The character of studies provided by the School of Visual and Applied Arts is mainly in the form of studio art studies, supplemented by corresponding scientific, theory and pedagogical courses for the formation of artists with a comprehensive education and specialized artistic skills. In the School of Visual and Applied Arts of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Aristotle University, the curriculum of the undergraduate program of studies comprises ten semesters and leads to a unified diploma, which specifies a Specialization. There are three Specializations: Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking. There are five (5) Studios providing specialization in Painting, one (1) in Sculpture, and one (1) in Printmaking.
When students enroll the School, they have to choose a Specialization and a Studio. In order to graduate, students must attend and be successfully examined in all Mandatory Artistc courses of their Specialization, all Main Mandatory Core courses, and a certain number of Optional Mandatory courses, and present their Thesis, for a total of 300 ECTS. The art courses are Studio based courses.
For graduation:
In the Specializations of Painting and Printmaking, students are required to attend and be examined successfully in forty-three (43) Artistic and Theory courses. Of the forty-three (43), twenty-three (23) are Artistic studio prerequisite courses of which nineteen (19) are Major and four (4) are Elective. The Theory courses are twenty (20); of which eighteen (18) are Major and two (2) are Elective Major.
In the Specialization of Sculpture students are required to attend and be examined successfully in fifty-one (51) Artistic and Theory lessons. Of the fifty-one (51), the thirty-one (31) are Artistic studio prerequisite courses of which twenty-seven (27) are Major and the four (4) are Elective. The Theory courses are twenty (20), of which eighteen (18) are Major and two (2) are Elective Major. The percentage of ECTS of Art studio courses amounts to eighty-five (85%) compared to the rate of fifteen (15%) of Theory courses of the total ECTS.
In the 9th and 10th semester the student, in consultation with the Supervisor, chooses the topic for his/her Thesis. The Thesis is the summit of the educational process and incorporates all of the artistic skills and knowledge obtained during his/her studies. It has the form of an artistic research and production. Its object must be relevant to the content of compulsory subjects taught in the Specialization. The student must present his/her artistic work and be in a able to support his/her thesis before a committee that is appointed to examine the theses.
The graduates with the acquisition of specialized artistic and theoretical knowledge can be employed in the private and public sectors, as visual artists. At the same time they can be employed in all sectors of education and as members of research teams in Art and Culture issues; in Municipalities in Culture matters; museums; theaters; in archaeological services; advertisement; television; cinema, and in any other occupation, according to the arrangements of the applicable legislation. The School of Visual and Applied Arts publishes Proficiency Certificate, providing the ability for graduates to teach in Primary and Secondary Education.