General Information

The School of Art, with a faculty of more than 60 artists, designers, and scholars, and an enrollment of more than 800 undergraduate and 130 graduate students, is one of the best and most comprehensive public university art schools in the United States, with a nationally established reputation in a number of fields.
The long-standing quality of the School of Art's programs, its affiliation with a major university, its location near the population centers of northern Illinois, and the competitiveness of its educational costs make Northern's program in the visual arts one of the best education values for art students. Faculty and students who work and study in the visual arts at Northern are responsible for its excellent reputation, having received awards and honors in both artistic and academic fields. Graduates from the School of Art are sought by employers ranging from large and small businesses, to public school systems throughout Illinois, to colleges and universities, as well as museums and galleries.
The basic components of NIU's record of success in visual arts education are People, Facilities and Programs. Each contributes to the dynamic atmosphere of the School and the professionalism that characterizes its faculty and graduates.