The Commission of Higher Education has given the nod of approval for Ivy Tech Bloomington's new two-year Associates of Fine Arts degree.
The program is staffed by one full-time faculty member and will require general education courses in addition to studio classes, including painting and sculpture.
Ivy Tech Bloomington Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences Martin Wolfger says this degree shows that Ivy Tech is moving beyond its vocational school roots.
"We've come a long way," Wolfger says. "If you look back we were founded in 1963 as the Indiana vocational technical institute. And who would have thought in 2012 we were offering a fine arts degree program? But I think that's the way it's been going for us. Especially in this region-it's been a very progressive region."
Wolfger says the goal is for Ivy Tech Fine Arts students to find employment as artists.
He cites recent studies have shown that there are over 13,000 arts-related businesses in Indiana, employing over 50,000 Hoosiers.
Ivy Tech Indianapolis already offers a Fine Arts degree, and several Indiana colleges will offer seamless transfers with the Fine Arts programs on both the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, including Herron School of Art and Design, Indiana State University, and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
Ivy Tech Bloomington expects 30 students to enroll in the Fine Arts program in the first year.