Watkins College of Art | Top Design School | Belmont University
Source: http://www.watkins.edu
Archived: 2026-04-23 16:54
Watkins College of Art | Top Design School | Belmont University
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About
Programs of Study
Portfolio Guidelines
Facilities & Galleries
Faculty & Staff
Student Work
Outcomes & Alumni Success
Student Opportunities
Events & Exhibitions
Community Education
Teen Art & Design Program
Give to the College
From Artists to Professionals, From Creative to Career
Transform your passion into purpose in Nashville's creative community.
Learn from experienced faculty with incredible industry experience and professional connections while you create work that matters in state-of-the-art facilities. Here, small class sizes mean individualized attention — faculty know your name and your work.
Explore multiple disciplines, complete multiple internships and develop your artistic voice alongside practicing artists, designers and scholars. We instill an entrepreneurial mindset through real-world experiences, intentional programming and a close-knit community that challenges you to be your best.
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Watch Video
The Student Experience
Marina Ibrahim talks about her latest projects and the experiences that have been made possible by the Watkins College of Art.
View Student Work
Watkins By the Numbers
Watkins invests in your creative future with scholarship funding, industry connections and programs that earn national attention.
$1M
in scholarships awarded annually for Watkins students
9
majors across BFA and BA programs
4
galleries for students to professionally exhibit their work
#1
illustration program in Tennessee
Find Your Fit
Study what you love while you build the career you dream of. Here, you'll get the chance to explore the intersections of all your interests with the flexibility to customize your path.
Explore by Degree:
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
|
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
|
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Explore Our Academic Programs
Explore Portfolio Guidelines
Art That Transforms
Alumni Spotlight:
Anna Ramsey, Watkins alumna, earned Campaign's inaugural Spark Award, recognizing emerging creative talent making an impact in the industry.
Read Story
Outcomes & Alumni Success
National Recognition
Watkins College of Art is a
top design school in the U.S.
, according to GDUSA. Our illustration program was
ranked No. 1 in Tennessee
and in the
top 50 in the U.S.
, according to Animation Career Review.
Our design department brings home
ADDY Awards
every year at the local, regional and national levels. Most recently, our design students won first place at the
Design it Forward 2025
competition. Nine students were honored through the prestigious
Graphis New Talent Annual 2025
, and several photography students were selected for international exhibitions.
These rankings reflect our students' incredible success professionally and in national and international competitions.
View Our Students’ Award-Winning Work
From first place at Design it Forward 2025 to recognition in Graphis New Talent Annual and international photography exhibitions, our students' work commands attention nationwide.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Our high job placement rate reflects the professional preparation, industry connections and entrepreneurial mindset we cultivate in every student.
Faculty Who Know the Field
At Watkins, you learn about art and design from professionals who live it. Their connections open doors to internship opportunities and real-world projects that prepare you for your career.
"We encourage students to think boldly, design smart and create with meaning."
Doug Regen | Design Professor
Professional Success
Our professors' industry experience and connections set our programs apart, opening doors to exceptional internship placements and endless study abroad opportunities. Through thesis and senior exhibitions, community outreach and real-world projects, you'll build an industry-ready portfolio that leads to our high job placement rates. We also provide scholarship opportunities for students to earn seed funding to launch their creative ventures.
Abby Connolly
Class of 2022
Experiential Design
Designer at Ramsey Solutions
"I'd describe Watkins as warm, authentic and creative. There's encouragement to ask questions and a willingness to help from both peers and professors. It's exciting to be around — there's so much momentum happening at Belmont. The school exposes you to all types of creatives and doesn't put a cap on that creativity."
Read Story
Elise Rowland
Class of 2025
Photography
"Watkins is made up of a close-knit group of creatives. The students encourage and support each other, helping out on projects and challenging each other to be their best. The instructors know no bounds when it comes to helping their students. I've had multiple instructors and staff go above and beyond to help me."
