People who would find attending a brick-and-mortar art school inconvenient may benefit from an online art academy. There are a few things to consider when selecting the best academy for one’s needs. A prospective student should look into how programs are structured, what types of instruction are available, and whether the academy is accredited. These factors will vary in importance depending on the student’s reasons for wanting to study at an online art academy.
It is critical that the institution’s programs are accredited if a person is seeking a qualification to help secure professional or further educational opportunities. Many diploma mills operate online, offering unaccredited credentials at a low cost and with little educational value. Other academies may offer useful learning tools and interesting courses, but they lack the accreditation required for employment or further education. Because perceptions of accreditation bodies differ from country to country, it’s best to check with local institutions or businesses to see if they’d recognize a given institution’s accreditation. Before applying to an online art academy, a prospective student should research the qualifications and backgrounds of the instructors.
Studying at an online art academy has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. It is up to each student to determine which of these factors is more important than the others. Greater flexibility in terms of study hours, as well as the comfort of being in one’s own home with personal art supplies on hand, are frequently mentioned advantages. Despite the use of interactive learning technologies like chat rooms and virtual classrooms, some online students still miss having face-to-face interactions with instructors and classmates. A visual arts teacher assisting a student in mixing colors on a pallet, for example, or a music instructor correcting a student’s posture with a guiding tap on the back — art students may feel they lack some degree of hands-on support in developing their artwork.
Art online academies can be structured in a variety of ways, and not all will provide the same level of flexibility in terms of scheduling one’s own hours. The type of qualification sought will often determine the amount of dedicated time and intensity required to complete a program. Online arts education can range from short-course certificates to BAs, MFAs, and even PhDs in fine arts from an accredited academy of art online.