Prepare yourself for a creative career at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, one of over 40 Art Institutes located in major cities across North America. We’ll help take you there with a real-world, hands-on education in design, media arts, fashion & the culinary arts. Just imagine: preparing for a career you’ll love. Becoming the professional you’ve always known you could be.
Programs Offered:
Financial Aid: Financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Career Services: Our career services are designed to encourage your success. From helping you obtain part-time work while you are attending school to actively supporting soon-to-be graduates' job search, faculty and staff are committed to ensuring that each and every student receive the support he or she needs.
Open House
Want to find out more about The Art Institutes schools? Attend our Open House on August 8th at any of our locations throughout North America to see what we can offer you.
Summary of Programs:
Advertising is a creative profession within the commercial realm. In the Advertising program, you’ll study art direction, copywriting, and account supervision – and you’ll learn both the creative and business side of advertising. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as account manager, copywriter, or assistant art director.
In the Art of Cooking program, you’ll focus on cooking skills, baking, pastry, and American regional cuisine. You’ll learn plating and presentation as you build upon your cooking experience. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as line cook or pantry cook.
In the Baking & Pastry program, you’ll gain hands-on baking skills. Emphasis is placed on fundamental pastry and bread-baking techniques, in addition to all-purpose baking, desserts, cake decoration, and pastry arts. To complement your culinary techniques, you’ll learn critical thinking and business essentials. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as line cook and pantry cook (garde manger).
In the Culinary Arts program, you’ll gain practical experience in the kitchen while studying the business of cost control, sanitation and safety, menu and beverage management, nutrition, and kitchen management. You’ll learn to produce food quickly and in quantity while working with others. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as line cook and pantry cook (garde manger).
In the Culinary Management program, you’ll focus on communications, training, leadership, management, accounting, marketing, financial management, and employee relations. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as restaurant manager or catering manager in restaurants, hospitals, cruise ships, and banquet facilities.
In the Digital Design program, you’ll study drawing, design fundamentals, lettering and typography, and graphic design. Build a portfolio as you create color composites, renderings, and learn mechanical preparation. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as production and design positions with advertising agencies, graphic design firms, corporate communications departments, and printing companies.
Video production is at the center of everything from sports coverage to news programming, Internet broadcasts, television commercials, and corporate presentations. The Video Production program presents the skills needed to effectively operate a camera and process film in analog and digital formats – leading to a final production. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as audio-visual technician, video editor, video producer, or videographer.
Entertainment design needs to have a special spark. It must reach an audience and quickly communicate a message. In the Entertainment Design program, you’ll study design, layout, and color theory as you learn to create eye-catching designs. Industry-related software is utilized to help you gain experience as you create designs for everything from posters and advertisements to Web sites. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as production and design positions with advertising agencies, graphic design firms, corporate communications departments, and printing companies.
The Fashion & Retail Management program teaches you to develop, analyze, and implement sales strategies – including buying and merchandising practices, inventory control, and cost analysis. You’ll also learn about coordinating runway shows, sales consultation, and working with manufacturers’ representatives. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as retail and wholesale sales, stylist, management trainee, and visual merchandiser.
In the Game Art & Design program, you’ll learn the art and design skills needed to get into the gaming field. You’ll use your talents to create applications used within the business, education, training, and entertainment industries. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as modelers, storyboard artists, animation artists, 3-D illustrators, digital artists, FX artists, video post production artists, broadcast graphics designers, and game designers.
In the Graphic Design program, you’ll study design, typography, and color theory. Industry-specific software is utilized to help you learn to create everything from logos and posters to packaging, Web sites, and corporate identity packages. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as advertising designer, computer artist, freelance artist, graphic designer, or layout artist.
In the Hotel and Restaurant Management program, you’ll study the skills needed to pursue management positions inside of hotels and restaurants. Coursework focuses on communications, training, leadership, management, human resources, technology, accounting, marketing, financial management, and customer relations. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as restaurant manager or catering manager in restaurants, cruise ships, and banquet facilities.
From the watches we wear to the cars we drive, industrial designers have a hand in nearly everything we use. In the Industrial Design program, you’ll learn to balance aesthetics and engineering as you develop product to practicality using specialized software programs. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as car designer, furniture designer, product designer, special effects artist, or theme park designer.
In the Industrial Design Technology program, you’ll gain a foundation in the design and creative process by learning how products work and how they are made. You’ll study end user interface and problem solving, and experience hands-on learning using tools, materials, and 2- and 3-D software. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as junior or staff designer, assistant, intern, or studio assistant.
In the Interior Design program, you’ll study the design, safety, and usability issues of creating the spaces that we live, work, and play within. Coursework focuses on space planning, traffic patterns, and the colors, surfaces, and furnishings that make surroundings comfortable and livable. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as draftsperson, facilities planner, interior designer/decorator, or space planner.
In the Kitchen & Bath Design program, you’ll study the principles of design, color theory, and lighting. You’ll discover which materials and finishes work best within a home and learn how to accent kitchens and baths with fixtures, equipment, and cabinetry. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as support personnel in interior design studios, including those of material and supply companies and design firms.
In the Media Arts & Animation program, you’ll develop a strong foundation in drawing, design, and illustration in order to produce traditional 2-D formats. Then you’ll move into computer generated 3-D formats that make characters and objects come alive. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as animator, computer animator, digital media producer, special effects artist, background designer, computer artist, layout artist, or video game artist.
The Photography program teaches you composition, lighting, and equipment use. Darkroom techniques, color, and design are explored both on location and in a studio. You’ll develop business skills as you fine-tune your eye for detail. Both digital and film will be utilized. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as commercial photographer, digital photographer, industrial photographer, photo lab technician, or photojournalist.
Video production is at the center of everything from sports coverage to news programming, Internet broadcasts, television commercials, and corporate presentations. The Video Production program presents the skills needed to effectively operate a camera and process film in analog and digital formats – leading to a final production. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as audio-visual technician, video editor, video producer, or videographer.
The Visual Effects & Motion Graphics program helps you to learn how to use your creativity to produce attention-grabbing communication design for film, television, and the Web. Visual effects are responsible for movie trailers, opening film credits, television commercials, animated network identities, and short promos. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as production assistant, assistant designer, visual effect specialist, or broadcast design assistant.
In the Web Design program, you’ll study HTML scripting, designing graphics for the screen, Web site development using current applications, operating systems, network technology, web animation, and desktop editing skills. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as Web site designer, Web artist, Web producer, Web site developer, and multimedia producer.
Learn more about Web Design and Interactive Media, a web-related program that may interest you.
In the Web Design & Interactive Media (formerly Interactive Media Design) program, you’ll focus on interface design, interactivity, visual design, database design, dynamic Web content design, technology, and information design and employ creative solutions across all Web-related mediums. You’ll learn skills that will enable you to create accessible, engaging interactions via Web sites and other interactive mediums. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment in positions such as interactive designer, animator, special effects artist, and computer artist.
Degree Key: C = Certificate AAS = Associate of Applied Science BA = Bachelor of Arts BS = Bachelor of Science