Lauren Dingmann
Class of 2021
Art Education
Elementary Art Teacher
"My time at Belmont really prepared me in every way for my current teaching job, from lesson planning to making deeper connections with students in meaningful ways. My studio classes really deepened my ability to teach a variety of artistic mediums to my classes, and I think Watkins is a space that encourages questioning and exploration in the pursuit of art in every form."
Elizabeth Williams
Class of 2008
Design Communications
Owner and Co-Founder of New Hat Projects
"I loved being in such a creative liberal arts environment. I'm just really proud. It was a really copacetic and supportive learning environment for me, and it made me think more deeply about the solutions and why I made certain choices. It's easy to make something look good, but it's not easy to have something be conceptually rich and work to solve the problem. I feel like Belmont really helped train me that way."
Marina Ibrahim
Class of 2023
Illustration
"Watkins helped me build the courage to push the boundaries of my art. I am creating things that I would have never imagined myself creating even just a year or two ago. I am no longer afraid to try something new or even absurd."
Bailey Tichenor
Class of 2016
Art History
Co-Founder and Director of Artistoric
"Belmont gave me a firm foundation for my career and fostered my appreciation of art and material culture. There was a real community of fellow students who were invested and interested in each other's research. Some of my favorite memories were during study abroad programs (Greece, London, Paris). Nothing compares to learning about a painting or historic site while standing right in front of it!"
Heriberto Palacio III
Class of 2020
MFA in Visual Arts
"I chose Watkins College of Art at Belmont because it was flexible for me on a personal, practical and financial level. Being in a low residency MFA program, I was able to maintain my professional career and pursue my higher education. I sought an MFA program that wouldn't box me into a medium or way of working, and this program allowed me the flexibility to establish a studio-research practice that was focused on my interests as an artist and practitioner."
Stories from Watkins College
View all Watkins Stories
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View all Watkins Stories
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Take the next steps with us
Your journey at the Watkins College of Art begins here.
Visit Campus
arrow_right
Apply Today
arrow_right
Request Info
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info
Close
close
About
Programs of Study
Portfolio Guidelines
Facilities & Galleries
Faculty & Staff
Student Work
Outcomes & Alumni Success
Student Opportunities
Events & Exhibitions
Community Education
Teen Art & Design Program
Give to the College
From Artists to Professionals, From Creative to Career
Transform your passion into purpose in Nashville's creative community.
Learn from experienced faculty with incredible industry experience and professional connections while you create work that matters in state-of-the-art facilities. Here, small class sizes mean individualized attention — faculty know your name and your work.
Explore multiple disciplines, complete multiple internships and develop your artistic voice alongside practicing artists, designers and scholars. We instill an entrepreneurial mindset through real-world experiences, intentional programming and a close-knit community that challenges you to be your best.
play_arrow
Watch Video
The Student Experience
Marina Ibrahim talks about her latest projects and the experiences that have been made possible by the Watkins College of Art.
View Student Work
Watkins By the Numbers
Watkins invests in your creative future with scholarship funding, industry connections and programs that earn national attention.
$1M
in scholarships awarded annually for Watkins students
9
majors across BFA and BA programs
4
galleries for students to professionally exhibit their work
#1
illustration program in Tennessee
Find Your Fit
Study what you love while you build the career you dream of. Here, you'll get the chance to explore the intersections of all your interests with the flexibility to customize your path.
Explore by Degree:
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
|
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
|
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Explore Our Academic Programs
Explore Portfolio Guidelines
Art That Transforms
Alumni Spotlight:
Anna Ramsey, Watkins alumna, earned Campaign's inaugural Spark Award, recognizing emerging creative talent making an impact in the industry.
Read Story
Outcomes & Alumni Success
National Recognition
Watkins College of Art is a
top design school in the U.S.
, according to GDUSA. Our illustration program was
ranked No. 1 in Tennessee
and in the
top 50 in the U.S.
