Korean Students: Program Selection at SVA
Best-fit programs for Korean students:
Illustration: SVA Illustration is the #1-ranked illustration program in the US and the program where SVA’s faculty model and New York editorial connections are most directly valuable. Korean students with strong observational drawing and a developing illustrative voice should target this program.
Design: For graphic design-oriented Korean students who want industry connections in New York’s branding and advertising sector, SVA’s Design program is a strong option — at a more accessible competitive level than RISD’s or Parsons’ design programs.
Animation: For Korean students interested in animation who are not yet at CalArts’ Character Animation competitive level, SVA’s animation programs provide New York’s specific animation and digital media context.
Fine Arts: For Korean students interested in fine arts with a New York gallery orientation and direct faculty mentorship from exhibiting artists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SVA’s Illustration program really #1 in the US? SVA consistently ranks #1 for Illustration in Animation Career Review’s annual rankings — based on alumni placement, faculty quality, industry connections, and program outcomes. RISD is consistently #2. The two programs are the strongest illustration BFA programs in the country.
Can SVA students take courses at other New York schools? SVA does not have formal cross-registration agreements with other New York schools. Students are enrolled in SVA exclusively, without the cross-institutional access that RISD (Brown) or Parsons (The New School) provides.
Is SVA’s Comics program relevant for Korean students interested in webtoons? Yes — potentially significantly so. Webtoon and digital sequential art is among the most rapidly growing areas of Korean creative export, and SVA’s Comics program is one of very few BFA programs specifically preparing students for sequential art careers. Korean students interested in webtoon production with US market orientation should consider this program specifically.
Royal Blue Art & Design는 압구정에 위치한 유학미술학원으로, 19년간 한국 학생들의 RISD, Parsons, CalArts 등 미국 최상위 미술대학 입시를 도와왔습니다. [상담 문의하기 →]