, according to Animation Career Review.
Our design department brings home
ADDY Awards
every year at the local, regional and national levels. Most recently, our design students won first place at the
Design it Forward 2025
competition. Nine students were honored through the prestigious
Graphis New Talent Annual 2025
, and several photography students were selected for international exhibitions.
These rankings reflect our students' incredible success professionally and in national and international competitions.
View Our Students’ Award-Winning Work
From first place at Design it Forward 2025 to recognition in Graphis New Talent Annual and international photography exhibitions, our students' work commands attention nationwide.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Our high job placement rate reflects the professional preparation, industry connections and entrepreneurial mindset we cultivate in every student.
Faculty Who Know the Field
At Watkins, you learn about art and design from professionals who live it. Their connections open doors to internship opportunities and real-world projects that prepare you for your career.
"We encourage students to think boldly, design smart and create with meaning."
Doug Regen | Design Professor
Professional Success
Our professors' industry experience and connections set our programs apart, opening doors to exceptional internship placements and endless study abroad opportunities. Through thesis and senior exhibitions, community outreach and real-world projects, you'll build an industry-ready portfolio that leads to our high job placement rates. We also provide scholarship opportunities for students to earn seed funding to launch their creative ventures.
Abby Connolly
Class of 2022
Experiential Design
Designer at Ramsey Solutions
"I'd describe Watkins as warm, authentic and creative. There's encouragement to ask questions and a willingness to help from both peers and professors. It's exciting to be around — there's so much momentum happening at Belmont. The school exposes you to all types of creatives and doesn't put a cap on that creativity."
Read Story
Elise Rowland
Class of 2025
Photography
"Watkins is made up of a close-knit group of creatives. The students encourage and support each other, helping out on projects and challenging each other to be their best. The instructors know no bounds when it comes to helping their students. I've had multiple instructors and staff go above and beyond to help me."
Lauren Dingmann
Class of 2021
Art Education
Elementary Art Teacher
"My time at Belmont really prepared me in every way for my current teaching job, from lesson planning to making deeper connections with students in meaningful ways. My studio classes really deepened my ability to teach a variety of artistic mediums to my classes, and I think Watkins is a space that encourages questioning and exploration in the pursuit of art in every form."
Elizabeth Williams
Class of 2008
Design Communications
Owner and Co-Founder of New Hat Projects
"I loved being in such a creative liberal arts environment. I'm just really proud. It was a really copacetic and supportive learning environment for me, and it made me think more deeply about the solutions and why I made certain choices. It's easy to make something look good, but it's not easy to have something be conceptually rich and work to solve the problem. I feel like Belmont really helped train me that way."
Marina Ibrahim
Class of 2023
Illustration
"Watkins helped me build the courage to push the boundaries of my art. I am creating things that I would have never imagined myself creating even just a year or two ago. I am no longer afraid to try something new or even absurd."
Bailey Tichenor
Class of 2016
Art History
Co-Founder and Director of Artistoric
"Belmont gave me a firm foundation for my career and fostered my appreciation of art and material culture. There was a real community of fellow students who were invested and interested in each other's research. Some of my favorite memories were during study abroad programs (Greece, London, Paris). Nothing compares to learning about a painting or historic site while standing right in front of it!"
Heriberto Palacio III
Class of 2020
MFA in Visual Arts
"I chose Watkins College of Art at Belmont because it was flexible for me on a personal, practical and financial level. Being in a low residency MFA program, I was able to maintain my professional career and pursue my higher education. I sought an MFA program that wouldn't box me into a medium or way of working, and this program allowed me the flexibility to establish a studio-research practice that was focused on my interests as an artist and practitioner."
Stories from Watkins College
View all Watkins Stories
arrow_right
View all Watkins Stories
arrow_right
Take the next steps with us
Your journey at the Watkins College of Art begins here.
Visit Campus
arrow_right
Apply Today
arrow_right
Request Info
arrow_right